It's the simple fact that in the rimfire world it is very common to need specifically tuned magazines for each and every rifle. The height those rims sit at is of paramount importance to the functioning of an action. This isn't a centerfire we're talking about here. Nor is it some semi-auto blaster. Accuracy and precision is expected, and with that comes very specific requirements from the magazine. While it may be inconvenient that the mags are viewed as "expensive" by some, this does not negate the fact that certain mags simply will not work correctly in other rifles when tuned for a specific action. This is true even in the centerfire world when dealing with finicky cartridges. Just because a magazine is timed right for one rifle, doesn't mean it will be for another.
Magazines are part of a system, just because you often "can" swap them to other rifles, doesn't mean you should actively be doing that if it can be avoided.
Your financial situation is irrelevant when weighed against the answer to a simple question: How would you suggest they solve the feeding issues presented by all the various chassis and DBM systems on the market
without an adjustable magazine catch shelf?
A fully machined completely new proprietary mag with all the right features for $120, isn't what I'd call expensive. Financial considerations are irrelevant when you're spending several thousand dollars on a luxury item. That's a super cheap magazine, as far as I am concerned.
Frankly, I'm fucking sick of would-be outstanding products getting
hamstrung due to people and their unwillingness to pay for quality. If this action and its associated mags function flawlessly, I could care less if the mags were $500 a piece. I'd still buy 4 of them for this rifle, at minimum. I hope zermatt charges as much as is required to properly service this system and guarantee complete functionality of every unit shipped. There are those of us that recognize just how big a project this was for them and will be rewarding them by paying whatever it is they ask. Just once, I'd like to see the price argument left out of the equation when discussing the merits of a product. As if we don't have enough piece of shit rifle systems built for price in this world.
@AFancyPenguin don't think this is aimed squarely at you. No offense intended... but rather a wake up call for people that want to complain about price all the time. There is more to life.