Magazine or floorplate

[VSS]

I have had both and never had a problem apart from l once lost a magazine. Had a blind magazine in a Savage and it was slow to unload but I never had an issue on the confrontation front.

How do you unload a blind magazine? Partially cycle the bolt for each round? Just enough for the extractor claw to get a grip on the case, but not enough to chamber the round?

 

[75]

I prefer magazines for easy loading / unloading when in and out of highseats. Sako 75 has got to be the best out there though? All metal, holds 5 rounds, flush fit, can unchamber a round and drop it straight back into the magazine without removing magazine. Anything other magazine systems compare??

 

[Odders]

All separate magazines in my case.
I just prefer it that way, as loading & unloading are simpler.

 

[VSS]

I prefer magazines for easy loading / unloading when in and out of highseats. Sako 75 has got to be the best out there though? All metal, holds 5 rounds, flush fit, can unchamber a round and drop it straight back into the magazine without removing magazine. Anything other magazine systems compare??

The hinged floorplate has most of those qualities. Just slower to reload.

 

[bluesako]

not really bothered which i use, i have rifles with magazines, rifles with floorplates, my favourite rifles are my cooper arms single shot bs.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I have a hinged floorplate with detachable magazine in my A-bolt. Absolutely love it

 

[8x57]

I have or have had at one time or another; hinged floorplate, detachable magazines (some could also be top loaded), hinged floorplate with detachable magazine (A-Bolt), integral rotary magazine (Varberger), tubular magazine, and break action. All worked and all had pluses and minuses but my favourite is a break action.

 

[njc110381]

I think you've made a good decision to stick with the floor plate, there's not enough in it to change. My Sako 75's have removable flush fit magazines but they can also load as you would with a floor plate system, the best of both worlds. I personally really don't like magazines that hang out of the bottom of the rifle, they can get in the way when shooting from unconventional rests like gates or logs which in a stalking situation isn't uncommon.

 

[LeftHandGuy]

How do you unload a blind magazine? Partially cycle the bolt for each round? Just enough for the extractor claw to get a grip on the case, but not enough to chamber the round?

Varies by design. Some just as you describe (many rifles are push feed and therefore have no claw). Some rotary magazines have a release button.

My Mauser has a floor plate but I unload it like a blind anyway, just gently pushing the bolt forwards enough to take the cartridge and back across the ejector. Very safe as the round is never chambered. @alberta boy suggested this method to me and it works.

The floor plate is useful for inspection and cleaning but for hunting purposes I would probably choose a blind mag for strength all other things being equal....

 

[VSS]

Varies by design. Some just as you describe (many rifles are push feed and therefore have no claw). Some rotary magazines have a release button.

My Mauser has a floor plate but I unload it like a blind anyway, just gently pushing the bolt forwards enough to take the cartridge and back across the ejector. Very safe as the round is never chambered. @alberta boy suggested this method to me and it works.

The floor plate is useful for inspection and cleaning but for hunting purposes I would probably choose a blind mag for strength all other things being equal....

Thanks for that. Very helpful. I have at times unloaded my rifle with the detachable floor plate in that way, but wasn't sure if that was considered good practice. I think I might use that method more frequently in future, rather than run the risk of losing the floor plate.
Mine is a Mauser action too.

 

[palo]

All my rifles have detachable magazines. I had a few rifles with floor plates before but I never had one that fed reliably.
If your not having any problems with your floor plates stick with them.

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Thanks for that. Very helpful. I have at times unloaded my rifle with the detachable floor plate in that way, but wasn't sure if that was considered good practice. I think I might use that method more frequently in future, rather than run the risk of losing the floor plate.
Mine is a Mauser action too.

So long as the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction, and you don’t touch the trigger (which you won’t because your off hand will be collecting the ejected rounds) then I cannot see how anyone could criticize you.

The same injunction applies irrespective of magazine type or unloading procedure when you think about it!

It’s a lot safer than for example unloading the tubular magazine of my Marlin where the only way out requires you to chamber the unforced rounds. Carefully done it’s no issue whatsoever.

 

[Brno2e]

How do you unload a blind magazine? Partially cycle the bolt for each round? Just enough for the extractor claw to get a grip on the case, but not enough to chamber the round?

Yes.ease them part way. Must say it was the best £80 I ever spent on a rifle. Very under rated.

 

[VSS]

So long as the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction, and you don’t touch the trigger (which you won’t because your off hand will be collecting the ejected rounds) then I cannot see how anyone could criticize you.

That manoeuvre appears to require 3 hands: one to hold the rifle pointing in a safe direction, one to cycle the bolt, and one to catch the rounds!

 

[LeftHandGuy]

That manoeuvre appears to require 3 hands: one to hold the rifle pointing in a safe direction, one to cycle the bolt, and one to catch the rounds!

What’s the matter man, have you no teeth?

Actually stock rests on my forearm/wrist with my fingers curled around to catch the rounds as ejected, whilst the butt is under my armpit pointing the muzzle toward the ground. Even easier if undertaken with one knee on the ground. To try and take a picture of that I really would need at least a third hand!

 

[Dickie]

I’m a bit confused how an open bolt with bullets in the magazine is safer than a closed bolt with an empty chamber? If you slipped or fell with the rifle like this you could damage it more easily or possibly chamber a round.

 

[VSS]

What’s the matter man, have you no teeth?

Actually stock rests on my forearm/wrist with my fingers curled around to catch the rounds as ejected, whilst the butt is under my armpit pointing the muzzle toward the ground. Even easier if undertaken with one knee on the ground. To try and take a picture of that I really would need at least a third hand!

I usually put my hat down to catch the rounds, whether dropping them out the bottom or cycling the bolt.

 

[VSS]

I’m a bit confused how an open bolt with bullets in the magazine is safer than a closed bolt with an empty chamber? If you slipped or fell with the rifle like this you could damage it more easily or possibly chamber a round.

With the bolt closed - supposedly on an empty chamber - you've got know way of knowing whether it's really empty. Plenty of folk been killed by "empty" firearms.

 

[25 Sharps]

Magazines for all field rifles bar my main stalking rifle, one less thing to forget!

 

[Kalahari]

With the bolt closed - supposedly on an empty chamber - you've got know way of knowing whether it's really empty. Plenty of folk been killed by "empty" firearms.

I knew someone out in Botswana who managed to shoot his wife with an "empty" rifle. Trouble was it was a 375 H & H and hit her in the temple at range of about 5 feet, not a good result.

David.