What's the reasoning behind large & small shank on Savage rifles?

[338x]

I'm just building a new 300 WSM rifle using a Savage target action which is a large shank and I was wondering was is the reasoning behind the small and large shanks?? Why the difference? Less meat to bolt on the scope mount, no barrel interchangeability between all my Savage rifles are just some negative some draw backs...

I'm interested in the real reasons.

Cheers!

 

[yodave]

15 thou more meat on the barrel around the chamber............that is the only reason on the WSM family of cases, as for why they used the large shank dimensions on the target actions, likely because one machine was set for WSM and due to production numbers they just decided to go double duty on those machines rather then tie up the standard action production line with more back load......

 

[338x]

0.015" more meat does not sound like a reason to stiffen the barrel. There must be better explanation.