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Bottom Metal / Det Mags


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Would like to know if anyone had experirence good/bad with Ithar than Badger Ordnance? I know that HS Precision, Tactical Rifles and Wyatt's also offer similisr products. The first two seemed to be very similiar with their mag release placement. However, TR model seems to actually be more beefier that the Badger offering.

Wyatt's has an inside the trigger guard release that kind of makes sense.....when you think about going prone in a hurry and hitting this on some ground debris....etc.

Stupid question.....but capatanility of mags.....do you think there is a chance of this between the different maketers?

Everyone says use Ai (Accuracy International) for reliability?

THANKS

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Also include CDI in you list, have not tried Wyatt, but there is a lot of tension against the release in most of the set ups, they just don't snap open like an AR. You can adjust this tension by changing the length of the release. AI mags have very thick metal and the feed lips can be contoured to the round you are using for best feed angle, without loosing their temper. So a 308 will work for 300 wsm with only the loss of a few rds.

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I have picked up quite a few DBM in the last month. I have a Badger, a Seekin precision, Hooper Ordnance and a Surgeon. All of these use the AI mags except for the Seekin. I have at least three of the badgers on different rifles and it is a good one. The Seekin has a push button to drop the mag and the Surgeon has a lever next to the trigger guard. Now the Badger does have a lever that sticks down and someone makes a lever that rides next to the trigger guard. I have one of those levers on one of my badgers.

I also have a HS Precision DBM. It is a good basic set-up in it's time, but you can find better ones. The 10 rounds for the HS are a little pricey compared to the AI mags.

I can tell you that you can not go wrong with any of the ones I have listed. Good luck.

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The paddle on the Badger DBM's really doesn't interfere with going prone. There are a couple companies that make lower profile lever styles, Surgeon, R&D, Patriot Arms. All are very stought. Seekins does have a new bottom metal out that uses an ambi button that is very slick. It takes AI mags and works basically like an AR mag release button. I have used all of them on builds for people and personally run the Badger, Seekins, and Surgeon on my match rifles. The AI mags are definitely top shelf. Very strong and universal. I would steer clear of the Wyatt's mag setups. The sample one I received just wasn't up to par with the others. It uses its own mags and they were pretty thin. I ruined one by dropping in onto the gravel. The HS units are ok, but the mags have a tendency to fall out under hard use.

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I like the Surgeon, it's easy to drop without changing your firing hand grip, and because it supports more of the magazine it can keep the mags from rattling without being so tight. It's a very well-made part, all the surfaces are well machined and beveled and there are little details like snaprings that capture your action screws to keep you from losing them. This is the one Terry Cross of KMW uses, it's basically a Surgeon with the back modified to mate to his Sentinel stock. The APA (old Patriot Arms) system and several others are good too, though.

2009-11-26082654.jpg

Edited by Red_SC
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  • 1 year later...

If you are looking for something that's going to get heavy use, then the AICS mags are probably worth the cost. Badger is one of the highest selling DBM's but from everything I have read CDI is quite good and less expensive.

As to the Wyatt's DBM, I got one last year and had some problems with the mags. I contacted Kevin Wyatt and he had me send him back the DBM and the mags and he sent me a whole new setup. He said that there was some older stuff still in stock at a couple places that he didn't know about. He had changed both the design and the finish to produce a better product.

I used the Wyatt DBM for a while (and it worked quite well) but found that I was mainly single feeding rounds and that the DBM wasn't really needed. I had put it up for sale but pulled it back a couple days later because I heard about something later this year where a DBM would be a good thing to have.

In any case, one thing to consider in the overall cost is installation. The Wyatt is a drop-in replacement for most Rem 700 stocks that are already fitted for a standard bottom metal plate. AICS mags are double stack so the DBM requires that the stock be inlet for the DBM to fit. It may also be necessary to do a little work on the receiver. So unless you have the tools and the know-how, you need to figure in the gunsmiths work as well as the cost.

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My only experience is with the CDI.

I installed a CDI on my Howa 1500 308 B&C Medalist stock(trying a budget build).

Being a Machinist, I really wasn't happy with the design at all.

The magazine fit is wayyy tooo sloppy and the shape of it made it harder to inlet.

I am considering adding some support in the back so the mag doesn't rock so bad.

All this for no apparent reason??

They could have squared the design and left some metal in the back of the mag area(similar to the Surgeon) and it would have been much better.

After installing one of these I realized I should have just made my own.

I know that's not possible for most people so my point would be to get one that looks like it holds the mag sturdy and is highly regarded by people who shoot and have the reasons why they like them.

Nick

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It's also worth mentioning that you can buy some stocks that come with DBM already installed. H-S has their own, but unlike most of the H-S line, it's not very well designed. I think Manners has stocks with a DBM installed (not sure what brand) that are quite highly rated.

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  • 7 months later...

The Manners chassis/DBM system is made by Badger and is highly regarded.

I have the CDI and the APA bottom metal and both work fine.

Stick with the AICS mags, you won't have any regrets.

The only other mag that is even on the same level are the AW mags but will require a cut on the feed ramp of your action by a gunsmith. Some gunsmiths don't recommend the cut for safety reasons. There are custom actions that are machined that way already...Stiller Tac AW, Defiance, ect.

The AW mags allow for longer overall length of the rounds when loaded. Also shorter in height vs the 10 rd AI mags. They are true double stack.

Hope this helped

ccL

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My 700 had no end of feed problems before I sent the stock off to Badger. They inlet my B&C stock, installed the DBM, and installed the Badger knob on my bolt. It has to be on of the best things to ever happen to my rifle. Never had a feed problem again (aside from helo rotors blowing a case back into the chamber a couple of time, but not the DBM's fault). Nor have I ever had an issue with accidentally ejecting a mag.

BTW, all of my AI mags have performed flawlessly. And since they are so pervasive, chances are if you need to bum one in the field, someone else will have an AI mag.

Just my 2 cents.

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  • 1 month later...

I really like my R&D DBM. Fits well and machined well. I like Randy's stuff so much I bought his comp as well for my 700 5r.

http://www.rdprecision.net/

Shoot him a email. Awesome guy to deal with and there are reviews of his products on the hide.

-Dan

+1 for Randy and his RAD TAC Latch DBM. I was lucky and got one of the development models that was contoured into the trigger guard. Top quality products and service.

RT

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Graham, good point. I bought a Badger/AI system for $360 and sent it and my B&C stock ($225) to Badger for inletting ($175 IIRC) and a large bolt knob. So after the shipping I could have just bought the AI chassis or the McRee with money left to spare. I'm currently building a new rifle on a Savage action and went the McRee route this time.

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