.22s - load from rear?

bluemike807

bluemike807

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
141   0   0
Location
Eastern Ontario
Just wondering, why is it on tube fed .22's - especially lever actions - why you cant load from the 'rear' using a trapdoor, like on a Model 94, or any 'modern' lever action, as opposed to from a loading port closer to the muzzle? It doesnt make much sense as the feeding mechanism can't be fundamentally different from that of, say, a 94?

Puzzling.
 
If you have ever seen the inside of a wind up watch you know its not a machining issue. Some small parts might not be a robust as one would hope but I really think that its an issue of the ammo being too small and fiddly.

Its easier to drop them in the end of the tube than to try to push them through a small loading gate against a spring thats stacking resistance as you go.
 
Colt's Baby Lightning has a swing out loading port that allows loading in this manner.
About as close as you get to what you are looking for. Next is the rear tube fed .22's. that are not really what you are talking about, like some Mossberg and the Browning Semi Auto.

I suspect it has more to do with the fat fingers of the average gun buyer, not being able to push a small cartridge rim past the feed plate so it wouldn't jam up.

But it'd be nice to be able to top up on the fly, as it were.

Make one. Or a conversion kit.

Cheers
Trev
 
The ultimate load from the rear .22LR is the Browning SA22. Probably the best takedown .22 ever built. Of course they do look at you funny when you hold them between your knees to load. Sort a frowned on at some ranges.
 
bluemike807 said:
Just wondering, why is it on tube fed .22's - especially lever actions - why you cant load from the 'rear' using a trapdoor, like on a Model 94, or any 'modern' lever action, as opposed to from a loading port closer to the muzzle? It doesnt make much sense as the feeding mechanism can't be fundamentally different from that of, say, a 94?

Puzzling.
Click to expand...

I've wondered about this also.
I'm no ammo expert but perhaps the bullet to casing crimp on .22lr isn't strong enough to hold up to pushing in a trapdoor while loading?
 
johNTO
I think you are probably right. That plus thge fact that .22LR ammo being externally luned would probably draw more dirt into the action than a centrefire. Just a thought.
 
johNTO said:
I've wondered about this also.
I'm no ammo expert but perhaps the bullet to casing crimp on .22lr isn't strong enough to hold up to pushing in a trapdoor while loading?
Click to expand...

Poor theory.
So. Here's a test that'll put the end to that.

Grab a 22 cartridge. Squeeze it as hard as you can between your thumb and whatever part of your hand you have the best grip with, end-on.

Then push the bullet sideways against your hand. See how much pressure it takes to unseat the bullet.

It does not take near that to push the loading gate aside on a levergun.

Cheers
Trev
 
grayghost said:
johNTO
I think you are probably right. That plus thge fact that .22LR ammo being externally luned would probably draw more dirt into the action than a centrefire. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Outside of expensive target ammo, i have not seen lubricated .22 ammo anywhere other than on the ammo collectors table at a gun show.

Who's still selling lubed?

Cheers
Trev
 
remember, it's not only levers that load through the bottom side of the tube- there's cooeys, all kinds of semis, and pumps as well- and the 22 is percieved as a "cheap" rifle- ie it has to be built for a certain size dollar, or people won't buy it- the OTHER point is to remember theat the FIRST LEVERS - the HENRY, AND VOLCANIC( SP?) LOADED THROUGH THE bottom FRONT as well- i know from experience on a HENRY, you pull out an inner tube( the one with the captured spring) and load through a port in the outer tube- then you push the tube back in and turn it to lock it- there's also a follower in there that you have to keep your fingers clear of or it won't feed those last couple of shots- it wasn't untill the 1866 yellowboy came out that the loading port model came out- it also had a forend( the earlier ones just had a barrel and tube- you used a GLOVE to keel your hand AWAY from the hot barrel ) which might have dicatated relocating the loading port to the reciever
 
Donny Fenn1 said:
i always wondered why the centerfire levers had a port on the side of the receiver instead of a hole in the tube like the rimfires....
Click to expand...

So that the magazine can be topped up without having to partially disassemble the rifle by removing the inner tube.

I concur that the reason few tube fed .22s have a loading port in the receiver is that .22 cartridges are too small and fiddly. The .22 Short version of the Winchester 1873 was probably the first .22 repeating rifle and it used the dual inner/outer tube arrangement seen on .22 tube magazines to this day. The only .22 rifles I know of with a conventional loading port in the receiver were the Colt Lightning and the very first version of the Marlin 1891.
 
a little trick i use is to use a plastic straw, or a arrow shaft, remove the inner tube completely, and cover the opening in the outer tube with a piece of tape or my thumb or something- then you just let the rounds drop directly from the straw or tube or whatever into the magazine- exactly the sme way as dillon fills it's primer tubes on the 550
 
Another issue might be unloading. Most tube-fed 22's handle in the neighbourhood of 15 shots, which means cycling the action 15 times to unload vs. taking out the tube and tipping the gun? Just a thought.
 
as far as the magazine itself goes, if you're dealing with FULL mag loads, rather than just topping up, the front loading tube is FAR faster- this was proven to me by an old phart with a henry- he opened the action, then opened the top of the tube, and dropped all 10 rounds in anout 3 seconds- you let gravity do the job- the reason for the action open was to put one in the carrier , or so he said- then push the tube down, and lock it into place- your average winchester depends on pushing the gate open with the cartridge, and forward into place- in other words, the henry was one of the first "speed loaders"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom