I am planning on having a pair of rifles built on the Montana PH action. One in 375 H&H the other in 416 Rigby. As I understand it each action, depending upon caliber, will have the option of a drop box magazine or a more standard magazine profile. If I understand correctly, the standard profile will hold 5+1 375 & 4+1 416 Rigby.

So, my question is which magazine system should I go for? The standard profile holds all I want from each rifle. Are there any advantages to the drop box setup? Is it mostly a considerations for the huge rounds like the 505 gibbs or would there be positive advantages for the rifles I want to build? As a side note I want to keep these rifles reasonably trim so I am leaning tword the standard magazine.

Thanks for any help you can offer.
Dave

David C---

It's called "Cool Factor". You wouldn't show up in hunting camp with ballet shoes would you?

Jack,
Ballet shoes...Ouch! Point taken

Next question.....
How cool does one have to be?

Dave

This may be too much to ask, but can someone post a picture of a drop box magazine? I cannot picture it in my mind. Also, would it add an extra round of capacity to a given set-up? Thanks!

If you like the looks of classic English and European express rifles and think you might use an extra round and don't mind a little extra weight, go with the drop box. If you prefer American sporting rifle styling and don't want any extra weight and don't think you'll need an extra cartridge, don't go with the drop box. I prefer the "cool" look:



[ 04-25-2003, 04:06: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

Longbob,

I would be interested in what the experts have to say, but I always pictured a drop box on a rifle as looking like this. In the second and fourth pictures, you can see a little extra wood at the front of the magazine.



Here's a factory Winchester for comparison.



As I understand it, a "drop box magazine" is a misnomer. It doesn't mean the "magazine box drops out", it just means it is a long magazine box. I have heard it called a "belly" or "deep belly" magazine.

Regards,

Terry

[ 04-25-2003, 05:12: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

All right guys--- Descriptions and details, details and descriptions of details..

Us guys that steal ideas for a living *need* to know who to dodge at the next show.

A few more pics. You know what it is Jack. .404 Jeffry, FN Mauser-metal by Steve Nelson, engraving by Bob Hughes and stock by yours truly.



One of it in the white.

Thanks for the pictures. I thought that may be what they were referring to. It's somewhat like a "pot-belly" rifle. Just enough of a pooch to make it look good and classic. Not to mention functional with an additional round.

Chic---

Prostate calisthenics!!! #17, right?

Thanks all. So other than "the cool" factor and an extra round are there any other factors I should consider? ie...Are drop box mags easier to get large rounds like the 416 rigby to feed? Does function become more reliable?

BTW - Rod@MRC has stated several times that the standard magazine specs for the PH would hold 5+1 in 375 H&H & 4+1 in 416 Rigby. Do I really need the drop to try and get one more round in each? Sounds like overkill to me...?

Thanks,
Dave

Jack that is him. I have a good pattern for a drop box in a pre war model 70 that Ray gave me. Might have to clone it, it has a great shape.

Chic

Thanks for the pics. Very attractive rifles. I like a sleek, svelte light weight sporting rifles in medium caliber, but there is something about a big bore that absolutely grabs my attention. These are as nice as any I've seen.

Covet, covet and more coveting.

Why aren't these photos on your website?

Roger

Terry,

Is that factory Winchester a Custom Shop Safari? It looks just like my Custom Shop 458 Lott Safari before I destroyed the stock.

Vectors come with a drop box magazine:



So did this old Weatherby 460 Brevex:

Longbob,

I pulled those pictures from Champlin's website. The Winchester is described as the Safari Express. Given the price, I don't think it is from Winchester's custom shop.

Regards,

Terry

Terry,

I went in a checked it out. It is not from the Custom Shop. The Safari from the Custom Shop does not have the drop box, but the African has an Obendorf floor plate that adds an extra round. The way the stock looks on their website, it almost appears that it has a drop box also.

And thank you again for the photos! I can now see what everyone is referring to.

[ 04-25-2003, 19:32: Message edited by: Longbob ]

Just because you have a drop box magazine does not mean you can not have a slender British style forearm. The best feeling bolt guns IMHO are the British made between the wars, followed by some of the Mauser Sporters. American "type" rifles seem to have too much wood, especially in the forearm, but this just may be me, as I much prefer the feel of splinter forends vs beavertail forends on doubles. To me the rifle feels and handles better if the bbl is close to the hand.Plus with less wood you can have a lighter rifle[small caliber] or put more steel in the bbl [bigbore]. Check as many different stocks as you can till you find the one that fits you the best and have it duplicated.

Scrollcutter, my new site will have more pictures but Charter cable limits me to 5 megs or 2 or 10 or something, lol. Anyway there is not much left but it will get on there eventually.

My new site - under constructioin, watch for loose boards and nails

Hey guys, have you ever taken a long look at the Schuler (or is it Schuyler) dropped floorplates.

This is my own personal taste mind you but the dropped box breaks the lines that flow up from the toe and heel, it just doesn't seem to come together. The lines can be retained and there is something visually unusual about the floorplate being gracefully molded, not hard angled.

Just a thought.

Roger- The unusual Schuler magazine was to accommodate the rebated rim 500 Jeff which they stacked one on top of the other. Some 425 Westley Richards rifles have similar magazines. I doubt if anyone makes a magazine like those now but some enterprising and talented gunsmith probably could for enough money.

Not the magazine, only the floorplate.

Roger are you confused or am I.. A schuler just has a magazine that hangs down like a clip..It is single stage to allow for the rebated rim, an ugly affair to most...

DavidC,
The drop box was never designed for cosmetics but rather for the ability to add one to 3 extra rounds in the magazine, a very handy extra for those poor souls looking eye to eye at a charging Lion or Buffalo, not a time to mess with reloading...

But to the contrary, the standard magazine WAS designed strictly out of cosmetics, you just got it backasswards from posts...

I have no use for a DGR without a drop magazine, I can load a drop box 9.3x62 on Saturady and shoot it until next Sunday.

A CZ big bore with its dropbox will hold 6 down and one in the barrel in 375, now that is firepower. It'd work in Iraq. A Win. will hold 3 down, some two with one up., not good.

Ray, this summer I will just have to make one I guess, with cold chisel and files since it appears I am the only person who has a picture of what one is.

I think Fritz454 has the schuler design DOWN for the 600 OK....

someone email him and ask?
jeffe

If I had the time I would outline a floorplate with Solidworks, then extrude the form 0.750", some extrusions to form the hinge and I'd be good to send the file to someone with a CNC machine that used Solidworks.

Of course drop magazines can be taken to far, I have a buddy who has married a BAR magazine to the mauser floorplate for a 20rd 8mm or 30-06 type catridge rifle or I think he said eight 500 Jeffery rounds.
Jason