A .22 with a loading gate?

[COMBO.RICO]

I am looking at a first rifle for myself and am eying the Marlin 39A lever action .22. I would prefer, though, a .22 rifle that had a loading gate like the Marlin 336 and Winchester 1894 have.

Are there any .22s that load in this way?

If not, what is the reason why the 30.30s are loaded this way, but the .22LRs are not?

 

[GRIZ22]

It could be that the possibility exists of the rim of a 22 gets pinched between the gate and the receiver (as the rim of a 30-30 or 44 mag does sometimes). This may cause a round to be set off starting a chain reaction with those already in the mag tube. Just a guess.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I would guess it is machanicle and ecinomicly more sound to use a tube.

 

[COMBO.RICO]

Ahh... I see. Thanks for the input men.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It's hard enough to shove .38 specials in a side gate. Can you imagine trying to get tiny rimfire cartridges in there? I'll keep the drop in tube style, thank you.

 

[Avenger29]

Having experience with both the Marlin 336 and several tube fed .22 rifles, I'd have to say a .22LR rifle with a loading gate would be a gun I would NOT want to own. After loading a few rounds, even .30-30 rounds, the loading gate starts to get on my nerve. It's not a problem for a rifle I usually don't shoot more than a box of ammo through in one session, but I like to shoot A LOT of .22s, so inserting each .22 round into the loading gate for 300 rounds would irritate the hell out of me.

 

[rcmodel]

A .22RF round would bend the bullet right out of the case if you pushed on it sideays hard enough to depress a loading gate spring.

rc

 

[cleardiddion]

I'd be worried about the round deforming as you attempted to shove it in the tube.

 

[Hanzerik]

A .22RF round would bend the bullet right out of the case if you pushed on it sideays hard enough to depress a loading gate spring.

I would have to agree with this ^^^
I don't think I have ever seen a .22lr with a loading gate.

Now, my two .44 Mag Pumas have very nice, smooth, loading gate springs and magazine springs. Very easy to load a full tube of .44.