So, in a perfect world your cartridges in a double-stack mag lay against each other as though bundled by a rubber band, right? Does it have to be that or single-stack feeding? I.e., can you not have them stacked tighter than perfectly offset, and still manage to work out the feeding?
Hope the question makes sense.
Thanks!

A double stack magazine can be narrower provided the feed lips are close enough to prevent the top round from popping out i.e. a pistol magazine.

three basic ways to feed
single stack - straight line feed and storage, more or less
double stack - feeds from sides, stores on sides
center feed double (or staggered) feed - feeds from the top, stores "any whichaway" ..

if you don't have the rounds properly staggered you will get a "dumped" mag, spitting a round or 2 up in the boltway. followers are frequently the cause, if the mag box is wide enough..

Right, so what Westpac is talking about is what Jeff is calling canter feed double. IOW, a single stack for the top round, and the rest are just as wide as logistics allow. But to actually feed from the side rails you need fully staggered rounds, else they'll dump?
Maybe it's not a yes/no question, depending on action and round geometry.
And anyway, what are the cons of single-stack feeding, other than taking up space, less rounds down?
(Yes, still trying to figure a way to feed three Rigby-based rounds from a Mauser.....)

BB
3 rigbys in a stagger feed is tough in a mauser... if the angles arent right, it will dump the mag.. on the 550 express, i did single stack, and on the 500AR, i used an enfield

The down side to single stack feeding is limited capacity.

quote:

Yes, still trying to figure a way to feed three Rigby-based rounds from a Mauser.....

If you are hunting dangerous game that is likely to charge, then carry 2 rounds and a bayonet. And use them in that order.

So then, how do you keep the mag from pumping with single stack? Magazine lips act as new feed rails? And should this feed off the nose of the bullet to the ramp rather than trying to reach the shoulder first?

Two of my new Stevens 200s are single stack and I'm having a heck of a time loading the magazines. What the whatever am I doing wrong??? roger