So, I've had a Savage Hog Hunter for a while now and like the gun except for one thing, the blind magazine. The blind magazine is basically a regular mag mounted inside the stock. I find loading it through the ejection port tricky and tedious at times, certainly not as smooth as my Winchester. I decided to replace the stock and convert to a DBM.
I have a stock on the way (used Savage 14 walnut stock), which is factory inletted for the Savage DBM. I now have to make a choice: Use the factory bottom metal and DBM, limiting my capacity to 5 rounds (4 in mag, 1 in pipe) or switch to an aftermarket bottom metal that allows the use of the AICS pattern mags (5 or 10 round).
The factory set up is cheapest ($110 for the parts I need), with mags available just about anywhere. However, I'm limited to 5 rounds unless I buy a $100 aftermarket mag that fits the factory bottom metal. If I go AICS, the bottom metal will run me $150-$200 plus the cost of mags (as low as $35 for Magpul's new AICS mags). I'll also have to do some inletting work. So, for 10-rounds, it's a wash price-wise, but I may not *want* a 10rnd mag. Factory is much cheaper for 5rnd capacities and will have me up and running faster (drop in parts).
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Chris