All About Rifle Floor Plates

It is funny that something as simple as a trap door can give you so much trouble. Talking about rifle floor plates, I have seen them dented, varnished shut by an owner that did not remove the stock during a refinish job—or botch up—and other manner of problems. The floor plate itself is not always a problem. The floor plate latch or lock is the part that gives us the most problem.

Designed to give easy access to the rifle magazine for cleaning and spring replacement or to dump the cartridges if need be, many shooters do not know how to open the floor plate. Pry marks bear mute witness to this deficit in knowledge. They did not go through the military training the original user of the rifle did or, in the case of commercial actions, they did not study the owner’s manual. There are a number of different types of floor plates and there is much crossover between military and commercial types.

As an example, I am never surprised at comments made by folks in the shop when spotting a rifle with no floor plate. They automatically assume the rifle is a single shot. Sure, some bolt guns are single shots but some repeaters have blind magazines. I think the main reason for single shot rifles these days are for target shooters tired of misfeeds and nose down malfunctions, but that is a different story. So, we need to be able to educate both the consumer and ourselves.

As abroad impression we may note that the military-type floor plate is most often detachable and the sporting variety is hinged. What about the Mosin–Nagant? Take each one at its own merits. The military floor plate is often detachable as it was intended to give soldiers a means of removing sand or other matter from the magazine in an inhospitable environment. The Mauser type floor plate does a good job.

Beyond a doubt, a floor plate such as the Mosin-Nagant that is easily opened with only finger pressure and easily cleaned was a generation ahead of the others. Of course, a removable part means it may become lost. In conventional floor plate designs the floor plate usually features a pair of cuts in the one piece trigger guard housing, with the trigger guard housing and magazine box usually machined in one piece. The floor plate cuts allow small protrusions on the magazine box to fit into these cuts.

The engagement is tight and solid and backed up by a plunger that is in turn loaded by a spring. The spring loaded plunger usually works well enough with the spring supplying energy to the latch keeping the floor plate closed and secure. Popular wisdom indicates the floor plates were designed to be opened by the pointed nose of a military full metal jacketed bullet, but I have seen all manner of tools used to open the floor plate. A pointed screwdriver is one. Knives always mar the floor plate. Fit is important.

There is always a type of cover around the spring loaded plunger that opens the floor plate. The receptacle that shields the spring loaded plunger is about a quarter inch in diameter. A screwdriver head larger than a quarter inch will not fit in this hole but

that has not prevented generations of shooters from attempting to open the rifle floor plate in this manner. Others have attempted to pry the floor plate up without activating the plunger. The best tool is still a rifle bullet nose as this is the tool the designers intended to be used. Otherwise, a small brass punch may be used. The plunger is pressed, then the plate is released to be pressed to the rear to open.

To replace the floor plate press the plate forward until the tabs catch and close the plate over the plunger. Some plungers are more aggravating than others and each must be learned. Remember if the plunger is disassembled small parts are easily lost. On a number of military rifles the plunger is situated above the floor plate by about 0.25 inches. When you wish to dump the contents of the magazine it is easy enough to activate the plunger and open the floor plate.

This is preferable to running the cartridges through the action and chambering them. Some floor plate problems are the result of rough handling but most floor plates problems area result of accumulated oil or wood finish and the thorough cleaning of the parts is the simple cure. There are a number of small parts in the plunger assembly. These small parts, including the plunger and the springs, must be carefully cleaned to solve most problems.

Occasionally you will have a rifle come in the shop with a frozen floor plate. The rifle’s floor plate will not unlock and or budge for anything. The procedure for addressing this issue is easy. Remove the floor plate/ magazine and trigger guard assembly from the stock. Liberally soak the retaining plunger area with penetrating oil, allowing the rifle to set

War time cuts to the Springfield design included eliminating the plunger tube opening device once fitted to the floor plate. overnight. Once you have allowed the penetrating oil to take effect then attempt to actuate the floor plate release again. Occasionally the plunger still will not release after this liberal soaking. A failure to unlock at this point is not that rare and the answer is fairly simple.

When you remove the trigger guard and magazine housing you will see the floor plate is a two piece affair with a retaining pin that holds the pieces together. Drive the floor plate retaining pin out and you will be able to separate the floor plate, the magazine housing and trigger housing. The next step is to carefully clean the parts or replace the spring and plunger if need be. When the parts are cleaned properly and freed of rust they usually begin to function properly.

Sporting guns work a little different, often using sliding and pivoting floor plates. The spring-driven plunger for commercial guns is often mounted in the trigger guard and operated by pressing the floor plate release. In the case of the Mauser Mark Xaction, the actuating lever is inside of the trigger guard. With the Ruger Model 77 the release is on the outside forward edge of the trigger guard. These type of plungers offer a different problem.

The spring-driven plunger mounted in the trigger guard is subject to inadvertent operation and the spring may set. Rusted springs are not uncommon. Binding is another problem. Sometimes, something as simple as backing out the trigger guard screws works when the floor plate release does not release properly, indicating the floor plate may have been over tightened. This backing out of the screws requires just a small amount of movement but if works often.

A problem that is more aggravating is the floor plate releasing and dumping the cartridges when the rifle is fired. This problem is a result of the shifting of parts or wear caused by years of hard use. The parts become peened or lengthened. Magnum rifles sometimes exhibit this issue. The fix didn’t require replacing the parts but by working the existing parts. The rifle floor plate and floor plate release were disassembled and the release arm was shortened by the cut-and-try method.

Each incremental cut was very small and checked each time until the problem was fixed. The time involved with these fixes isn’t extensive but the expenditure of ammunition and range time can be. Some fixes require no range time at all as you know when the problem is fixed but a magazine floor plate that swings open in recoil is another matter. The nose of the release arm must be shortened enough to prevent the problem but the arm must remain long enough for good function.

I would think that a release arm that had stopped functioning could be peened to instigate function but I have never ran into that exact problem. Some shooters prefer blind magazines and feel that the blind magazine gives superior stock fit. They feel that the floor plate harkens to military heritage. This much is true, but just the same, the floor plate does not prevent good fit, good bedding or proper accuracy. Others feel that a magazine rifle will sometimes rattle.

This is true of some designs but others such as the FN Patrol Rifle with a Mc Millan stock seem never to rattle. When there is an accuracy problem with the rifle and the floor plate laps over the wood, the wooden stock must be relieved in order to allow the proper clearance. This is straightforward work and usually is needed when the stock has absorbed moisture or become warped. The floor plate is an often overlooked part of the rifle’s function.

These parts are handy and functional, but occasionally need our attention. AG