bigbulls hit it right on the head

Thanks for all the input. Couple of things that I would like to respond to. I do not like the hinged floor plate on most 700's. The release button is located inside of the trigger guard, which to me is unsafe. I have always been taught, and trained,never to put my finger inside of the trigger guard unless I intend to fire the weapon. With the newer model 700's, the release is located too close the the trigger for my comfort. I have never misfired a weapon, but accidents to happen. As for leaving the mag behind when I go afield, it has never happened with my currect rifle. I have an old stevens 30-30 with a detach mag. During season the mag is always in the rifle. I guess it comes down to preference though. Thanks for all the input. -Ricci

I'm 100% with you on that teaching, but I never drop the floorplate of my 700 unless the bolt is open: if I'm unloading the gun, the first thing I want to be sure of is that the pipe's empty.

On my recent elk hunt, I spent an inordinate amount of time opening the bolt to make sure the pipe was empty, prior to crawling through the horrendous scrub they had up there. Call me compulsive. Call me complusvie. Call me compulsive. Call me compulsive...

FC