buttstock tube magazines.. where did they go?

[Kaylee]

Looking through a picture book of ol' 19th century rifles, I saw our old friend the Spencer. (guldurn Yankees... )

Anyhow.. so why didn't that line of development go much forther? I mean, the tube magazine and lever action are both with us today in the descendents of the Henry.. was there a technical reason why the Spencer design lost out? Or was it something else?

-K

 

[Detritus]

it's easier to build a truly RELIABLE rifle on the volcanic/henry/winchester planform (under barrel magazine feeding from front of receiver) for less money.

want an illistration of this look at the feed mechaism for a Spencer, then look at the feed system on a henry, or better yet the one on a Marlin 97 (which became the M39 "golden" in time)..

which one is simpler and easier to make? and which is les likely to breakdown or malfunction??


though some instock tube mags survive to this day, such as the Browning .22 auto that we are all probably fairly familiar with. the in the stock feed mechanisms tend to boder on "going round your rear to get to your elbow" from an engineering standpoint

 

[MeekandMild]

Kaylee,

I think that you have to look at modern spire pointed centerfire cartridges to gain insight into why the tube magazine is very limited in use in the first place. Pointy nosed center fire cartridges are not happy when they are lined up one in front of the other.

Then, like Detritus says, look to the fact that it is easier to load from the front/bottom/side than from the back.

Meekly,

Meek

 

[Dr.Rob]

Funny I grew up shooting mom's Browning thinking loading it from the stock was pretty easy... twist knob, pull magazine tube partially out tuck under arm and gravity feed 10 shells through the stock, push and twist the mage tube back in place.. much faster than re-loading 18 shots in the Marlin 39, which I also grew up shooting.

 

[Detritus]

Funny I grew up shooting mom's Browning thinking loading it from the stock was pretty easy...

easy for you...

torture for an engineer to make work right....

 

[Dr.Rob]

Ask a Belgian... they got it right the first time. Mom's rifle has almost never jammed.

As for big bore stock-loaders... I'd likely agree there is a point of diminishing returns.

 

[Bob]

My little Remington 24 runs just fine with a buttstock mag. I've been shooting that one for over 40 years, no complaints yet.
Bob