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To blind magazine or not to blind magazine

utbrowningman
Bought a Rem 700 ADL LS with a blind magazine. Gun looks really nice with the laminate stock. However, it has the blind magazine. Always told myself when I buy a new rifle, it will have a detachable magazine. Well, that did not happen. Give my your thoughts on a blind magazine.
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6 comments

Date Votes
  • givette
    Not sure of question.
    If you're asking "should I alter the stock, and change out the existing spring/follower assembly?" The answer is no.

    The answer is no because you will be best served by saving up for a true firearm of your desire, and will have an unaltered firearm (that you settled for?) to sell to make up the cost.

    If you just love projects, however, then go for it. Remember, you will eventually be buying a rifle like the one you have your sights set on. Just some rambling musings at my end. Best, Joe

    EDIT-Info Added
    Pros and cons:
    My bolt rifles all have the detachable floorplate. I've never had to use that feature "while afield". The only plus to a det. floorplate is that you won't have to remove the action from the stock to clean the magwell area. Otherwise, it's the same exact rifle! Some will say 'dents in the bottom of the stock'. So? With a floorplate it will be 'scratches in the bottom of the floorplate'. Best again, Joe.
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  • beantownshootah
    Honestly, I don't think its going to make any practical difference.

    In general, I think of a detachable magazine as just one more thing to lose or malfunction.

    These are *possibly* reloadable faster, but really, is that a feature you need? Probably not.

    I suppose if you loaded a truly bad round, it might be easier to clear it via a detachable mag, but again, is that probable?
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  • perry shooter
    It might depend on the age of the rifle When the early model 700 had the bolt locked when the safety was on I thought it was very dangerous to have to crank all 5 rounds through the action load unload load unload ETC . it was better to drop the floor plate now it is a moot point. one thing about a blind Mag is you dont loose or break parts. YMMV
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  • 41 nut
    A rifle with a detachable magazine has its advantages and its disadvantages. The only major advantage is that it is quicker to load and get into action either initially or after emptying the rifle and missing. Some disadvantages are bent feed lips making the mag not feed the ctg properly, losing the mag, and the main one -- you go on a hunting trip only to travel a few hundred miles to hunt for a week or two only to find you have forgotten and left both your magazines at home. I'm still amazed at the number of out of state hunters who travel up here to northern Maine and then call me looking for a magazine because they have forgotten theirs. There is a detachable magazine kit availiable for the Remington 700 in long action only. However to cut out and inlet the bottom of the stock on an ADL model would require a lot of woodworking skill. They will fit right into the opening in the BDL models which have the swing open floorplate.
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  • Winston Bode
    Hey,

    I just sold my Rem. 788 and bought a Rem. 700 with the blind magazine just because I got tired of having three magazines for the 788 and only being able to find one of them about half the time. Not once did I need to reload fast enough to keep from loosing an animal.

    I prefer a rifle without a detachable magazine. The drop down floor plate is not a bad feature but it is not a deal breaker for me.

    Bode
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  • stevecrea
    drstroud:

    I do not want to get too technical about this, but I believe that there may be a differentiation here. There are at least two types of box magazines as I think you are describing. I believe that the Model 700 LS has a box magazine with a hinged floorplate that opens, and permits you to remove the cartridges from the magazine without cycling them through the action. This would be in contrast to a box magazine with a floorplate that is not hinged and does not open, or no floorplate at all. This last type is what I believe are referred to as "blind magazines", perhaps because you cannot open them up.

    Please clarify if I am not understanding your situation correctly.

    If I am correct in assuming that your rifle has the box magazine with a hinged floorplate that opens, here is my assessment versus a detachable magazine:

    With a detachable magazine you can carry at least one loaded spare, in order to reload more quickly. Sometimes this can be an issue, depending on your quarry. I hunt jackrabbits here in southern Idaho, and have used a Browning A-bolt with a detachable magazine. I carry an extra one, fully loaded. Sometimes when you jump a rabbit, you can expend considerable ordinance, and must reload quickly.

    For big game, and many other uses, I consider it less of an issue. I have a Mark V Weatherby with a box magazine and hinged floorplate, and I cannot immediately remember an instance when I had fired all the rounds in the rifle and had to reload quickly, but it could happen.
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