Compounding functioning is that the longer than long rifle crimped folded Shot case increases extraction effort and needs a longer bolt travel to cycle. With the long heavy parts of the Savage system and cycle, rock bottom power to achieve semi auto function is probably just not there. So a good try and relegated to a tool room design model.
I agree, the one being sold looks to have a heavy bolt so I don't think it would even come close to cycling. I still am on the waiting list for that gun if the sale doesn't go through, I took too long thinking about hitting the 'buy it now'.
The unused barrel I have is made for a model 5 bolt action and has the integral lower feed ramp needed for a tube feed. It does not have the milled slots for an upper guide needed for the tube fed semi-auto's. I bought a Model 6 to put it on, a nice one without scope mount holes, which would not make sense on a smoothbore. I also bought a set of bolt parts with the light hammer for a 22 SHORT version... but I didn't realize until I got them that they are for a shorter stroke and cannot be made to work in a long rifle action.
I have a prototype pump action that went through a fire that has a really bad Model 5 barrel on it and damage to the wood. I bought a Model 5 barrel & mag tube for replacements, but if I do work on it, I might just use the 22 SHOT barrel, there would be no problems with it cycling shot cartridges as a pump.
Here are two protype pumps based on the models 5 & 6 tube fed actions. They both use the same tube feeding parts as the Model 5 & 6 but have the thicker lifter typical of the bolt action Model 5. The lever on the front side of the trigger guard is the action release. Savage must have been considering adding a pump action to the Model 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 series.
This first one is documented as coming from the savage R&D collection that was sold off in 1988, it has a shorter action than the Model's 5 & 6 but is basically the same from the rear of the ejection port forward.
Here's the 'fire sale special', it has the same length receiver as a Model 6, and the same rear plug. It was acquired from the inventory of a gun store that was liquidated by a lawyer to help pay for him defending the store owner on arson & insurance fraud charges.
... yea, it could use a little work... It would make a neat shotgun. It is not documented as being an R&D gun, but it has enough similarities to the other that it probably is, just an earlier version.
All the springs are still good, even the magazine spring, so it does function. The bore is bad and shows no rifling left... but it is far from smooth! The barrel has the standard Savage Model 5 markings - a least the ones that still can be read.
EDITED in later - here's an interesting variation from Argentina that kind of fits in with the subject of this thread, the company first made a copy of the Model 6 semi-auto before coming out with this. From the very little information on these I could find they had problems with the levers breaking.
Saurio Modelo 700
