Max COAL for 1st generation short action.

Given that the 1st Gen short actions have a 4.5 screw spacing and were called intermediate actions I was wondering what the max cartridge length would function in the magazine. I have 2 pre-1966 long actions and one has a 7x57 barrel. It looks like I have about .5 inches of extra room when loading .284 139gr SSTs. You can probably guess where I am going. Could a 7X57 work in a 1st Gen short action. The extra room in the long action bugs me even though it feeds all rounds perfectly. If it would fit, a 1st Gen short with a 22 inch 7x57 sporter weight barrel could make a really light woods rifle using lighter weight bullets.

Just curious. To me the ideal 'light woods gun' is a single shot. Ruger #1 or 3 comes to mind. Or win 85.

Don’t know off hand, but if you have ‘em, why not just measure?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave Hoback

Don’t know off hand, but if you have ‘em, why not just measure?

---

he has 2 long actions, thus the how long is a short action question.

Not having one handy, I can not give you a measurement at the moment. The mags will be made to fit .308 / .243 "2.80" overall length cartriges. 7x57s are in the "3.07" range. Port can be opened a bit, but mag length is fixed.
Going single shot, you would be mostly ejecting shorter empty cases.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by charlie b

Just curious. To me the ideal 'light woods gun' is a single shot. Ruger #1 or 3 comes to mind. Or win 85.

---

I agree with the Ruger #1, They just want your first born child for them. I just like to tinker with Savages and see what you can do with them. 260 rem would be another option for a short action.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blue Avenger

he has 2 long actions, thus the how long is a short action question.

Not having one handy, I can not give you a measurement at the moment. The mags will be made to fit .308 / .243 "2.80" overall length cartriges. 7x57s are in the "3.07" range. Port can be opened a bit, but mag length is fixed.
Going single shot, you would be mostly ejecting shorter empty cases.

---

Read over that. Thank you for clarifying.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dillwt

I agree with the Ruger #1, They just want your first born child for them. I just like to tinker with Savages and see what you can do with them. 260 rem would be another option for a short action.

---

Yes, 260 Rem works well. I still love mine. Although I should have gone 260AI immediately. Next barrel change plan, anyway.

Understand the desire for another.

I get rid of anything I don't use monthly, except for the sentimental stuff. I am a recovering hoarder of guns. :) Still not easy to pass on something I see and really like.

Thoughts on 358 Winchester, an age appropriate caliber for a 1st gen short action.

I have a short action, 10 FCP-K .308, vintage 2012, and have loaded rounds with OAL of 2.912 with room left in its Savage detachable mag.
I have a 10 FP .308 with a new barrel, vintage 2012, and have loaded rounds with OAL of 2.902 with room left in its Savage hidden mag.
The original 10 FP .308-barrel, vintage 2008, (eventually had 6,500 rounds down the barrel with the lands eroded) had been loaded late in its life to 2.960 OAL with room left in the Savage hidden mag.
At that OAL, I was having issues with maintaining repeatable neck tension with bullets seated out that far so I replaced the barrel.

I measured my Savage detachable .308 mag and its internal OAL limit is 3.020 inches.
I believe the Savage hidden mag on the 10 FP is the same length as the detachable mag (the hidden mag looks like it is just the mag body with the bottom removed) so it should have the same OAL limit.

My AICS .308 mag (aluminum) will allow about 2.895 OAL. My AICS .308 plastic mag, with an internal dimension of only 2.840, really limits seating out into the lands.

Measure the mag internal size and you'll know your mag limits.
Then you need to see what OAL will work in your barrel.

I won't talk about chamber depth, because every bullet design (even those with the same bullet weight) has a different cartridge base to Ogive length.
Your preference for jump will determine the OAL for each particular bullet you use.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CFJunkie

I have a short action, 10 FCP-K .308, vintage 2012, and have loaded rounds with OAL of 2.912 with room left in its Savage detachable mag.
I have a 10 FP .308 with a new barrel, vintage 2012, and have loaded rounds with OAL of 2.902 with room left in its Savage hidden mag.
The original 10 FP .308-barrel, vintage 2008, (eventually had 6,500 rounds down the barrel with the lands eroded) had been loaded late in its life to 2.960 OAL with room left in the Savage hidden mag.
At that OAL, I was having issues with maintaining repeatable neck tension with bullets seated out that far so I replaced the barrel.

I measured my Savage detachable .308 mag and its internal OAL limit is 3.020 inches.
I believe the Savage hidden mag on the 10 FP is the same length as the detachable mag (the hidden mag looks like it is just the mag body with the bottom removed) so it should have the same OAL limit.

My AICS .308 mag (aluminum) will allow about 2.895 OAL. My AICS .308 plastic mag, with an internal dimension of only 2.840, really limits seating out into the lands.

Measure the mag internal size and you'll know your mag limits.
Then you need to see what OAL will work in your barrel.

I won't talk about chamber depth, because every bullet design (even those with the same bullet weight) has a different cartridge base to Ogive length.
Your preference for jump will determine the OAL for each particular bullet you use.

---

Thanks CFJunkie, Thats the kind of info I was needing. Looks like 7x57 is a no go.

The .358 is another one of those 'good' calibers. I guess just about any of them made from the .308 have turned out to work well. .243, .260, 7mm-08, .308, .358 would all be decent choices.

From a short barrel I would favor the larger ones, 7mm, .308, .358.

Recoil wise I'd go smaller. So maybe the 7mm-08? About as close to 7x57 as you can get.

Then there is the cast bullet route. Larger bore reduced loads would favor the .308 and .358. For that matter you can dial back loads with jacketed bullets in any of them as well.

260AI @ 2.950”-3.000” COAL. The greatest Short Action, magazine loaded cartridge there is. 140gr-150gr pills at 2900-3000fps. Need to go Long Action or Magnum to beat it. And I believe the same is needed to drive the bigger/heavier 7mm & 30cal projectiles effectively.

Them Swedes knew a thing or two…;)

Although, if we’re talking about hunting, any of them work. Oh, and if you don’t reload, well…. Need to remedy that first, LOL!

https://www.savageshooters.com/conte...Action-Lengths

FAQ has some pictures if the intermediate action with measurements. Mine is currently out of reach so i can not give you exact mag box measurement. It is currently a .257 roberts AI