making safe a floor plate magazine

buckup

Well-Known Member
I hope this fits into general discussion, if not apologies Alex.
Recently acquired a CZ 550 American in 7x57 with a floor plate magazine for a friend. I have only ever owned detachable magazine rifles, so would like views on how to make safe. Should I drop the floor plate or cycle the rounds out with the bolt? Or can the rounds be flicked out the top of the action if the bolt is all the way back? I don't want to pass on bad info, so thought I would ask the knowledgable folks on here.
Thanks in anticipation,
Mark
 
I tend to drop the plate with my hand cupping it to collect the rounds, but it doesn't always work terribly well.....!
Best thing is find plenty of things to shoot at then you needn't worry,
on an aside, with the 550, has anyone come up with a way of stopping the floor plate from rattling? It does my nut in, it fine if the mag is full to capacity, but once you chamber a round or two, the plate rattles mercilessly!
 
With rifle pointing down and in a safe direction drop the floorplate collecting the rounds into the cupped hand, pocket the rounds. Then close the floorplate and with the rifle still poining down in a safe direction eject the round still in the chamber.
 
With rifle pointing down and in a safe direction drop the floorplate collecting the rounds into the cupped hand, pocket the rounds. Then close the floorplate and with the rifle still poining down in a safe direction eject the round still in the chamber.
Hi Mike, all seem in accord on this. Out of curiosity why would you choose to leave the loaded round in the chamber while fiddling around dropping and catching the magazine rounds? Having read all of the other replies I would probably have made the chambered round safe before messing about with catching the magazine ones.
You have me curious now,,,,,
Mark.
 
Agreed. I eject the round in the chamber first then drop the floor plate catching the remaining rounds. Muzzle awareness needles to say.
 
Hi Mike, all seem in accord on this. Out of curiosity why would you choose to leave the loaded round in the chamber while fiddling around dropping and catching the magazine rounds? Having read all of the other replies I would probably have made the chambered round safe before messing about with catching the magazine ones.
You have me curious now,,,,,
Mark.

Try it the other way and you'll see.

Unless you have three hands, with the muzzle pointing at the ground you'll find that the bolt will tend to try and fall shut, due to gravity, and can pick up the next round from the top of the stack before you can get the floorplate open.

If you have a chambered round (under closed bolt) with safety on and muzzle pointed safely, it is but the work of a moment to empty the mag through the floorplate and then safely eject the chambered round thereafter.
 
With rifle pointing down and in a safe direction drop the floorplate collecting the rounds into the cupped hand, pocket the rounds. Then close the floorplate and with the rifle still poining down in a safe direction eject the round still in the chamber.
+1
 
Mark I just find that as Tamus says you have better control over everything that way and you are not trying to stop the bolt from sliding around. As always though regardless of magazine type it's all about muzzle awareness and safety.
I know that it is a personal thing but I actually prefer a hinged floorplate to a detachable magazine for sporting shooting in the field where only a few rounds are needed. Another system which I like and that is quite similar in some ways is a rotary magazine such as fitted to Varberger rifles. It's a bit like a Krag Jorgenson and works quite well on sporting rifles.
 
Hi Mike,
Understood. I'm not used to floor plate rifles so needed the opinions of more experienced guys like yourself, Tamus etc. Predominantly using a Sauer, I'm not used to bolts flopping about, the Sauer items are properly engineered and with a hint of grease, will stay where you put them :stir:. This CZ is clearly not like that at all. Teasing apart, thanks for all your replies, I will instruct the owner of the rifle accordingly.
Happy New Year,
Mark.
 
Ah but a true Mauser doesn't need grease to work, in fact as someone recently pointed out it will work encrusted in mud as they proved in the trenches.:old: In fact they probably work better with a bucket of mud thrown in.:lol:
 
The way i have always done things is open the bolt and remove the one from the chamber close the bolt whilst pushing down on the remaining rounds so the bolt passes them leaving an empty chamber whilst holding the trigger in a safe direction so that the rifle is decocked. Then drop the floor plate on the remaining rounds and bobs your ferkel,atb wayne
 
Point rifle at ground eject the first round from the chamber then holding the bolt back hook the remaining ones out one at a time with the little finger into the palm.
I think if you drop the floor plate the rounds will scatter despite best efforts, this was the way that had me searching under a high seat for 20 minutes, successfully eventually, I might add for a live round. Not sure possible with smaller calibers though?
 
has anyone come up with a way of stopping the floor plate from rattling? It does my nut in, it fine if the mag is full to capacity, but once you chamber a round or two, the plate rattles mercilessly!

I have always used detachable mags, but surely you could mitigate the rattling by filling the magazine and then manually feeding the first round that is chambered. Assuming that this isn't what you already do this would at least delay the rattle?
 
Hold the rifle upside down (pointing safely) whilst opening the floorplate.

Lift up the floorplate, spring and follower. Everything under control, no risk of cartridges falling out.

Cup hand around opening, return rifle to upright position, cartridges fall into cupped hand cleanly.

Turn rifle upside down again, check box magazine is empty, re-assemble follower, spring, floorplate etc. Everything visible, no fumbling by touch..

If a round is chambered, now operate bolt to eject it. Do this anyway, as final act to show clear (bolt left open).

Bonus points for catching it in upturned hat on ground (also best method when unloading a lever action).

It doesn't matter whether you eject the chambered cartridge at the beginning of this sequence, or the end, but doing at the beginning requires extra actions, introduces the risk that you may accidentally chamber another cartridge if you fumble pushing down the others into the mag. as the bolt is closed. And in any case your final act should be to open the bolt and visibly and mechanically (little finger into chamber) test that the rifle truly is clear.

Store removed cartridges in wallet, adopting a system where they are rotated on reloading, so the wear on the chambered cartridge is evened out.
 
Wow Sharpie that was a thorough reply,,,thanks. One question though,,,,,,,,,if Mike 8x57 was to do this where would he put all his £20 and £50 notes to make room in his wallet for the unfired rounds? :doh:
 
:rofl: Ha Ha Ha,, you don't really know me at all Mark, the last thing that I would ever have in my wallet is £20 or £50 notes. In fact I can't recall the last time I saw a £50 note, not that it would matter as you wouldn't get any one around here to take one off you in the shops they won't even take a £20 note due to the number of forgeries around.

I am a bit like the queen and hardly ever have any money in my pocket as I don't see the point. If I ever had a couple of quid in my pocket either the wife or the kids come along and take it off me so I don't even bother to carry any now. If I was mugged the mugger would probably take pity on me and give me a few quid. :oops: The only things that I carry around in wallets is spare ammo in ammunition wallets.
 
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