Detachable box mags...what happened?

[Anonymous]

Since it's the dark of winter, I've spent most of the last two days going over all of the rifles and breaking them down for their annual deep cleaning.

As a guy who is positively against detachable magazines...how did I get so many? And it seems that makers are churning out more than ever. A detachable mag on a bolt rifle used to be an oddity, now it's just the opposite. Want a floor plate? Get a M70 (or clone) or a 700 (or clone) and that's about it.

Heck, when I got my Steyr, no one I knew had a detachable mag on a bolt gun. Now my son's Savage, both of the Americans, and my Browning all have them as standard equipment.

Matter of fact, the only rifle I have without one currently is my Nosler M48.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I don't like them either.... Too easy to lose.

The American is the only bolt gun in my safe that has a detachable magazine.

I never understood the logic of having something else to keep up with when it is so easily avoided.

I only want a floor plate rifle myself.... No blind boxes or detachable mags for me.

 

[Guy Miner]

Oddly, I can't seem to find one for one of my favorite rifles...



Guy

 

[DrMike]

You're not looking hard enough, Guy. I don't own a single rifle with a detachable magazine, though the Tikkas my grandson Noah and son-in-law John shoot do have detachable magazines. Perhaps that is why I don't own a Tikka.

 

[Anonymous]

Oddly enough all of the "budget" rifles seem to carry the same two features... a barrel nut and a detachable mag.

I'm wondering if there isn't some manufacturing advantage to be had in the mag? I know there is a manufacturing advantage in the barrel nut.

It also seems Euro guns (Sako, Tikka, Mauser, Steyr, Blaser) all have detachable mags now with the exception of the high-brow "bespoke" stuff. I guess a guy spending the coin for a Westley Richards wouldn't be happy with a plastic mag!

 

[Wyo7200]

It's "tactical" to have detachable magazines. It's also more $$ for the brand company as each can cost just under 100 clams. Then it runs you $60 to $300 to get the bottom metal and magazines to convert. Gotta be tactical no matter the cost!

 

[cloverleaf]

Oddly enough all of the "budget" rifles seem to carry the same two features... a barrel nut and a detachable mag.

I'm wondering if there isn't some manufacturing advantage to be had in the mag? I know there is a manufacturing advantage in the barrel nut.

It also seems Euro guns (Sako, Tikka, Mauser, Steyr, Blaser) all have detachable mags now with the exception of the high-brow "bespoke" stuff. I guess a guy spending the coin for a Westley Richards wouldn't be happy with a plastic mag!

I imagine money drives it somehow....I have one. No complaints...but I shoot off a bench mostly. CL

 

[Anonymous]

The only one I've seen that I didn't mind was the Sako 85. You can top load it like a regular floor plate rifle, and it takes some doing to release it- which would alleviate losing it while crawling through some random brush choked hell-hole.

I think it probably has something to do with manufacturing costs as well as returning something in the spare parts revenue line.

A Ruger American is a $300 rifle most spots...mags at $40....over 10% of the cost in the rifle in that magazine? Sounds unlikely.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I have noticed this as well. The only bolt-action rifles I saw with this feature growing up were the Browning A-bolt and Remington 788.

The only detachable magazine bolt-action rifles I own are a Ruger American and a Marlin XT-22.

I believe there is some truth to all of the comments posted here. The "tacticool" guys want that as it fits into their theorem of "must-haves." Production from plastic (in the case of the Ruger American detachable mag) will always be cost effective. And finally, with the exception of most hunters I know, not a lot of the "weekend warrior types" spend enough time in the brush to ever have the chance to experience the "sudden single-shot syndrome" that comes when you have lost your one and only clip. For them it is as simple as a trip back to town to buy another "clip" and next weekend the "pop can puree" can continue.

I can tell you from personal experience, that loading a 10-22 one at a time takes a lot of the fun out of hunting ground squirrels. But your back tracking skills will improve as a result. :/

Dale

 

[tim629]

I have never had a detachable box mag but my dad's 308(pump) does

I never thought of them falling out in the field, I know dad has lost a few but they were either in his work truck or somewhere in the house.

I always thought they could be useful while deer hunting in PA where we do a lot of drives so in and out of vehicles a few times a day. My first rifle was a remington mohawk 600 which I like but don't like that to unload each cartridge must be chambered, probably wasn't the "best" rifle for a 12 year old but I had the gun safety rules drilled into me with my bb gun so was more of a hassle than a safety concern. The ruger m77's with the floor plate are my other two rifles and besides having a handful of loose ammo, not a real pain.

 

[preacher]

I never cared for them on a bolt gun, they make sense on semis and pumps IMO. I can "put up with" the BAR's magazine, but I never had the need for a fast reload in any hunting rifle. I have seen many problems with the plastic ( or polymer) detachable magazines. I'm sure it is a manufacturers cost saving feature, especially for rifles made for the average once a year hunter. Old Fartz like us appreciate a slim, trim, wood/metal ( or a nice, quality synthetic) with bottom metal on our bolts. If Guy could get a 20rd mag in that #1 he could wipe out the rock chucks in one spring!

 

[Guy Miner]

Years ago Dad bought a .308 Browning BLR, kind of an interesting lever action. My oldest son uses it from time to time now.

It's got detachable magazines - and thankfully Dad got two for it way back when. The currently produced Browning mags Do Not Fit, and so magazines (when they can be found) for this older Belgian made BLR are going for $250 EACH! :shock:

I told my son that a month or so ago - and he said "Cool, if you see one, buy it for me..." Cheeky kid... :mrgreen:

Guy

 

[sask boy]

Well I guess we all can not be alike as I like to have a detachable clip it is way more convenient for me and I find it alot easier to load.
I have a Remington factory clip system that we installed on my CDL and both of my RMRs have the H&S clip system installed.
My 280AI has the new H&S designed clip and it is far superior to their old design.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[taylorce1]

The majority of today's budget rifles like the Axis, American, 783, and XPR don't have ejection ports that'll allow you to top load the magazine so you have to use a DBM to shoot them. Tikka T3 rifles probably fostered the DBM revolution in hunting rifles by being so dang accurate outnof the box. I don't mind DBM rifles but the only one I currently have with that feature is my old M788 in .30-30.

 

[Kodiak]

Recently I saw on TV a hunting show filmed in Africa. The hunter was using a Bla*** bolt-action rifle in a caliber suitable for water buffalo. It had a DBM. After firing two shots in to chosen animal, the reload was taking place and the shooter was told to fire another shot, upon where the DBM was not seated into the rifle and the action of working the bolt caused the DBM to drop out to the sandy ground.... OOOOPPS!