The rifle was made with the finest of wood and the best of metalsmithing by craftsmen that were at the top of their trade and was admired as it was made by no less than Dunlap. Not everyone wanted a hinged floor plate and the absence of a fancy plate doesn't necessarily mean the rifle is not first quality or exactly what the customer or gunsmith wanted or thought desirable. However it does look to me like there's a button release in place on the military floor plate.
The rifle has everything it needs and no frills, gadgets, bells, or whistles. Just handsome lines and the finest materials and workmanship. You can't improve on that. Leave it like it is.
Jerry Liles
