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Yes you need a mag bolt face regardless of action type. No you do not need a large shank.
If it were me and I was building one, I would pick up a factory 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win mag with a centerfeed style magazine. This way you get a longer action so you can set those bullets way out there if you want, and the mag works perfectly as long as you slide your rounds to the back (which you should do in any magazine). If you must run a short action you can either pick up a factory built WSM rifle (which will be a large shank) and rebarrel it, or you can use a regular short action and convert it. You would have to switch to a WSM magazine and have to either order a custom bolt head for the SA-mag or use a factory pushfeed WSM head (and with the factory WSM heads you also need the special WSM firing pin), so really the long action is a much simpler swap. As for a barrel you will obviously have to order one for small shank. Many barrel makers will build you in a WSM on a small shank but some won't since Savage doesn't make them that way. Unless you are going to run a lighter contour like a sporter or featherweight, there is no reason you need a Large Shank. And even if you want a lighter contour, you just have your barrel maker cut the contour straight shank over the chamber before starting the taper.
I have a 6mm-WSM on a small shank and have had no issues or problems what so ever. Give Jim at Apache Gunworks a shout and see what he can do for you. He built my 6-WSM and it is a real shooter. Mine does well under 1/2MOA. Jim does great work and can hook you up.
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