I'm going to post the following here, in hopes it will help someone here who loves these guns like i do... Perhaps you've seen it on another site too, as i've posted it before...
There's a huge misconception out there that these are the same gun, just given different model numbers at different times...
Here's some picts of my Valmet 412 along side my Savage 2400.
Top pict: Notice the differences in the shape of the actions and the protrusions through the action of the 2400...
Bottom pict: Look at the huge differences in how the action is machined. NOTHING in the top 2400 action interchanges into the bottom 412 action. The 412 is even machined to accept the 412 bbls "recoil lug" that gives the 412's a lot of strength over the 2400's.
I didn't clean anything for these picts., they have grease on them for rust protection, and in the case of the 412 bbl., i pulled it NEW, right out of the origional box for this pict...
Here are the monobloc and bbls... There's a HUGE difference in them, and you can see the recoil lug on the 412 mono bloc, and all the extra steel in them.
Top pict: Look at the difference in those bbls, there's a huge amount of steel in the 412 bbls, that the 2400's don't have. They are nothing alike...
Bottom pict: The 2400's used the "Sako" mounting system, the 412's used their own 412 mount. I have seen some "very early" 412's with the Sako mount though. (i have a few prototype bbls with it)
"I" suggested to Valmet that the double shotgun bbls "also" get machined to accept the 412 mount, and they liked the idea and started doing so... That's why you see the newer production bbls machined to accept 412 mounts...
I'm also the one who got Valmet to import double 9.3x74R bbls, as i was very good friends with the vice prez of Valmet USA. (Bob Sheridan) I talked him into bringing a couple sets back as personal "luggage" for "me" when he returned from one of his many trips to the Valmet factory. It's the only way they could be brought in, as the 9.3's weren't on there import license.
This was no small task talking Valmet into doing this, and i don't believe they ever would have done so without my urgeing, as they were 100% against it. The way i got them to do it was to "guarentee" them i'd buy the first (20) sets they brought in! I advertised them in Shotgun News and they sold out in no time at all, and Valmet who was watching, "then" agreed to put them on as regular stock! Later, Bob told me his phone rang off the hook!!!
YES Valmet "did" make the 2400's for Savage, but they are NOT the same gun as Valmets 412 that came later!
There is lots of inaccutare info on 412's around the net, and i hope this clears up some of it...
DM
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