I'm thinking of the newer-manufacture big-game hunting rifles. Some of them now come with large-capacity detachable magazines capable of holding 10 rounds. Who needs 10 rounds in the magazine when hunting? I can't think of a single time when I've been hunting over the past 50+ years that I've ever felt the need for more than the 3 or 4 rounds in my magazines. I greatly prefer fixed magazines with hinged floorplates over detachable magazines (both aesthetically and for security), but I can live with a 3-5 round detachable mag if it sits flush with the bottom of the stock. The larger magazines that drop way down below the stock line look terrible, in my opinion, but more importantly add unnecessary weight (close to 4-5 oz.or more when fully loaded) as well as making the rifle more difficult to carry in the field. When I'm carrying a rifle in the field (not slung) I usually carry it with my hand under about the location of the magazine. That seems to be about the best point for balance. A magazine hanging down in that location gets in the way. Is this trend just a nod to tacticool?
What's with the Current Trend of Large-Capacity Magazines in Hunting Rifles
- Thread starter South Pender
- Start date
Canada is only a spit in the bucket when it comes to most everything. Vehicles, guns etc. The demand and the driver is the USA. There must be demand there for that product.
Varmint hunting a larger mag may prove useful. Big game hopefully 3-4 does the trick.
I don’t mind having freedom of choice to though. Larger mag capacity would definitely prove useful in an apocalypse situation…ask me how I know…
Varmint hunting a larger mag may prove useful. Big game hopefully 3-4 does the trick.
I don’t mind having freedom of choice to though. Larger mag capacity would definitely prove useful in an apocalypse situation…ask me how I know…
Current trend? Lee Enfield rifles with their 10 round magazines have been commonly used for hunting in Canada for over a century.
I used one when living in the Arctic. 10 rounds in the magazine meant there was little chance that I'd freeze my fingers handling loose rounds to reload.
I used one when living in the Arctic. 10 rounds in the magazine meant there was little chance that I'd freeze my fingers handling loose rounds to reload.
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Not complaining about having options. Just curious about why a hunter would choose that option in a big-game hunting rifle, given the disadvantages I noted. And I think that in the context of big-game hunting rifles, 10 rounds is large capacity. We're not talking about 30-round mags for AR-15s here. Actually apart from the issues I mentioned, aren't detachable mags with capacity over 5 about to become prohibited here (and I admit that I haven't followed this closely)?
Yeah, I get that. My point had more to do with high-capacity detachable mags.
Right. I was thinking about newly-manufactured bolt-action rifles, which up until recently had the more-usual 4-5-shot mags, but now seem to be offered with a larger-mag option.
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Who needs an AR? Liberal much?
I prefer 3's and 5's but wouldn't question someone who has 10 rounders. Don't like it, don't buy it.
I understand where the OP is coming from. For example: Ruger American Gen 2. They all have big detachable mags. I like that its an OPTION, but I don't like that a regular flush fit 4 rounder that takes on the curve of the stock is NOT an option for a lot of these rifles. And I understand that shorter mags are available, but a 3rd mag for a American Gen 2 sticks out, while my savage and remington hunting rifles hold 4 or 5 and sit flush, which to me both looks better for a hunting rifle and carries better in the field.
Yeah, I wonder why Ruger can't design a 3-round magazine that sits flush with the stock. I can't think of another rifle with a small-capacity magazine that extends out below the stock.
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Handguns, who needs them right?
I have never seen a purpose for them, I prefer not to have handguns.
.50bmg? What are you trying to shoot planes out of the sky?
No sir, doesn't sit well with me.
One round is all I need for my one deer every 5 years I tell you what.
I have never seen a purpose for them, I prefer not to have handguns.
.50bmg? What are you trying to shoot planes out of the sky?
No sir, doesn't sit well with me.
One round is all I need for my one deer every 5 years I tell you what.
Oh, well that response certainly answers WHY there appears to be a trend towards hunting rifles with big magazines. Thanks!
For recreational hunting in Canada, limited use in my experience. But look at pig hunts south of the border, management culling, etc., and there are certainly valid uses. I think the point above about Canada being a drop in the bucket is a big part of it; rarely are firearms designed specifically for our market, rather, we get what we can from the demands of others. But yeah, there’s also certainly an element of tacticool bleeding over.
If someone wants to lug around a sharp edged 12lb+ rifle with the Hubble telescope on top, more power to them. At least they’re interested in hunting.
If someone wants to lug around a sharp edged 12lb+ rifle with the Hubble telescope on top, more power to them. At least they’re interested in hunting.
I two have been hunting for 60 yrs. and buy everything you say. I liked large cap. mags & AR style rifles
to target shoot with but for hunting I am with you. Last fall I killed 2 deer with a Winchester Model 1886
made in 1887 cal. .40-82 with my cast bullets. NO mags in that one !!!!!
to target shoot with but for hunting I am with you. Last fall I killed 2 deer with a Winchester Model 1886
made in 1887 cal. .40-82 with my cast bullets. NO mags in that one !!!!!
The problem is they're not designing the mag. They're just taking an existing magazine design that is popular, AI mags, and going from there. So they're building the gun around the mag, rather than the mag around the gun, and "standard" magazines like what the Gen1 American comes with are much too wide to fit in the same magwell as an AI mag.
This would lead to some decisions needing to be made such as: Do we support BOTH, selling rifles with both "regular" mags and AI mags? Do we offer the flush mag and an aftermarket DBM kit? What about the stocks, we'd have to manufacture two different stocks if we do two different mag setups? ....
Clearly they decided that the number of people like you and I who don't want the AI mags is going to be outweighed by the people who DO want them.
