Is BDL Going Away? Timeless Design and Lasting Benefits

As newer models and designs enter the firearms market, the question comes up “Will older designs like the BDL be left behind?” While they may not be bleeding edge technology anymore it is not a sure sign that a design won’t be offered in the future.

Let’s go into the how and why BDLs are in no danger of going away.

BDL review

Just to be clear, we’re talking about the bottom metal style called the Oberndorf bottom metal. This design is usually called the BDL these days and features a non-removable internal magazine.

The BDL does hinge out of the bottom for easier ammunition removal, but they are not compatible with removable box magazines.

Will BDLs Go Away?

The short answer is “No”, the BDL is not going anywhere. This comes from the benefits they offer and from the fact that many more manufacturers are offering BDLs in the M5 pattern. This means that your hinged BDL will fit into the same place as the M5 just without the magazine capabilities.

Making BDLs fit the M5 Pattern helps streamline stock production while providing more options for the customer. It also means you can potentially swap out your bottom metals to match the task you are doing (BDLs for hunting, M5 DBMs for competitions).

Let’s look at the benefits and deficits that BDLs have, just too illustrate why it won’t go away, even without the newer pattern.

BDL Benefits

BDLs have a number of benefits, but there are three that stand out the most. These are a lower profile, less noise, and the lower chance of losing parts.

Lower Profile

BDLs have a much lower profile than M5 DBMs. This is because a BDL is almost flush to the bottom of the stock. This allows you to brace your gun farther back as needed and has less of a pronounced edge for things to catch on.

The lower snag hazard is one of major reasons BDLs are popular on hunting rifles.There is always something extra to get caught on when you are going through bushes and other terrain, the flush fit of the BDL takes one factor out of the equation.

Less Noise

Another hunting benefit is that BDLs produce less noise while moving. Since the magazine is contained in the rifle and can not be removed easily, the bullets in the magazine are less likely to shift around in the gun unlike a detachable magazine.

Magazines need a certain amount of leeway when it comes to magazine wells, this means the magazine can shift in the magazine well of a BDM bottom metal. This is especially true if the magazine well will work with a lot of magazines of your selected style. The shifting can produce noise and it will happen at the least convenient time.

If your rifle can only work with one or two of the magazines you purchased you might as well switch over to a DBL and have a more silent gun since you have the same performance level.

Less Lost Parts

Bolt action rifle magazines are just another thing to lose when you are out in the field. If you don’t have a lot of spare magazines or like to store those magazines away from the rifle, you run a higher risk of losing or leaving those magazines behind when you take your rifle out.

BDLs alway keep the magazine with the rifle so you only have to keep ammunition on hand. There is also the legal and social question of capacity. BDLs are 50 state legal and there is no way to construe that they are over most capacity limits 

BDL Downsides

While BDLs win with lower profiles and better social standing, there are some drawbacks. These are loading and pest control.

More Loading, Less Hunting

That lower capacity is nice for being able to own the rifle almost anywhere, but you will be spending more time loading a BDL rifle than you will shooting it. While this may not be an issue if you only fire a handful of shots per session, if you spend a lot of time at the range practicing , loading will get old very quickly.

Harder Times with Pest Control

If you have a lot of a particular pest, invasive species, or other animal that has too high of a population in your area, a BDL may not be the choice for you. If you are allowed to take down dozens of a particular animal at a time and there are a lot impacting the area, you will not be able to affect the population as efficiently with a BDL.

Some animals should not be where they have decided to live and actually end up destroying that environment. The only way to prevent that is to thin or remove that animal’s population and doing that 5-6 at a time may not be enough. And that is assuming a perfect 1:1 ratio.

BDLs are better recreational hunting tools than they are pest control/culling tools. Selecting the right firearm for the job is important and it should be considered when selecting your bottom metal.

Conclusion

The BDL design is here to stay. With the right setting and a good plan, you will have life times of enjoyment and success with a BDL in your favorite stock style. It helps keep classic hunting and marksmanship alive.

If you are interested in adding a BDL to your collection or upgrading your current setup, we have a number of BDLs and BDL components available.