Detachable Mag vs. Standard Fixed Mag

[Spooky8]

On a bolt action rifle, are there any pros and cons to having a detachable 5 or 10 round magazine over a standard 4 or 5 round fixed magazine with hinged floor plate?

Thanks for your reply.

Spooky8

out

[RamZar]

With Detachable Box Magazines (DBM) it's:

1. real handy if you need to carry say regular match ammo and in another magazine special glass penetrating rounds or other specialty rounds
2. reloads are much faster (if you need to load it up fully)
3. capacity of 5 or 10 rounds over limited 4-5 rounds of hinged floorplate
4. get quality magazines and maintain them

[my191145]

Here is my opinion. I usually have a 5 round detachable mag in the rifle, once those rounds are gone I feed from the ammo box loading one round at a time (quite quick actually) open bolt,slap round in, chamber & fire almost the same speed as feeding from the mag if your actually trying to make your hits count and making sure you deploy quality marksmanship before, during and after the shot.

The reason I don't drop the mag and grab the 10rd is because during a sequence of fire... say I want to shoot 7 targets(different distances) and practice hitting 2 rounds into each and adjusting the dope between shots... I don't want to break my cheek/spot weld and alter my view through the scope and risk not having consistant shot placement. I have done it both ways mag change and just one mag and feeding I notice very little difference.

Having said all that. I can see major advantages to having 5-10 rd mags for the military since in modern warfare snipers move hastily and make multiple engagements from different firing positions and are not worried as much with the prone position and feeding from the ammo box in the same spot without moving.

So basically unless you are a Marine Sniper or Army Sniper or other branch of service I think you are not retarded in any way by not having a detach bottom metal. Some how hunters and snipers have been doing very well without them up until the last few years. I have one for the first time in 20 years of shooting but don't seem to notice any change in my shooting ability as a civilian.

Just one mans opinion though... One accurate shot at a time is where the fun is. If I want to go bang bang bang quickly I use my heavy barreled AR15 .223.

-Troy

[Cleck]

I have detachable mags on my rifle. However, the floor plate and mags were done on trade and may not have bought them with cash.

Pros:
Sexy
Convenient
Fast (for shooting lots of ammo)

Cons:
Stick down too far for some positions
Only fast if you have a mag loaded, much slower to load a mag outside the rifle and then insert it. I actually miss being able to keep my eye on the target as I load with the ability to run the bolt forward and engage if need be with only 3 rounds in the internal mag as I was loading the 4th.
Expensive
Can be lost/misplaced

[Pyle]

I agree with the misplaced and expensive. Yet it is easier to say unload and reload with a full mag if you are say confined by state laws if hunting and using vehicles to move from one area to another, just a small farm boy insight if it applies to anyone....

On the other hand does any one know of anywhere to get or if they make larger than 5 rd detachable mags for the FN PBR XPs? If so how much are they? Thanks

[my191145]

If your talking about the factory 5rd mag for the FN rilfe, then I am 99.9% sure anything longer/higher capicity does not exist.

On my FN SPR action based rifle I used CDI precision bottom metal so it would accept ACIS mags (5-10rd) and then using a milling machine you have to remove some metal inside the receiver area where the internal box mag previously was so that the bottom metal will fit with the new mags. Then it needs to be inleted & pillar bedded for that bottom metal.

[Pyle]

if thats the case I will shoot how it is for a while. Havent put a round through it yet, sadly wont be able to for ten more months....