I don't mind a hinged floor plate magazine but would never have a detachable, too many get lost or dropped and damaged. My nephew very nearly lost his Tikka T3 magazine on a choppered in Tahr hunt, just happened to notice it laying half buried in the snow as he glanced down when up on the mountain, hadn't heard it detach or drop.

Quite okay with my Marlin grown to like the blind magazine actually which is easy enough to load as there is no hurry to do so at the start when reaching the hunting area. Then unload by grasping the bolt shroud in the left hand thumb and forefinger and work the bolt back and forwards while holding the rifle elevated and tilted to the right hand side to pop the live rounds up from the mag where they roll straight out into my right hand, takes about 10 secs if that.
I'll qualify that with the fact than I am left handed so the unloading action comes naturally for me.

 

Hi Marlin Slovenia. I do not think your rifle is ugly. Quite the contrary. I think it is a nice looking rifle, set up properly for a particular job. I do like the detach mag system. What brand system did you use? I did not see that info in your posts. And was it for a Winchester model 70 action? I have an XS heavy barrel in .308 with a Boyds' stock that I want to convert to detach mag as well.

 

Excellent set of posts, JJ! I'm a little late to the party, but am thinking of converting my XL7 to a drop mag.

 

As others, I too am investigating way in which to increase the magazine capacity of my "XL7" to a 10 round drop magazine. The Marlin "XL7" that I now own is enough of a tack driver for me, as well as delivering effective measure when competing in local (off the shelf firearms), high power silhouette matches. None the less, I want it to hold 10 rounds of 30-06

 

Sure wish Boyds Gunstocks would come up with a stock that would take removable magazines....