Yes, MrFurious, my Trophy Hunter has a cheap plastic latch attached as you describe. Someone told me it will still work in the new Tacticools, but I do not know for sure because I have not rec'd it yet. If it does not work, I am not real happy about that, but I am going to make my Tacticool rifles single-shot by adding a $15 single shot loading ramp from Sharp Shooter Supply. I hope that solves the problem.

My Model 12 has the better metal bottoms and I have not attempted to install it into the Tacticool. . I bought the "blind mag or stagger feed model" for it before the newer DBM stocks were even offered.

I agree 100% with your bigger point, though. I think Savage makes too many varieties of various levels of quality just to be able to offer cheaper prices on rifles that are rather economical to begin with.