Floor plate magazines

[wildfowler.250]

What’s the verdict on a rifle with a floorplate mag? See it on some of the older rifles such as the sakos. Perk I assume is you can’t loose the magazine. Do they break with time? Is the magazine capacity smaller? All newer rifles seem to have a detachable mag so this must be far more popular for some reason?


Cheers!

 

[nun_hunter]

For stalking I personally prefer them. Easier to top load and then unchamber a round and have it straight back rather than completely extracting it, dropping the mag and putting it back (I know you can do this with some magazines) but most importantly it's one less thing to forget or lose.

 

[HonestJohn]

Floor plate for me all the way! Worst are the single stack ones that stick out so you can’t belly carry the rifle.

 

[25 Sharps]

They don’t break and you can’t forget them.

For a stalking rifle they are perfect.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

They don’t break and you can’t forget them.

For a stalking rifle they are perfect.

A small number of floor plates detach and I've certainly seen one get separated from the rifle. Sometimes setting up the floor plate spring can be tricky, but a good rifle smith can usually sort that out. I have a mix of floor plates and magazines.
Regards
JCS

 

[Crowstalker]

My first centrefire rifle had one, it did the job no problem the only issue I had was when you opened it it could be a bit if a faff getting it back together and unloading isn't as handy as a magazine in my opinion. But nothing wrong with them.

 

[Foxyboy43]

They don’t break and you can’t forget them.

For a stalking rifle they are perfect.

Actually they do break.
My beloved triple deuce had the floorplate spring break but a very kind SD member sent me a replacement; since then to save a repeat I have loaded only three rounds instead of the usual five.
Then the floorplate itself broke at the two little lugs which it hinges on - though I suspect this may have happened when I a big boy put it into my his jeep with the floorplate lying wide open which probably exerted enough force to snap said lugs - again another SD gentleman came to the rescue - thank god!
All that said the old girl has fired squillions of rounds over the many years I have had her without any issues whatsoever.

 

[HonestJohn]

My first centrefire rifle had one, it did the job no problem the only issue I had was when you opened it it could be a bit if a faff getting it back together and unloading isn't as handy as a magazine in my opinion. But nothing wrong with them.

Lol! You don’t open them to unload, that’s just a ball ache, you ‘can’, but anyone who knows them know just to cycle the rounds out one by one

 

[Rory]

I am a big fan of the floor plate mag. Nothing to forget, lose while crawling/creeping through brush, great for stalking as I can't see the need for a 10 round mag for my needs.
I've had someone with me before that had to run back to their vehicle to pick up their mag they'd forgotten to take with them

 

[Foxyboy43]

Lol! You don’t open them to unload, that’s just a ball ache, you ‘can’, but anyone who knows them know just to cycle the rounds out one by one

An old pal always loaded his by flipping the rifle over, opening the floorplate and dropping the rounds in from the underside then just closing the floorplate. I keep meaning to try it but……..

 

[Heym SR20]

I much prefer floor plate magazines and blind magazines. Most have a hinged floor plate that opens, and you need to make sure catch is nice and tight and works properly otherwise its bombs away from recoil.

I really don’t like detachable magazines in hunting rifles as

1) you always forget the magazine and leave it in the cabinet

2) they fall out in the field and you then spend the rest of the day trying to find the bloody thing. Even worse is when out foxing on a golf course and you really don’t want a member of the public finding it and handing it in.

3) they stick out of the bottom of the rifle on the balance point just where you want to carry the rifle.

4) and many magazine fed rifles don’t allow you to load through the top.

5) most single stack magazines are three round. You end up having to carry a few extra rounds in any case. Most fixed mags hold five rounds in a double stack. More than enough for most outings.

Unloading is not an issue, easy enough to flick out rounds through the top - you don’t need to completely chamber each round, or to dump them out from opening the floor plate.

 

[HonestJohn]

An old pal always loaded his by flipping the rifle over, opening the floorplate and dropping the rounds in from the underside then just closing the floorplate. I keep meaning to try it but……..

Doesn’t work if double stack for the obvious reasons

 

[Kalahari]

Doesn’t work if double stack for the obvious reasons

Well it does, but you have to be so careful to get the first round lying on the correct side of the stack it isn't worth the hassle. I am with you really.

David.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Doesn’t work if double stack for the obvious reasons

Well now - having just posted my last comment and interest spiked I have just tried it with the Remmy 700 in .222 and .308 and to my surprise it works perfectly so long as you tilt the rifle muzzle upwards (only slightly) so that gravity makes the rounds fall back against the internal mag well - all five then stack in their absolutely normal staggered fashion!
Soooo - from the position of very recently acquired knowledge I can assure you it does indeed work with double (staggered) stack floorplate magazines!
Hot tip - insert and close the bolt first - you will be surprised just how far the first round rolls immediately after it hits your toe…..
You are welcome!

 

[25 Sharps]

Lol! You don’t open them to unload, that’s just a ball ache, you ‘can’, but anyone who knows them know just to cycle the rounds out one by one

I unload by opening every time, the unforced rounds just drop in my hand.

 

[25 Sharps]

What I meant was they don’t break regularly, to the extent detachable magazines replaced them….

Of course they can break, everything mechanical a break.

 

[25 Sharps]

Actually they do break.
My beloved triple deuce had the floorplate spring break but a very kind SD member sent me a replacement; since then to save a repeat I have loaded only three rounds instead of the usual five.
Then the floorplate itself broke at the two little lugs which it hinges on - though I suspect this may have happened when I a big boy put it into my his jeep with the floorplate lying wide open which probably exerted enough force to snap said lugs - again another SD gentleman came to the rescue - thank god!
All that said the old girl has fired squillions of rounds over the many years I have had her without any issues whatsoever.

You need to be kinder to your kit!!

 

[Rory]

An old pal always loaded his by flipping the rifle over, opening the floorplate and dropping the rounds in from the underside then just closing the floorplate. I keep meaning to try it but……..

It works!

 

[25 Sharps]

Doesn’t work if double stack for the obvious reasons

It does

 

[Foxyboy43]

You need to be kinder to your kit!!

That’s nice!