Bolt action walking big game hunting rifle: Detachable magazine or Hinged Floorplate

[Pathfinder76]

If a hinged floor plate is that tough to operate for you then yes, do something different.

[bsmitty27]

All magazine and actions have a place. But i wont buy a rifle with a removable mag unless it's on something interesting. Most people I know who don't like rifles with a floor plate have never owned one.

Marketing is the devil!

1-Roatery blind mag (mannlicher, savage 1899, lakelander)
2-Hinged floor plate
3-No magazine (single shot)
4-blind mag (besides roatery)
5-Removable magazine

[birdman86]

I like my detachables, put it in my zipper pocket when hiking through the bush and no worries about freak circumstances causing an unexpected discharge, but can also get loaded and fire in an instant. And just as quick to unload.

But I've also never used a floorplate so don't know anything about that. I just feel like gloved/cold fingers would have me fumbling my rounds all over the place, losing them in the snow etc. Nice to have a single box to just plug in and go.

[PolarBearSouth]

Am I the only person still using 303 Brits? Rifles are a bit heavy but the DMs are smooth, sturdy, and reliable. I own 4 mags so I could Afford to lose one but I never have. At 8-10 rounds per mag you can do some brush clearing and still have rounds for a mercy shot. My rifle is as accurate and reliable as most others but it cost me less than the cost of some spare mags. Plus I love the history behind all my milsurp. That’s what I hunt with so I’m not concerned with originality or collectibility. I buy them chopped, scratched, rusted, and ugly. As long as it shoots straight. I have 4 m96s with floor plates as well but my go to is the SMLE III all day long. (What can I say? I’m a cock on close guy..)

[JD848]

Originally Posted by chuck

If a hinged floor plate is that tough to operate for you then yes, do something different.

That's right Chuck, it's not that hard.
JD

[mryimmers]

Hinged floor plate for me, being a Husqvarna fan-boy

[mryimmers]

Hinged floor plate for me, being a Husqvarna fan-boy

[JULIUS]

I prefer a hinged floor plate. Have and use both. I have never lost a mag but it can happen. Also as previously stated something about slowing down before I head out and when I get back links me to good times.

[303 Hunter]

I prefer a detachable box magazine over a fixed magazine for the ease of unloading when I get back to the truck. Although I have never used a hinged floor plate, just an internal magazine.

Originally Posted by PolarBearSouth

Am I the only person still using 303 Brits? Rifles are a bit heavy but the DMs are smooth, sturdy, and reliable. I own 4 mags so I could Afford to lose one but I never have. At 8-10 rounds per mag you can do some brush clearing and still have rounds for a mercy shot. My rifle is as accurate and reliable as most others but it cost me less than the cost of some spare mags. Plus I love the history behind all my milsurp. That’s what I hunt with so I’m not concerned with originality or collectibility. I buy them chopped, scratched, rusted, and ugly. As long as it shoots straight. I have 4 m96s with floor plates as well but my go to is the SMLE III all day long. (What can I say? I’m a cock on close guy..)

I have a No.4 mkI* Lee Enfield as my main hunting rifle (I posted a picture of me with it in the 2020 rifle hunting thread) and my buck up/ secondary rifle is a Ross rifle mkIII. Both are chambered in .303 British.

[raised by wolves]

Although I love the convenience of a detachable magazine, and the majority of my rifles being Sako 85s with detachable magazines, I prefer the floor plate. With a floor plate, the magazine can never be lost or be inadvertently left behind.

[CptnBlues63]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

It makes no difference to me. As to the people so worried about losing the magazine, do you have a string on your mitts, gloves, so you can't lose them?

LOL

Personally, I dislike the trap door. A magazine is quicker and safer to load/unload. But when it comes down to it, I couldn't care less what anybody else uses. Each to their own I say and if you prefer the trapdoor.......all the power to you.

I replaced the floor plate in my Remington 700 with a Kwik Klip 4 round magazine. And, I bought a spare mag. I've had this for 6 or so years now and haven't even dropped a mag....much less lost one. But I did buy a second mag because you just never know. I can't find my favorite hunting knife right now because I put it down somewhere while talking with my brother on the phone. It's in the basement, I know it, but can't find it!

My two Savage 99 C's have a removable 4 round magazine. I have a nice double Mauser ammo pouch (circa WW II) I wear on my hunting belt at all times (I always take a 99 with me as a spare in case something happens to my remmy) and it has two 99 mags in one pouch and my spare remmy mag in the other. The mag I'm using goes in my jacket pocket when not in the rifle.

[BigJon]

I've used a little bit of everything over the last bunch of years (remington, winchester, ruger, browning, tikka, sako, commercial mausers, probably others that I am missing) with detachable mags (OEM style and aftermarket AICS style), hinged floor plates and blind mags. It doesn't really matter to me and I can get along with everything.

If forced to choose, it'd be some type of flush fitting detachable magazine.

The rifle, scope mounting system, etc. weighs in on the magazine type for me. I really don't care for top-loading (hinged floor plate, blind mag) a rifle with a one piece rail, despite having one so outfitted currently. It may get an AICS treatment one of these days now that 3 round flush(er) fit magazines are making more of an appearance.

[Outbound]

I've been using a detachable mag since 2007. Never lost it. Never lost my sunglasses, wallet, phone, keys or pocket knife either. Never lost anything now that I think of it. I don't find it hard to keep track of my sh*t.

[JDK71]

Detachable magazine for me

[OL_JR]

Have both and if I had to choose it would be a hinged floor plate for sure. Earlier in my hunting days the hillbilly way dictated that a clip was way more convenient for jumping out of the truck and getting loaded quick but as time has marched on and the truck hunting has long past I don't see much value in a clip. Just one more thing to lose or forget. With that said some guns are offered only one way or the other and if the price is right it's not a deal breaker.