Detachable Magazines, who needs them?

[CptnAwesome]

I prefer the hinged floor plate over detachable magazines. I have both and am fine with both , just personal preference liking the simplicity of the floorplate. Plus some (not all) detachable magazines can be troublesome when rechambering.

What I don't want is the blind magazine. I've owned a few in the past but really don't care for them. I have a Savage 12fv (blind magazine) that I like but it's a bench rifle that I always single feed.

 

[LoonWulf]

I can completely understand unchambering a round to cross fences or streams, however some guidelines indicate a complete unloading- emptying the magazine. That's what is stupid and excessive.

However, a detachable mag makes that easy if that's somebody's SOP. Blind and tube mags, not so much...

I think it's one of those "better safe-erer than sorry" things, one of the issues with trying to regulate safety.
Then again I've also seen a cow, my truck roof, and a few other things shot with an empty gun. I've also pulled more than one live round out of a gun that was "empty" so Im a little suspicious of how well those types of regs work.
Honestly if I'm alone I don't even clear my chamber when climbing, or crawling. If I'm hunting with other folks I don't chamber a round till the guns on its way to my shoulder.

But again, everyone has a comfort level, and I have no issue abiding by that when it exceeds my own.

 

[mcb]

Does the action type make a difference to determining if you like a detachable magazine? Seems like a fair number of the people in the thread are assuming bolt action hunting rifles? Of all the deer I have shot I have only shot one with a bolt action.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I think it's one of those "better safe-erer than sorry" things, one of the issues with trying to regulate safety.
Then again I've also seen a cow, my truck roof, and a few other things shot with an empty gun. I've also pulled more than one live round out of a gun that was "empty" so Im a little suspicious of how well those types of regs work.
Honestly if I'm alone I don't even clear my chamber when climbing, or crawling. If I'm hunting with other folks I don't chamber a round till the guns on its way to my shoulder.

But again, everyone has a comfort level, and I have no issue abiding by that when it exceeds my own.

I would think that the act of unloading and reloading the mag (blind or tube) would have have a higher threat of AD/ND than just leaving it alone to cross the fence/creek or enter/exit tree stand.

 

[LoonWulf]

I would think that the act of unloading and reloading the mag (blind or tube) would have have a higher threat of AD/ND than just leaving it alone to cross the fence/creek or enter/exit tree stand.

Totally agree.

 

[labnoti]

I had hinged floor plates on an old Mauser and an old Model 70 both something like 80 years old. When I got a bolt-action rifle with a DBM, I did not consider it an upgrade.

On the other hand, I can't think of a medium or large non-dangerous game hunting situation where I would even want more than one shot in the rifle and would feel like I couldn't wait to load the next one from my pocket or a cartridge loop. The tubular steel receiver for the bolt makes a good place to mount an optic and if it has front locking lugs it's a pretty strong design suitable for a high power-to-weight ratio. So I don't think there's a real problem with bolt-actions -- just that I don't really need a magaine-fed repeater for big game hunting. For varmints, I'm indifferent. I don't really need a magazine, but since I would be likely to take multiple shots from the same position, it could be a convenience.

 

[George P]

One could always go with a single shot, no magazine of any kind!

 

[JumboJVT]

I had hinged floor plates on an old Mauser and an old Model 70 both something like 80 years old. When I got a bolt-action rifle with a DBM, I did not consider it an upgrade.

On the other hand, I can't think of a medium or large non-dangerous game hunting situation where I would even want more than one shot in the rifle and would feel like I couldn't wait to load the next one from my pocket or a cartridge loop. The tubular steel receiver for the bolt makes a good place to mount an optic and if it has front locking lugs it's a pretty strong design suitable for a high power-to-weight ratio. So I don't think there's a real problem with bolt-actions -- just that I don't really need a magaine-fed repeater for big game hunting. For varmints, I'm indifferent. I don't really need a magazine, but since I would be likely to take multiple shots from the same position, it could be a convenience.

I guess I look at this just the opposite. Sure, we strive to make a clean kill with the first shot, but sometimes things don't go as planned. Anchoring a foot-shot deer right there with a second or third shot as necessary, or at least trying to, becomes a moral necessity, not a convenience. We also need to acknowledge that stand hunters typically have different shot selection opportunities than trackers. Here in the NE, where you may see but one shooter a season, you take the shot that presents itself; on the move, in the brush. Otherwise, you eat no venison.

Varmints? Single shot would be fine with me. Its not like shooting that second coyote would make or break my year. Not collecting a big buck would. I still have nightmares about the ones that got away

 

[Weflyfast]

In order to be legal in NYS you cannot have a removable mag on an AR - so guys pin them in place and pivot the gun to load- realistically it can be unsafe in the event of a jam- you can't just drop the mag to clear the gun- and you can't hinge the gun with the bolt partially in the buffer tube- so you see guys on the range trying to hold the gun- with the bolt back- trying to clear the gun while also trying to keep the gun pointed downrange-. .....I have assisted several at the range with this issue-
.....just a really stupid law.....

 

[Obturation]

If I'll be off grid and more likely to see 4 legged critters than 2 legged critters a nondetatchable magazine or the cylinder of a revolver is fine for me. If the stakes are high and 2 legged threats are real I want a mag I can drop and stuff a new one in. 2 different uses and neither are wrong. I really like a flush magazine in a rifle, not so hot on big old banana doo dads hanging out of my rifle unless there are lots of targets that need perforation in short order. I'm not tacti-cool and I'm sure as #€!! not a fudd, to each their own. Something special about loading up a tube mag on a 22 with countless shorts and plinking for minutes on end.

 

[labnoti]

I guess I look at this just the opposite. Sure, we strive to make a clean kill with the first shot, but sometimes things don't go as planned. Anchoring a foot-shot deer right there with a second or third shot as necessary, or at least trying to, becomes a moral necessity, not a convenience. We also need to acknowledge that stand hunters typically have different shot selection opportunities than trackers. Here in the NE, where you may see but one shooter a season, you take the shot that presents itself; on the move, in the brush. Otherwise, you eat no venison.

Varmints? Single shot would be fine with me. Its not like shooting that second coyote would make or break my year. Not collecting a big buck would. I still have nightmares about the ones that got away

I absolutely agree that the moral necessity to make a quick kill is more important than any aesthetic or spiritual value in a single shot. I'm just not convinced a bolt-action, double, or semi-automatic is a tremendous boon to making follow-up shots compared to reloading a single shot rifle -- at least not in a situation where I'm not being charged by an angry moose or brown bear. Well, my only experience hunting big game has been with a bow. I've most certainly had to make follow-up shots, and even follow-up shots to my follow-up shots. Once, I double-lunged a boar with two broadheads. It came to a stand still but I had to drop it with a third broadhead on the forehead into the brain. For each shot, I had time to draw another arrow from the quiver. I've lost game too. I stalked a boar on a ridge once. I had to circle around to the opposite side to come from downwind. I took a shot at 20 yards. The arrow went into the ribs, but the boar dashed down from the ridge into thick brush on the other side that I had not even seen. I could not have followed up fast enough with a bolt-action if that is what I had. By the time I could assess what had happened, my foolishness had played out. I don't doubt that mistakes happen, I just don't have a lot of faith that a bolt-action repeater will solve many of them.

 

[Mosin77]

I think an internal mag rifle is more elegant, and definitely one less thing to go wrong.

The big advantage of a box mag is ease of unloading. Heck of a lot easier to press the mag release than to cycle 6 shots through a lever gun, for instance. I don’t think hunters in 1896 when the Win 94 was new, were unloading their guns much.

My CZ-527’s mag is ugly, but very practical.

 

[3Crows]

I like detachable magazines because I can carry it or several loaded in my pocket and keep my rifle empty until I am at the stand or destination. Or if still hunting I can insert the magazine but not chamber a round until I have absolutely, completely, 100%, beyond all doubt, identified I have a target and I am ready to destroy it. If I miss shots as a result, oh well. An exception would be hiking with a rifle in an area where dangerous critters might be about, in such case I would chamber a round (maybe).

What is with this new African carry where the rifle is carried atop a shoulder with the barrel/muzzle pointing everywhere said person turns to look? I hope such a hunter has a detachable magazine and it is in their pocket, or something!

Bolt action and semi-auto rifles scare me, I do not trust them. Now, my Marlin 336, cross bolt safety on and hammer on half-cock, that is about as secure as a chambered round can be but still I would not point the rifle at my mates back or glass a possible target with it in such condition.

 

[LoonWulf]

I absolutely agree that the moral necessity to make a quick kill is more important than any aesthetic or spiritual value in a single shot. I'm just not convinced a bolt-action, double, or semi-automatic is a tremendous boon to making follow-up shots compared to reloading a single shot rifle -- at least not in a situation where I'm not being charged by an angry moose or brown bear. Well, my only experience hunting big game has been with a bow. I've most certainly had to make follow-up shots, and even follow-up shots to my follow-up shots. Once, I double-lunged a boar with two broadheads. It came to a stand still but I had to drop it with a third broadhead on the forehead into the brain. For each shot, I had time to draw another arrow from the quiver. I've lost game too. I stalked a boar on a ridge once. I had to circle around to the opposite side to come from downwind. I took a shot at 20 yards. The arrow went into the ribs, but the boar dashed down from the ridge into thick brush on the other side that I had not even seen. I could not have followed up fast enough with a bolt-action if that is what I had. By the time I could assess what had happened, my foolishness had played out. I don't doubt that mistakes happen, I just don't have a lot of faith that a bolt-action repeater will solve many of them.

IME they can, and available time isn't the only consideration.
A magazine fed gun is easier to manipulate than a single shot.
The process of chamber a second, or third, or fourth shot with a bolt is simple and easy. Pulling rounds from a carrier, pocket, or other stash, then shoving them into a gun which may or may not have an ejector to toss the empty takes a lot more coordination. Now if you add jitters, a time crunch, or even thick clothing/poor weather/induced clumsiness, it becomes much harder.
Theres also the occasions where taking 2 or more animals is an options, and if done quickly with minimal movement, can sometimes be accomplished before the critters actually react to whats going on.
Again, different experiences etc, and this is simply my personal experience.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Speaking bolt action rifles, I’ve found that the detachable mag on my Sako to be much smoother running and more reliable than the fixed magazines on my two Remingtons.

 

[Gtscotty]

IME they can, and available time isn't the only consideration.
A magazine fed gun is easier to manipulate than a single shot.
The process of chamber a second, or third, or fourth shot with a bolt is simple and easy. Pulling rounds from a carrier, pocket, or other stash, then shoving them into a gun which may or may not have an ejector to toss the empty takes a lot more coordination. Now if you add jitters, a time crunch, or even thick clothing/poor weather/induced clumsiness, it becomes much harder.
Theres also the occasions where taking 2 or more animals is an options, and if done quickly with minimal movement, can sometimes be accomplished before the critters actually react to whats going on.
Again, different experiences etc, and this is simply my personal experience.

+1

I've been in and seen several situations where the availability of quick follow-up shots from a repeating rifle was an important capability. Good repeaters are certainly faster than single shots, especially under stress or in odd field positions and animals often aren't interested in hanging around very long waiting for me to get in follow-ups. I also don't need to be hunting dangerous game to realize the benefits of a repeater. I stop shooting Elk when I'm confident they aren't getting up anymore, and really anything that I'm going to wind up packing out is getting at least a quick second shot if it's still on it's feet after the first.

As for the OP, box magazines are probably my preferred feeding method for bolt guns, I've had several types and haven't really had a terribly problematic one yet. I also like hinged floorplates pretty well, and I've had good luck feeding and function wise with them. My least favorite style of bolt gun magazines are blind mags, they offer mostly cons with few pros as far as I'm concerned. I love my Kimber Montana, but it took a a little effort to get it feeding from the magazine reliably; it's more difficult to get into the magazine area for cleaning without having to break everything down, and it's obviously much slower to unload.

 

[792mauser]

I've seen enough oops moments that im fine with a removable mag.
Although my favorite '51 Winchester 70 30-06 is a blind mag.

 

[rayatphonix]

I own rifles with hinged floor plates, blind magazines, and detachable magazines. My preference is detachable magazines for ease of loading and unloading. I also hunt with a Ruger #1 several times each year. Reloading is quick if you’re ready. To me it’s about the rifle. If I see something I like I’ll deal with how to load and unload it.

 

[dh1633pm]

I like box mags. Period. Like being able to store the cartridges in the mag and the ability to remove the mag when unloading. Big fingers, low mounts, sharp edges make loading into integral mags hard sometimes. Those without hinged floor plates are a pain to safely unload. I don't have a kazillion mags and I don't like them hanging down by very much. Otherwise they are in the way. When I hunt I might have an extra mag, but its not in the field with me. Got enough to carry.

 

[Laphroaig]

The biggest problem with them IMO is that if you lose or forget it you are hunting with a single shot. Buy an extra one. But they can get very pricy for out of production guns. I have a M88 that I'd like to get another for, but can't justify the crazy money that they want.

 

[armedwalleye]

So, maybe I am an old soul, but I have come to the conclusion that detachable magazines are mostly a pain in the butt.

For this reason, I have been looking at rifles like the savage 99 for my next rifle. Am I alone in this or does anybody else not convinced that detachable magazines are really all that advantageous?

You are partially correct. In my mind, detachables that rattle are PIA's and completely without worth. As to the 99, you could do way worse, but beware of the later models, they have push button drop magazines. I favor the older internal rotaries. While the new ones may still be rotary, their retention in the firearm can be prone to rattles. I see so many good rifles ruined by the latest drop box magazines. Consider also the Browning A bolt, where the magazine clips to the floorplate. Locks reliably, feeds wonderfully, and removes easily, and no rattles in the field. The X-bolts.....not so much.

 

[jar]

Well I got rid of most of my larger caliber rifles a few years ago since they just hadn't gotten used in a couple decades. That just leaves my 22LRs.

There it is a clear 50/50; half use tubes and half use detachable magazines.

I do find I tend to shoot the older tube and 7 round magazine models more than my newer detachable mag models.

 

[whughett]

For many years I hunted with tubular magazine Lever action carbine/rifles. At the end of the days hunt racking those rounds out and trying to keep them out of the dirt mud or snow was a pain. When I switched to a bolt action rifle with a hinged floor plate unloading was a breeze. Later still switching again to an auto loader with a detachable box magazine was even better. For those who load and leave loaded a weapon perhaps integral magazines are ideal, for frequent loading unloading detachable magazines are more convenient and a tad safer.

 

[jmorris]

When my grandfather was distributing a few of the items in his collection he told me that he thought that for most shooting it was best to keep things simple and not have a lot of things that could fail. He even tended to prefer peep sights over glass optics because they don't lose their zero. At the time I thought that this was probably familiarity bias, but now I think I see the wisdom in it.

Pretty hard to beat a single shot to keep things simple.

 

[doubleh]

I like single shot rifles and a follow up shot if you miss doesn't take that long if you are set up right. You also learn to be more careful with that first shot too. I spent a few seasons dove and blue quail hunting with a single shot shotgun just because I wanted to and seemed to do just as well as my pump using hunting buddies. I don't really have a problem with any magazine system but prefer hinged floor plates on my bolt action rifles. That and blind magazines is what I grew up with and the preference has stuck.