Blind Magazine, Hinged Floorplate or DBM

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Probably the hinged floorplate, although I do like the military Mausers' combination of a blind-ish magazine (it has a floorplate, but functions closer to a blind mag because it won't open short of a screwdriver) and 3 position safety. There's nothing on the magazine to lose or fidget with, and the vertical safety notch gives you a worry-free way to unload it.
 
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Detachable magazine is my preference for most applications, but a blind box magazine is fine on a dedicated light weight hunting rifle. No hinged floor plate for me.
 
I don't know why the Browning A-bolt mag system never cough on. I know guys who have owned them and never knew they were detachable. Even Hurd guys say they did not like it, maybe it's like why some hated the B.O.S.S because they didn't know how it worked.
 
As this thread shows us very clearly, opinions WIDELY vary on this topic. Me, I can’t stand a dbm on a bolt action rifle I’M USING. I love having one on my son’s rifle, though, because I can control him by keeping the magazine on me until I’m ready for him to chamber a round. Safety first. When it comes to my gun, though, I love blind mags and like floor plates alright. Less to lose in the woods.
 
As this thread shows us very clearly, opinions WIDELY vary on this topic. Me, I can’t stand a dbm on a bolt action rifle I’M USING. I love having one on my son’s rifle, though, because I can control him by keeping the magazine on me until I’m ready for him to chamber a round. Safety first. When it comes to my gun, though, I love blind mags and like floor plates alright. Less to lose in the woods.

I don’t like DBM’s either. My preferences are the same as yours-blind, then hinged floorplate, then DBM which I’ve never owned.
 
I don't know why the Browning A-bolt mag system never cough on. I know guys who have owned them and never knew they were detachable. Even Hurd guys say they did not like it, maybe it's like why some hated the B.O.S.S because they didn't know how it worked.
I think because it offers most of the best parts of both, but also most of the worst
the hinged dbm is much more convenient, and way faster than a true internal, but is significantly slower than a true dbm.
Magazine capacity capped at the 4/3 since you cant have the mag stick out the bottom.
Magazine is very unlikely to be lost, but far more prone to get left behind if it's removed from the rifle. (when my Abolt was a 7 and I hunted a lot, I left my mag at home at least once or twice a month.)

It mags are also expensive if they are lost.

manufacturering wise they are probably twice as expensive to make as either a standard floor plate or plastic dbm, which dosent lend them to playing in the "budget" rifle bracket. This is probably what killed it.
honestly I'd bet the Xbolt is actually a cheaper rifle to build than the Abolt was.

All in all I think its one of the finest systems used on a hunting rifle. One I'll happily buy a used rifle to get.
 
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I think because it offers most of the best parts of both, but also most of the worst
the hinged dbm is much more convenient, and way faster than a true internal, but is significantly slower than a true dbm.
Magazine capacity capped at the 4/3 since you cant have the mag stick out the bottom.
Magazine is very unlikely to be lost, but far more prone to get left behind if it's removed from the rifle. (when my Abolt was a 7 and I hunted a lot, I left my mag at home at least once or twice a month.)

It mags are also expensive if they are lost.

manufacturering wise they are probably twice as expensive to make as either a standard floor plate or plastic dbm, which dosent lend them to playing in the "budget" rifle bracket.

All in all I think its one of the finest systems used on a hunting rifle. One I'll happily buy a used rifle to get.
I agree, it's one of the things that make the a-bolts a nice rifle to me. Only if they had a round bolt nob lol, I have a plan to fix that one day.

I think I would like dbm's better if they had a way to lock the mag in, if blind mags were used on more rifles it be about a tie with hinged for me. Makes for a stronger stock to, guys don't like that they have to work the bolt to unload and say it's to dangerous with guns with a safety when unloading, guys sometime forget basic gun safety when unloading. I've always been able to use my finger to push the rounds out of the mag, even tho I have far fingers and nerve damage in my hand.

At the end of the day we all have options we all like, and maybe should not pass on a rifle just because we prefer one type of magazine.
 
yeah on blind mags I just shove rounds forward till they release, with the barrel pointed up, and let them fall back out of the action. I still don't really care for them tho.

Dbms ARE nice, but usually you lose a round of capacity, or they stick out. mostly it probably doesn't mater, but I don't like it, having run out of rounds and still wanting to shoot stuff. Multiple times at that. yanking a mag from your pocket isn't as easy with the small dms most hunting guns use.
again probably more a me thing.
I also can't stand mags that stick out the bottom more than an inch or so.
 
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Ever since I started hunting I've had a habit to stick 2 rounds in my front pocket, even when squirrel hunting, you may have a full mag or full tube but things happen, I never had to use them 2 rounds but once when my tube on a 62 Winchester slid out when I was walking. Plus there were a few years In a row were me and my dad limited out opening day for deer season.
 
DBM whenever possible, with hinged floorplate a distant second. Never lost a magazine, but left them at home several times. I’ve learned to check before I leave the house now.
 
1st - DBM: easy to load, easy to unload, most can be non-protruding
2nd - Blind Box: Practically nothing to go wrong
3rd - Hinged floorplate: Not easier to load, easier to unload, but sometimes when you don't mean to...
 
Same question TonyAngle asked; what's the intended use?

I have all 3, and they're all appropriate, or work well for that rifle and it's task/purpose. Hunting rifles I generally prefer a hindged, but in a couple cases for lightweight rigs a blind magazine is OK. In fact it only really bothers me when moving between hunting spots via vehicle when I'm stuck unloading and loading. I like DBMs for target guns.
 
Most of my rifles have hinged floorplates. But I see no disadvantage to a blind magazine in a bolt rifle and a lot of advantages. It takes about 2 seconds longer to unload, but you get a lighter rifle at less cost. And while rare hinged floorplates have been known to fly open during recoil dumping rounds on the ground. Many dangerous game hunters weld them shut to prevent this.

But DBM is winning me over. All of my most recent purchases have them. Rifles with DBM's are less expensive to build and are proving easier to get to shoot accurately. You can make an internal magazine rifle just as accurate, but it is just one more issue that has to be dealt with. DBM is just a simpler, more reliable design. This is a major reason why rifles like Tikka, Browning, TC Venture, Ruger American, Savage Axis and others are able to be sold so cheap and still shoot as well or better than traditional rifles costing twice as much.

If you have magazine issues with an internal mag rifle you have major issues getting it fixed. With DBM you toss the bad mag in the trash and buy another. Loading/unloading is much easier and convenient. I can use 4-5 round flush fit magazines for hunting or have the option for larger capacity mags if I want them. I've never had a DBM fall out of a rifle, I've had a hinged floorplate pop open under recoil a couple of times.
 
DBM, Hinged, ............................Blind if I have to (and rarely “have to.”).

I don’t “hate” a blind mag box, but I certainly don’t prefer them, and prefer to NOT have them. Pressing myself to introspect now, I might even favor a single shot bolt gun to a blind mag. I don’t like cycling every round to empty, not even in a levergun. I’ve been hunting far too long with DBM’s to imagine the feeding or accidental release issues, and outside of a poorly fit 416 Rem Mag (easily remedied), I’ve never had a hinged floorplate open unintentionally either - so for me, speed and ease win out (and a little safety boost).
 
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