Magazine or floorplate
- Thread starter panicoll
- Start date
Both my CF have floorplate magazines, capable of holding 5 rounds. Initially I thought them a bit of a faff, but now I'm used to them I wouldn't change them for detachable magazines. A hinged floorplate has got to be the best solution, as it's not possible to lose it! I should think that dropping a detachable magazine in the dark in a bog would be a surefire way to ruin a day out.
The big advantage of a removable magazine is that one can feed from a central position making feeding generally more reliable. I have two rifles with floor plates but don't use them. All my other rifles are magazines with central feed position. Some people have difficulties with a magazine sticking out of the bottom of a rifle.
edi
edi
My .375 is a hinged floor plate and it doesn’t bother me too much. On the few occasions when I need to regularly unload it’s a bit of a faff but generally this is my PG rifle so it stays loaded for long periods as I’m walking the plains.
My 6.5 and .308 are both magazine based and I find it very useful to be able to unload/reload quickly and this is especially helpful when culling park deer.
Also worth saying that I don’t like the mags that stick out of the stock a long way. The T3 3-round Mag is ok but I find the 5-round one a bit of a pain. The best I find is the Sako 75 Mag that holds 5 but is still a flush fit.
My 6.5 and .308 are both magazine based and I find it very useful to be able to unload/reload quickly and this is especially helpful when culling park deer.
Also worth saying that I don’t like the mags that stick out of the stock a long way. The T3 3-round Mag is ok but I find the 5-round one a bit of a pain. The best I find is the Sako 75 Mag that holds 5 but is still a flush fit.
I've hinged floorplates, detatchable mag conversions and an internal mag.
Internal mag far and away my favourite for stalking.
Second preference is removable mag (my two floor plates I ended up converting to mags as I couldn't get on with them. Too many occasions of dumping unused bullets in the heather/ puddle/ clag etc. I'm sure there is a knack, which I do not have!
Internal mag far and away my favourite for stalking.
Second preference is removable mag (my two floor plates I ended up converting to mags as I couldn't get on with them. Too many occasions of dumping unused bullets in the heather/ puddle/ clag etc. I'm sure there is a knack, which I do not have!
Magazines for me on all my rifles.
Simply because if there is likely to be a confrontation with an aggrieved party then it’s simply bolt out and drop the mag and rifle is safe and unloaded.
Simply because if there is likely to be a confrontation with an aggrieved party then it’s simply bolt out and drop the mag and rifle is safe and unloaded.
I have both types, for loading/un in and out of a high seat the mag in the .270 works well.
Foxing I use the .243 and load 2 from the top so 2 come out the bottom. ( 4 if I am by a fox den after cubs)
The mag is less of a fiddle in the dark once up in a high seat..I put 4 in as a number of times I have shot 2 foxes then a muntjac comes out later.
No need to spend extra cash with something that works...
Tim.243
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Advantages and disadvantages to both. Main advantages of floor plate rifles like the Mauser 98 are if you have any of it you have all of it (so only need to worry about if you've forgotten you bolt at home or brought the wrong bolt) and no magazine lips to get mis-shapen.
Advantages to detachable magazines are it can be detached and if you can afford a second magazine you've got all the extra cartridges you've brought to the party already loaded into a magazine. But in a stalking rifle that offers no overriding benefit as it does in a military rifle.
Advantages to detachable magazines are it can be detached and if you can afford a second magazine you've got all the extra cartridges you've brought to the party already loaded into a magazine. But in a stalking rifle that offers no overriding benefit as it does in a military rifle.
I have floor plate, internal magazine & removable magazine in my rifles
There are things to like and dislike about all three.
I'm lucky never to have had the problem of the floorplate accidentally opening and dumping all my rounds, but both of my rifles with that system have designs to help prevent that such as the release being shielded. The capacity is fine for normal hunting (3+1)
Magazines allow for a quick unload or reload and are dead handy when doing the likes of a cull when you might want to carry more ammo and/or reload quickly. They also allow for greater capacity in the first place - I have a 10 round mag for a .308 which is great if I think I will get the chance for a lot of shooting but can make shooting from prone or even from a high seat rail a bit of a pain, any mag bigger than 5 round capacity can really get in the way.
My least favourite is the internal magazine, but it does allow for easy top-loading, unloading is a bit of a faff without practice though
Unless you've had problems with your floorplates or are reckoning on shooting big numbers then I'd leave things as they are
There are things to like and dislike about all three.
I'm lucky never to have had the problem of the floorplate accidentally opening and dumping all my rounds, but both of my rifles with that system have designs to help prevent that such as the release being shielded. The capacity is fine for normal hunting (3+1)
Magazines allow for a quick unload or reload and are dead handy when doing the likes of a cull when you might want to carry more ammo and/or reload quickly. They also allow for greater capacity in the first place - I have a 10 round mag for a .308 which is great if I think I will get the chance for a lot of shooting but can make shooting from prone or even from a high seat rail a bit of a pain, any mag bigger than 5 round capacity can really get in the way.
My least favourite is the internal magazine, but it does allow for easy top-loading, unloading is a bit of a faff without practice though
Unless you've had problems with your floorplates or are reckoning on shooting big numbers then I'd leave things as they are
Roestalker39
Well-Known Member
I have both , two of my cf are floorplate one is box mag , I use the floorplate ones more often for no other reason I prefer the calibres , I think it’s what you get used to but I’ve never found them an inconvenience
Have had both and don't favour one over the other.
paul o'
Well-Known Member
Had /Have both and there are pro's and con's to both . A mag easy to take all waiting rounds out in one movement .A floor plate flick and dump all drop to hand or floor 
Both your need if loaded to unload as norm in any event . That said should you leave the mag at home its a bugger and you may aswell have a Ruger #1 lol .
Floor plates are fixed but in my own case that holds a mag (Browning abolt ) ! . I like mags I keep a back up always in my day sack in a bag . should a Z spring go on the floor plate let go its back to hand feeding again but its not the end of the world for both just a pain when it happens . So both for me are just as good so is a Ruger #1 type it only takes one
Both your need if loaded to unload as norm in any event . That said should you leave the mag at home its a bugger and you may aswell have a Ruger #1 lol .
Floor plates are fixed but in my own case that holds a mag (Browning abolt ) ! . I like mags I keep a back up always in my day sack in a bag . should a Z spring go on the floor plate let go its back to hand feeding again but its not the end of the world for both just a pain when it happens . So both for me are just as good so is a Ruger #1 type it only takes one
Just to throw a spanner in the works, there's always the detachable floor plate. Maybe the worst of both worlds, as you lose the advantage of it being permanently attached to the rifle? I have both sorts of floorplate. The hinged one, while it can't get lost, could potentially be opened accidentally (due to the location of the catch, which could get snagged on something) and dump the rounds.
The detachable one, although potentially could go missing, will not open accidentally under any circumstances, due to the catch being well hidden. It requires a small tool pushed into a hole to open it. Originally designed to use the tip of a bullet apparently, but it does mangle soft point ammo, and could affect seating depth.
I tend to load the mag at the beginning of the day and unload at the end, keeping ammo below bolt most of the time, or bolt open when an extra level of safety is required, such as climbing seats or talking to members of the public.
The detachable one, although potentially could go missing, will not open accidentally under any circumstances, due to the catch being well hidden. It requires a small tool pushed into a hole to open it. Originally designed to use the tip of a bullet apparently, but it does mangle soft point ammo, and could affect seating depth.
I tend to load the mag at the beginning of the day and unload at the end, keeping ammo below bolt most of the time, or bolt open when an extra level of safety is required, such as climbing seats or talking to members of the public.
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