This was my first year hunting with my homebuilt Mauser. I know that since 1909 a hinged floorplate has been kind of the gold standard on a custom rifle, but after unloading numerous times using a milsurp trigger guard with raised button I began questioning whether this might be the more practical design. With the floorplate completely off the shells drop nicely right into your hand. After trying the same thing with a hinged TG back in the shop it seemed that it just got in the way.

I know, it's attached so that you can't lose it, but really, when you are in a relaxed unloading environment are you really going to misplace the fully detachable one?

What are some thoughts on the pros and cons of hinged vs fully detachable?

Till I got a hinged floorplate model I NEVER unloaded thru the bottom.

Murphy says: "anything that can go wrong will; and at the worst possible moment."

Ever lose your car keys?

Mr Wiebe is correct.
I don't want anything to fall off my rifles.
Hinged: yes
Removable: no
Just my 2 cents,
Zeke

Yes, I've lost my car keys. But I've never lost them while they were in my hand, poised to insert into the ignition...

Thanks for the responses. I hear everyone on the possibility of losing it, but I assess that risk as very low. Dump the shells and snap it right back on. Still, nice to have it affixed, like the keeper that holds your gas cap dangling while you fuel.

What I didn't hear was any commentary comparing the functionality of the two configurations. Like I said, I've never hunted with a hinged guard or used one over an extended period of time, but it sure seems that it gets in the way.

I guess most people consider it an acceptable compromise? Is there a particular technique for using it that minimizes it obstructing the emptying of the magazine?

quote:

Originally posted by montea6b:
Yes, I've lost my car keys. But I've never lost them while they were in my hand, poised to insert into the ignition...

Thanks for the responses. I hear everyone on the possibility of losing it, but I assess that risk as very low. Dump the shells and snap it right back on. Still, nice to have it affixed, like the keeper that holds your gas cap dangling while you fuel.

What I didn't hear was any commentary comparing the functionality of the two configurations. Like I said, I've never hunted with a hinged guard or used one over an extended period of time, but it sure seems that it gets in the way.

I guess most people consider it an acceptable compromise? Is there a particular technique for using it that minimizes it obstructing the emptying of the magazine?

I've used hinged floor plates more than any other style and it is usually simple enough to release the plate with whatever catch style is fitted and the pressure of cartridges forces them down into your hand which should be positioned under the plate and on release slid back to hold the cartridges as they are pushed down and backwards out of the mag. Don't just push the release and allow the cartridges to 'drop' out into your hand with the hinged floor flapping about in the breeze. Care should be taken to align the floor plate back up into box as the plate is hinged close, not just force the magazine shut compressing the spring until the plate is wacked back into place.
That's how I've done it on a variety of rifles over the years and I have never broken a spring or damaged anything. Just some care and attention required.

Removable magazines are okay if they are good solid ones as invariably they get dropped and the modern plastic or sheet metal ones are easily damaged.
Most of my experience with this sort of magazine has been with the SMLE 303 battle rifle where the 10 shot magazine for these rifles is virtually indestructible. It can be smacked into battery with a heavy wack of the hand and not bat an eye lid. Unfortunately they do not make magazines like that anymore, come to think of it they do not make rifles like that anymore either.

For a long time I have been converting removable floorplates to hinged, using the original latch mechanism. It's a great system and never opens inadvertently. Good a system as it is, I consider it to be so important that of the four Mausrs I use, I have converted none. I short cycle the bolt to unload and think about converting the floorplate every time I do it. Maybe this year. Regards, Bill.

I have an old left handed Remington 788 that I bought in 1975. It was my only hunting rifle for 10 years and I still occasionally take it out to this day.

I bought a spare magazine for it 30 years ago in case I lost the one that came with the gun. In all this time, I've never lost or forgotten it.

Saying that, I still like hinged floorplates on my hunting rifles.