Savage Model 64 .22 magazines worn out after 200 shots!!!

[Macchina]

I have a Savage Model 64 .22 autoloader. I am very pleased with the rifle, but very unpleased with the magazines. They are made of aluminum extrudings and wear out about as fast as frozen turds in a nuclear reactor. I have put about 400 rounds through these two mags (200 each) and they are both heavily worn on the rear which causes misfires now when the cartridges hang up. Not only do they wear out insanely fast, but the feed ramp is cut crooked and roughly into both magazines. I doubt Savage will ever release a stamped steel magazine for this gun, so it is basically trash to me. It cost me $16 to shoot my Marlin 60 400 times, it cost me $60 to shoot this Savage 64 the same 400 times if I have to buy magazines at this rate. Kinda goes against the cheap plinker ideal that I bought the gun for. Does anybody know if there is a fix for this or if there is a way to convert this gun to use a different style magazine?

This is what they look like when they are new

This is after 400 shots:

 

[Dookie]

Have you called savage? It sounds like there is something wrong with the gun. They are usually very reliable.

 

[halfded]

Looks like something wasn't set right at the factory. Either the bolt is traveling to low and/or moving on it's rails, or the mag catch is too high.

Do you have trouble seating a full mag on a closed bolt?

I'd definitely call Savage and let them work it out.

 

[Macchina]

I too thought that something may have been set wrong. I know that the mags were not designed to wear out this fast.A letter is on its way to Savage right now with pics, I hate trying to communicate by snail mail, but it is the only way to get pictures to them because they no longer accept email

 

[rangerruck]

those do not look like factory savage mags to me; the 64 mags I am familiar with, are made of solid steel, and are heavy enough to throw as a weapon themselves. Did they come in the Savage packaging, because if not, then go get some real savage mags.
like this;
http://www.clipsnstuff.com/magazines-savage-c-11_36/savage-60-series-22-lr-10-shot-blued-p-388

the big box stores sell this mag for about 10 to 14 bucks each, like wallyworld, gander mtn.,Academy , etc.

 

[Macchina]

One of these came with the gun and the other I purchased (in Savage packaging) at the Dunham’s when I got the gun. I have been to every Gander Mountain, Dick’s, Dunham’s, MC Sports, etc. in my area in the last year and always check for Savage Model 64 Magazines. Most of the stores have them, but they are all made of this crappy extruded aluminum (I am an Engineer and can readily identify metals). All of them seem to have the same chatter on the feed ramp, but the degree to which the feed ramp is cut off center seems to vary. I’ve seen some so bad that the feed ramp violates the sidewall of the magazine. These magazines seem to be the only poory machined/designed product that Savage puts out. I am usually very impressed by their ingenuity in design for making low cost/high quality products (barrel nut, accu-trigger, accu-stock, etc.).

 

[Macchina]

like this;
http://www.clipsnstuff.com/magazines...ot-blued-p-388

the big box stores sell this mag for about 10 to 14 bucks each, like wallyworld, gander mtn.,Academy , etc.

Yup that's the one I have. Based on the hardness and lack of magnetism, I'd say they are aluminum, magnesium, or zinc. They shine like aluminum when the gun wears on them.
Cabela's lists them as blued steel. Cheaper Than Dirt lists them as stainless steel, but I am 100% sure they are not magnetic. I know they are not stainless because they are very soft. The "blue" on them appears to be either a type I/II anodizing or a phosphate type of coating.