Early 1930's is about right -

Information from John Callahan is that there�s a notation in the Savage ledgers about changes to the model 29 for use with Hi-Speed ammo being done sometime in 1931. I have seen a 29 bolt that had both locking lugs broken off but that does not appear to be something that was changed. There was a recent post about a replacement bolt not working in a 29, I think this was because of the changes.

The later examples of the Stevens Model 71 Visible Loaders, version of 1931 to 1933, have the barrel stamped �REGULAR CARTRIDGES�

In Brophy�s book on Marlins he has a reprint of a May 1932 �American Rifleman� article that details the changes Marlin made to their Model 39 for Hi-Speed ammo.

Pact has warned of using Hi-Speed in model 25�s � it can swell the sides of the chamber where they are cut thin for the extractors.

I have seen warnings not to use Hi-Speed in the Remington Model 12�s but have also heard of people using it in them without any apparent problems, I would avoid it. I have an example of a model 12 bolt where the locking lug is broken off � don�t know how it happened but can�t rule out the use of Hi-Speed. I have worked in sheet-metal for many years and have seen the quality of raw metal vary greatly � I assume that is also the case with guns manufacturers and that one gun of the same model might be stronger than another based on the batch of metal used, or even from variations with the manufacturing processes such as heat treating. Also in model 12�s the change from a flat firing pin to a round one sometime after serial number 650,000 required less material to be removed and appeared to strengthen the bolt. In the 121�s the locking lug was enlarged.
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I have seen several examples of Savage 29-A�s, which all would have been made in the hi-speed era, that have the locking surface in the receiver deformed when others that showed much more use were fine � is this from the ammo used or from variances in material and manufacturing quality?

Last edited by GeneB; 07/23/11.
Gene