Wondering out loud if there is any downside to filing or grinding a ramp on the follower so that if I were in a hurry I can drop a cartridge into the rifle and close the bolt.
As it is you must depress a cartridge into the magazine to do so.
I made the same modification on several 96 Mausers and it works great, just want to make sure I'm not overlooking the obvious on the Springfield?
Thanks

No downside.

Seen it done on many military sporters.

Sometimes you need to modify the extractor so it will snap over the case rim when the bolt is pushed forward. Have you tried this yet?

Springfields are made to do that; remember the magazine cut off. Single load until they enemy charges, then magazine fire.
Mauser with claw extractors are never made for that, in a military rifle.

Almost all of mine, 98, 03, 17, 38 are so ground and have worked just fine since the 60s.

You will likely have issues with the extractor not slipping into place in the cartridges groove, unless you push the cartridge down into, and feed from the magazine.
That too can be remedied, but that is another subject in itself.

Please read my post; Springfields are designed to allow cartridges to be placed directly into the chamber. Otherwise, the magazine cut off would not work.
I have never had one that would not allow this. The extractor needs no grinding.
Mauser are not.

I went ahead and ground a ramp on the follower this evening.
Thanks everyone, I was sure it was the right thing to do as it has worked before for me on 96 Mausers but thought I would check with the collective intelligence here.
The modified follower works perfectly.
Yes dpcd you are correct the Springfield is set up to accept a cartridge from the magazine or just dropping it in, no problems.
Thanks all.