Floor plates vs detachable mag

[Klenchblaize]

I love the drop mag arrangement on the Sauer 90: Standard mag is flush with metalwork to the point it looks flooplate-like and is perfect in the field. The larger protruding higher capacity mag is perfect for range comp work.

K

 

[Tazz]

As with many things both options have their advantages and downsides. I age a Sauer 202 with detachable mag works very well and the button release is sub flushed but I still bought spare mage as it’s my most used rifle. Have a couple of Sauer 404 s again detachable mag with sub flushed release button which has a secondary lock so you can’t drop the mag out accidentally even if you hit the release button. Also have a Nosler 48 in 223 that has floorplate it’s a dedicated fox rifle with permenant NV on it bitt fiddly to load but no worries about mag dropping out in the dark, press floorplate release and catch rounds then just cycle bolt for the chambered one. Also it’s what you get used to and what you are going to use them for IMHO

 

[Kalahari]

Wish I could get a floorplate staggered box in my 223 CZ527 so it would all sit flush but still take five rounds.

David.

 

[geoffrey]

I altered my Remington 700 from floorplate to magazine, when sitting in a highseat i found it difficult to load the floorplate especially with cold fingers,

 

[Minto]

The problem there is not floorplate, but ‘Remington’

but a man with smithing skills could sort it

 

[VSS]

Wish I could get a floorplate staggered box in my 223 CZ527 so it would all sit flush but still take five rounds.

David.

Yes, it is nice to be able to get five rounds into a fairly slim rifle without spoiling the lines, and with no protruding parts to catch on stuff.
(Although it was a long time before I worked out that my P-H held 5 rounds - thought it only took 3 for years! )

 

[Kalahari]

Hello Tim, I guess the slim lines would suit Mouse's 222 as well.

David.

 

[enfieldspares]

I reckon Mr Lee had it about right...after we Brits sorted it out after the Lee-Metford. The Lee-Enfield. Charger loading through the top with a ten shot drop box magazine. But originally of course Lee's design was magazine loading as the Lee-Metford had no charger loading facility. The Brits added the charger capability.

Although the British Army never taught the use of the Lee-Enfield by changing magazines but only by charger loading. Talk to the few WWII veterans and they were never issued spare magazines for rifles...they were encumbered enough with the two loaded Bren magazines each carried.

 

[User00003]

The old shi**y Remington opinion. Fancy a 500 yd shoot off against my three? I've got blind, floor plate or magazine, happy to go with any of them or all three.

As someone's signature says, "opinions are like arseholes, everyone has got one".

lol calm down, just having a laugh at the old remchester’s expense

 

[kennyc]

lol calm down, just having a laugh at the old remchester’s expense

my Remmington mod 7 .223 was a bitch to load, with rounds jamming up and having to be taken out and reinserted, all my Howas including the .223 which replaced the Mod7 have been exemplary

 

[25 Sharps]

my Remmington mod 7 .223 was a bitch to load, with rounds jamming up and having to be taken out and reinserted, all my Howas including the .223 which replaced the Mod7 have been exemplary

And shoot straighter...

 

[Big Mat]

Thanks gents. I'll keep an eye for what's in budget and buy according to condition and not worry about mag type!

 

[exmarksman9870]

The old shi**y Remington opinion. Fancy a 500 yd shoot off against my three? I've got blind, floor plate or magazine, happy to go with any of them or all three.

As someone's signature says, "opinions are like arseholes, everyone has got one".

I have 3 of them...and to be honest i pref them with mags i kept the LVSF blind as they are quite rare in.243..was a bit tricky loading as you had to make sure the round was seated back in the mag..or if you was out in the dark its a pain unloading.. i put it in a mdt lss xl gen 2 chassis... the other 2 are in AICS .....

 

[JockStalk]

I've two Rem 700's, one that I converted to mag fed and one I left as floor plate. To be honest, they are both fine. Only annoyance of the floor plate is the 'jack-in-the-box' spring thing attached to it that's an occasional annoyance/ fiddly to put back in.
Some, for example Varberger rifles, have an internal rotary mag that neither detaches nor has a bottom floor plate. You simply open the bolt and press a button and the rounds unload through the ejection port - which I've always found a rather elegant solution.

 

[Woodsmoke]

Best of the bunch, in my opinion, for a hunting rifle is the mag/floorplate system on the A-Bolt

Couldn't agree more with this! You can open the floor-plate and leave the magazine clipped in-place to reload, or you can remove the magazine altogether if you like. You can also reload through the ejection port, although to me it makes far more sense just to drop the floor-plate and slide a round in to the mag'. Then close the bolt, shut the floor-plate and you have a loaded, but not made-ready rifle. All you need do is cycle the action and you're made-ready. The ONLY thing I would change on the A-Bolt is to add a 3-position safety (and a better factory trigger)

 

[CarlW]

Thanks gents. I'll keep an eye for what's in budget and buy according to condition and not worry about mag type!

Bet you didn't expect quite such a big and emotional reaction, eh...?

 

[Big Mat]

Bet you didn't expect quite such a big and emotional reaction, eh...?

I didn't expect quite so many replies but it's good to hear people's opinions and experience!

 

[petesv]

floor plate every time simple and works.

 

[Jon Smith]

Couldn't agree more with this! You can open the floor-plate and leave the magazine clipped in-place to reload, or you can remove the magazine altogether if you like. You can also reload through the ejection port, although to me it makes far more sense just to drop the floor-plate and slide a round in to the mag'. Then close the bolt, shut the floor-plate and you have a loaded, but not made-ready rifle. All you need do is cycle the action and you're made-ready. The ONLY thing I would change on the A-Bolt is to add a 3-position safety (and a better factory trigger)

Never had a problem with the trigger tbh. I did change it out for a DST which I am partial to.

 

[Ranger22]

There’s an old addage- keep it simple, stupid. Hinged flootplate for me every time. Can’t forget it like you can a mag. If it opens in the forest you’ve lost bullets. Loose a mag it’s expensive to replace. Magazine can and do spoil the lines of rifles if they stick out from the stock. Can top load a hinged floorplate, can’t do this with all mag fed rifles.