You're right, Dave.
Even the .223 AICS short action mags are also set up to move the .223 cartridge forward in the mag well so the .223 will feed correctly, even though the external overall dimensions of the mag is the same as the standard AICS short action mag used for a .308.
But in the case of the AICS mags, the spacer isn't as obvious because the upper cover on the mag over the follower is different than a standard short action mag for other calibers.
My CZ 527 .223 bolt action has a specially sized magazine that is far smaller, both thinner and shorter, than a Savage .223 magazine.
Savage kept the costs down by adapting a standard short action mag and bolt.
The Savage bolt's overall size is the same for the .223 and .308 but, obviously, the bolt face is different because it has to fit the smaller diameter .223 case and the .223 bolt has that extra flange on the bolt that keeps the bolt from going all the way back so the bolt face will only get far enough past the rear head stamp when the bolt is all the way back to pick up the next round.
On the 12 FV .223 with a hidden magazine, that flange keeps the bolt forward so it won't open past the front edge of the spacer in the magazine so the effective length of the standard ejection port is reduced, even though the port is the same size on both the .223 and my .308s and 6.5mm Creedmoor short actions.
Of course that makes it more difficult to load the hidden magazine on the 12 FV.
I have much more difficulty loading the .223 rounds in my 12 FV .223 than I have loading the larger 6.5mm Creedmoor rounds in my 12 FV 6.5mm Creedmoor. That extra 1/2 inch or so in the flange that keeps the bolt from going back too far on the .223 cases makes a big difference in the available space to get fingers into the standard size ejection port to load.
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