How To Remove Your Blind Mag Body and Follower (SF and CF)

[bootsmcguire]

Every once in a while somebody posts up the question "How do I Remove my blind mag?" or "Do I have a Centerfeed or a Staggerfeed?". While blind mag removal is pretty straight forward, I do know the feeling of worrying that you might break something and a little instruction could help.

Now first to clarify, the Centerfeed Blind Mags stay inside the stock when your action is removed from the stock. The Staggerfeed Blind Mags are attached to the action and will come out with the action when removed from the stock.


Centerfeed Blind Mag Removal

Here you can see the CF mag body and follower still installed into the stock. Notice the location of the silver tab of the "L" clip is down inside the notch over the pillar in the stock.



To remove the magazine from the stock, insert a flat blade screwdriver under the "L" clip. Careful not to bend the tab. A little flexing of the tab is normal but you want to be sure you get the tip of the blade all the way against the back of the "L" clip as indicated by the arrow. Now rotate the screwdriver to start lifting the magazine out of the stock. Be sure to twist the driver and not to pry with the driver as you may bend or damage the "L" clip. Now just lift out the magazine.



Here is what the magazine looks like out of the stock and is placed in order to be re-installed into the stock. To re-install just insert the "L" clip back into its slot and with the follower inside the mag body just push it back into the stock until the mag and clip are fully to the bottom. Often time you will feel a slight pop as it seats back in.



Staggerfeed Blind Mag Removal

Here we have shown the bottom view of a SF action with the mag body still attached. I had already removed the follower as it just sits inside the mag body and becomes loose when the action is removed from the stock.



Now I like to grip over the bottom of the mag body with the inside of my knuckles over the mag body and my fingers placed at the upper arrow and my thumb and base of my palm at the lower arrow.



Now with a flat blade screwdriver inserted as indicated by the arrow and a decent grip on the mag body, twist (don't pry) the screw driver to force the tab of the magazine out of the slot. Sometimes it may take a little bit to get a feel for how to apply pressure to get the tab to pop out.



Once it pops free the mag will fall away from the action as shown.



Now to re-install the mag onto the action, start one tab into its slot (reverse of above picture) and then using your flat blade again push in (orange arrow), and using your support hand squeeze the mag in (purple arrow).


Now its all snapped back into place and ready to go back into the stock.


Here are some articles and threads that will give you additional information on magazine styles and when Savage switched from SF to CF.
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...azine-Timeline
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...Feed-Magazines
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...Action-Lengths

Hopefully some of that helps and makes it a bit easier for your first attempt at a magazine change.
Thanks.

[Hotolds442]

Are the stagger feed actions and the center feed actions milled the same on the bottom of the action?

[stangfish]

Another fine tutorial Boots!

Are the stagger feed actions and the center feed actions milled the same on the bottom of the action?

No.

[bootsmcguire]

Are the stagger feed actions and the center feed actions milled the same on the bottom of the action?

Another fine tutorial Boots!



No.

Thanks Stang. Totally correct. The newer CF actions do not have the slots to accept the older SF mags. Also on the Short actions the bolt spacing is different.

I added some links to the original post that discuss Magazine types, Bolt spacing, and when Savage switched from SF to CF magazines.

[wlleven]

Bootsmcguire,

Very nicely done and very, very helpful.


wll

[JW]

Thanks Boots
Another FAQ post I do believe

Jack

[AZ_GUN_NUT]

With my old arthritic hands I had trouble getting my SF blind magazine back into place. I ended up using a small deadblow hammer and giving the end of the screw driver a gentle tap to compress the magazine shell and get the tab to clear the receiver, then a little push on the bottom to get the tab into the slot.

Thanks for posting this thread, it came in very handy!

[RP12]

Please make this a sticky. Great job again boots.

[bootsmcguire]

Thanks guys.

Jim has already made this an article in the "Savage FAQ" section, accessible from the home page I believe.