Old vent-liners, barrels with 7500 miles on them & slight overstrain over a period of time due to 1 or 2 grain overloads played a role in this rupture. So did the possibility that Toby wanted to expand his horizons into the Savage Co. itself... beyond it's ML offering of smokeless MLs.

None of us know exactly why he left -- all we can do is try to believe his reasonings (or) try to accept that Toby can't say why at this particular time due to personal reasons. There's also the possibility that Toby has reached the pinnacle with the Savage UNTIL modifications that he wanted Savage to make are realized & accomplished. It may have come time where NO NEW FINDINGS/DISCOVERIES were forthcoming. With "regular' muzzleloading season fast approaching, now's a good time for a ML author to "change gears"... so-to-speak.