Savage Arms has made a number of changes to bolt release location, factory stocks, trigger guards and bottom Drop Box Magazine (DBM) parts over the last few years. New Savage owners soon discover the factory synthetic stock, trigger guard and bottom parts found on entry level Savage models are cheap, flimsy and often limit accuracy potential. Soon thereafter the search begins for a replacement stock, a metal trigger guard, metal DBM frame assembly and metal magazine bottom cap. Savage Arms has made so many changes that owners, aftermarket stock makers and even Savage parts representatives are often confused about what parts work. Hopefully, the following information will be useful when upgrading from the cheap Savage synthetic stock and switching to metal bottom parts.
Several years ago Savage Arms started molding the DBM frame assembly (surround) into their factory synthetic stocks (ex. Model 11/111 Trophy Hunter). To cut cost, Savage also converted many models to the bottom bolt release and switched from metal trigger guards to the cheaper synthetic trigger guards and magazine bottom caps with the Axis DBM release. The Savage Hog Hunter is one of the few models left that still has the the top/side bolt release that many previous Savage owners prefer over the bottom bolt release when looking for a donor action to build on.
The most commonly asked question is what parts do I need to put my Savage SA or LA into a Savage CF, DBM stock with metal bottom parts? The pictures below show that it depends on whether you have a top/side bolt release CF action (ex. Hog Hunter) or a bottom bolt release action.
To fit most Savage walnut, laminated or composite aftermarket stocks with a top/side bolt release action and older style metal trigger guard, you will need a metal frame assembly (surround) with the thicker rear lip. If you have the newer bottom bolt release located in the front of the trigger guard, you will need the frame assembly with the thinner rear lip.
The following chart put together by a forum member has serial numbers for various Savage models that where released with metal bottom parts. Plug a SN into the Partsfinder tab on the Savage Arms website and pull up the rifle’s schematics to place an online order for the metal trigger guard, metal DBM frame assembly and metal magazine bottom cap needed for your Savage SA or LA with top/side or bottom bolt release. The chart is also posted in the FAQ section.
It may still require some minor inletting and bedding of aftermarket stocks to get the metal frame assembly and trigger guard to fit properly. If you have to modify the inlet, make sure the DBM lips will end up in the correct position to reliably feed cartridges before final pillar or epoxy bedding.
For example, the Boyd’s Savage Model 11, ProVarmint top/side bolt release, CF, DBM stock I recently purchased to replace the factory synthetic, blind magazine stock on a Savage Hog Hunter (top/side bolt release action) did require additional inletting and bedding. The picture below shows that the current Boyd's stock DBM inlet is too short for the older style top/side frame assembly front bridge to fit. I could have made the new style metal or synthetic bottom bolt release frame assembly work, but then I would have needed to make a shim to put under the front lip of the old style trigger guard to make it set flush with the bottom of the frame assembly and stock.
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