Savage FAQs

Savage FAQs

Savage Arms has been around for over 100 years. Through the years, models have come and gone and changes to their models have naturally occurred as well.

We have a great knowledge of Savage rifles and which mounts fit specific applications. The Savage Shooters Forum is also an excellent resource for an even deeper dive into the world of Savage Arms.

They have tons of models and we have tons of bases. We will reviews the most common FAQs when it comes to Savage firearms.

Flat Back vs Round Back

Mark II vs Model 93

Edge / Axis

A22 LR

Model 99

Savage Flat Back vs Round Back

Prior to their Accutrigger models, Savage's centerfire rifle receivers had a round front and a flat rear. This is where the name "Flat Back" came from. Originally, they were only offered in a long action configuration. This refers to the length of pull for the bolt. Longer cartridges require a longer bolt that requires a longer pull. They eventually started producing medium actions and short actions and because of this, when attempting to find the correct rail, you cannot always go by the caliber. We always recommend measuring hole spacing, the ejection port dimension, or the action screw spacing to confirm before purchasing a rail.

Savage MkII vs. Savage Model 93

Savage is known for their affordable bolt guns, and their .22s are no exception. The MkII and Model 93 are still some of the most common guns we are asked about. Older Savage MkII rifles used to come with a 1-3/8" ejection port opening. Sometime in the 2010 - 2011 they introduced the "E-receiver" which allowed them to use the same receiver for many models, including the MkII and the Model 93. Savage Shooters has another great writeup on the differences. The "E-receiver" uses a 1-5/8" ejection port, so the easiest way to tell which model you have is to measure the ejection port opening.

If your ejection port measures 1-3/8" you will need to use one of our Savage MkII (1-3/8" Ejection Port) rails.

If your ejection port measures 1-5/8" you will need to use one of our Savage MkII and Model 93 (1-5/8" Ejection Port) rails.

Savage Edge / Axis

Savage initially introduced the Edge as a "value line" centerfire gun. They changed the name to the Axis after a short period of time (possibly less than a year). All Edge / Axis models use the same receiver no matter the caliber or specific model designation. This makes it a dream for aftermarket component companies like us. One rail fits all of the rifles in the lineup....until now.

Earlier this year (2021) Savage made a change from #6-48 mounting screws to #8-40 mounting screws. We changed our mounts as quickly as possible, but we still had old stock on our shelves that were drilled to accommodate the #6-48 screws. We have been manually drilling out and sending #6-48 and #8-40 screws with all mounts that leave our facility as of this blog post (9/23/21). All new production Axis mounts moving forward will be drilled for and include #8-40 screws as well as #6-48 screws to cover any older model Axis'.

Savage recently published an extremely helpful blog post showing the differences between the Axis receivers. This should help any customers who may have a newer gun, but might not be sure. This blog post also goes over some of the other differences we already covered for their flat back and round back receivers.

Savage A22 LR

The A22 LR originally came with its own unique hole spacing that was different than what came on the A17 and A22 Mag. Savage eventually standardized the hole spacings between these models and all models manufactured after the serial number 3380376 will utilize the A17, A22 Mag scope mount that we make. We also have a scope mount for the models with the original hole spacing available here.

Savage Model 99

The Savage Model 99 has been around for a very long time, but they have only been factory drilled and tapped since the 50s. Our mount works with the guns that were drilled and tapped from the factory.