Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 450 BM and 284 rotor

Well I put the 243 DL on a payment plan , I have the barrel to use , reamer and gauges , I see numrich has cartridge guides. I need a 284 rotor and I need to understand how these rotors install, I have heard a couple of differant things but never have seen one. The rifle SN A2435XX if you have a rotor that will work with the rifle that you are willing to part with it or have knowledge of how these install please share.

Lightfoot do you have a rotor and guide that will work with this rifle?

Thanks Chris

So what are you building?

Chris, You may have a problem. *Learning opportunity.

The 284 rotor retention is a *c clip* affair that fits in a machined slot on the inside of the reciever. It has no cross screw sitting in grooves like the regular rotor. That's the bad news. I just watched a beat up 284 sell for around a grand on GB, because I had the same thoughts, to build a DL in 450 Bushmaster. You really want to start with a 99C and a 284 magazine or a 284 with the rotory magazine.

The good news is I have a 284 that has both the machined groove inside the receiver with the c clip and the rotor retaining cross screw, so at least dimensionally the 284 rotor could line up right to be held with the cross screw found on all other Savage receivers. Whether the cross screw alone would suffice is why you're the professional and the rest of us are not.

It is possible you may be able to use a 284 rotor in a standard receiver and cut some grooves in it for the cross screw to slide into, but I've not done it so couldn't say for sure.

If you would like me to disassemble the 99F 284 I'm talking about it will have to wait a while, we are moving beginning today, while working full time, so a slow process. I believe I have one of the c clips as well, and I can check to see if I ended up with a 284 rotor.

I would run some 450 ammo thru every other Savage I could get my hands on to see what other *standard rotor might work. Again, I could do that for you here but timing is bad. I have 450 ammo and almost all the Savage rifles to check. Some of the Savage rotors are pretty "open", not cut for bottleneck cartridges, if you will. Cartridge guide is critcal as well.

Maybe a few pictures would help

I was thinking I could modify a 284 spool to fit conventionally? I do not need all of the legnth they altered the receivers for.

Any pictures of a 284 spool next to a 308 spool?

Pretty sure I have the parts but I went down this road with someone else quite a while back so will have to see what's really left in the box.

AS I recall it did look like a .284 rotor could be made to fit a post 900K receiver with the cross screw.

I'd bet a 375 rotor would get you closer to a straight feed with the no-shoulder 450BM

But I'm with Roy (...just on this one), that the Clip magazine would be a simpler/cheaper experiment

I'm really glad you clarified that. I feel so much better knowing.

Chris when you get the formula figured out keep us posted.

Jeff , thanks for this picture. This is still a couple of months out. It does look like if I had a 284 spool I could modify it to fit what is inside the receiver. Maybe the bushmasrter will feed with the 243 spool and a new cartridge guid? The 375 looks interesting as well.

Mike when you have a few maybe you could look in the box and see whats left? If you do not have the 284 cartridge guid I will probably order from numrich soon just so I do not miss out.

Thanks Chris

I just so happen to have a 375 rotor rig on the bench, if someone wants to send me a couple-three 450BM snap-caps, I'd be happy give the 375 rotor a spin with them

I have 4 cartridge guides and 2 rotors. 1 rotor has no numbers on it but looks right otherwise?

The .284 rotor is not drilled end to end for the normal spindle installation. It has a shaft out the front to engage the cap that's held in by the C clip. I think the shaft could be pulled and the back drilled through to fit on a normal spindle.

I'll get some pics later.

The one thing I don't have is that weird spring for the rotor tension.

Roy, do you have one?? I have never seen one for sale and numrich doesn't even list it.

I think if the 284 rotor could be fairly easily modified to fit the postmil receivers that Savage would have done that rather than a different design for the rotor.. Difference cost money, and money cuts into profits. So.. ??

Be interesting to see how this turns out.

I'm not sure I know what it looks like. I've not had a 284 rotor out. I think I have a 284 rotor here too.

I think the rotor design was purely based on the length needed. Now if I can alter a 284 rotor to work in place of the 243 (using existing parts in the rifle) it may work as the 450 BM while based on the 284 case is not nearly as long.

Mike if it can be drilled to fit on a spindle I think the length change wold be easy, could I just use the spring in the rifle?

Jeff if I had some ammo I would send you a few to try with that 375 rotor.

450 Bushmaster will not cycle thru a 375, at all. You can fit 4 in a 284 rotor, but the first one flips out the side when you cycle the lever. #2 and 3 go in the chamber, but #4 jams because it starts at a steep angle.

Chris, I think the spindle and spring from the .243 assembly should work fine.

I can send a rotor and cartridge guide if you decide to go forward with it.

Mike I received the parts thank you. Now that I have the spool hoping someone could provide pictures of the rest of the parts? Spring critter, whatever holds the front pin and the c clip slot in the receiver. Still scratching my head on this.

Thanks Chris

I have the rest of the parts except for the spring. Are you thinking of milling the receiver to hold the carrier like the .284?

i can get some pics up after I get this mount blued back in the shop.

Keeping all thoughts on the table. If you could provide a few pictures that would be great.

Thanks Chris

Well I picked up the donor rifle today, tried to add a few picts but for some reason today my pictures are over 2MB and to large they have always worked in the past?

So now I have the donor rifle, barrel mostly profiled and a 284 rotor. Looking at the rotor originally I thought the mod for simply for length but it has become appearant it was for diameter of the case as well.

Mike says he has the support and retention ring for the front but no spring so I am on the hunt for a spring and still hoping for pictures as one comes appart.

Anyone have the spring in a parts drawer?

Assuming Your donor receiver is fit for a standard rotor, is it possible for the 284 rotor to have an internal spring, and mill it for the cross-pin for the spring/rotor rotation, like original rotors? seems like that would almost be easier than milling the front of the receiver for the circ-clip retainer.

Glad to hear You are still pursuing this project!

I think the easiest way would be to use the clip or something of the nature. The hole for the spindle and spring in other carriers I do not think will allow for alteration. ( to large)

I do have this 243 rotor maybe I will mess with it a bit,

Numrich part # 1000650 less than a 4 dollar spring out of stock and looks pretty impossable to make.

Chris I have a 1963 dated 284 that has both the cross screw AND the c-clip retainer.

That would be one of the first ones out then. Sounds like they used a receiver that was already cross drilled for the spindle head screw.

It does have the spindle head screw if I understand you correctly?

Yeah it does, but I'm not sure it's factory at all. It doesn't have Savage barrel markings. But it is interesting.

...and thank you, Paul Harvey.

Well I played with the settings on the camera and now the picts are accepted.

Fireball what are the chances of pictures showing your rifle and front of spindle? From your description that is what I need to do.

Here is the donor, the last picture is of the spring I need.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/15038627#Post15038627

contact this guy in CA on GB, he has some 284 rotor parts; "Savage parts, 99 carrier spindle head, 284 X10" - W.G.P. LTD.

I'm replacing the drainfield on my septic system at the moment and am not a multi-tasker, but if you ride me hard I will get it done.