What was the purpose of a magazine cutoff?
- Thread starter skirsons
- Start date
To speed up the manufacture of rifles. Time and energy saved from having to stamp out the peice that was the sliding cut-off and having to mill out the slot for it in the side of the reciever
Edit: Crap, beat me to it
Edit: Crap, beat me to it
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
The idea of the cutoff was for the troops to single load until the enemy infantry got close, and then switch to rapid fire. Same thing for cavalry, which could move faster, and probably surprise you. Nice to have a full mag for the purpose.
Keep in mind that it originated with the Long Lee which DID NOT use charger loading. One had to load the magazine with single rounds
Subsequent reasons given were simply to justify it's continued exsistence. "We have ALWAYS done it this way"
In the early days EVERY ROUND fired had to be accountd for.
Then there was Kitchner riding up and down the lines at Omdurman shouting "cease fire, Cease fire, they are wasting ammunition!" the fact that the troops were also wiping out the dervishes simply did not occur to him.
Keep in mind that it originated with the Long Lee which DID NOT use charger loading. One had to load the magazine with single rounds
Subsequent reasons given were simply to justify it's continued exsistence. "We have ALWAYS done it this way"
In the early days EVERY ROUND fired had to be accountd for.
Then there was Kitchner riding up and down the lines at Omdurman shouting "cease fire, Cease fire, they are wasting ammunition!" the fact that the troops were also wiping out the dervishes simply did not occur to him.
Last edited:
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
I know there was one mouser, but it is a very rare bird.
Certainly the O3, but again that was something that remained because of official inertia. Of course the Krag, but again, you had to load the rounds one at a time in the magazine.
Certainly the O3, but again that was something that remained because of official inertia. Of course the Krag, but again, you had to load the rounds one at a time in the magazine.
As regards the cutoff for the SMLE, if you take a close look at one, you will see that it was emphatically NOT just "stamped out". It was carefully machined to a very precise shape, then hardened and spring-tempered to be its own catch and spring. Making the slot in the body was the easy part. Drilling and tapping the screw-hole was harder. Making the actual cut-off itself was slow, fiddly and expensive.
As to the regulations, I would not be surprised if they changed, over time. I know for a fact that some troopies in the Great War were instructed to keep the cutoff engaged and single-feed until they needed the full magazine. And on the Mark II Lee-Metford, which had no safety apart from the half-#### notch, the cutoff worked fine to assure that no round entered the chamber unless you wanted it to.
As to the regulations, I would not be surprised if they changed, over time. I know for a fact that some troopies in the Great War were instructed to keep the cutoff engaged and single-feed until they needed the full magazine. And on the Mark II Lee-Metford, which had no safety apart from the half-#### notch, the cutoff worked fine to assure that no round entered the chamber unless you wanted it to.
The regs also said to pour boiling water down the barrels to clean them, more often the boiling water was used in tea, or that god offal chicory root coffee the Brits loved to pack around, and human or horse piss was poured down the barrel instead...no bookshelves in the trenches for the reg books.
I have to admit Rye was often involved in the conversations with the great grand folks, so take it all with salt...I miss the old bastards.
I have to admit Rye was often involved in the conversations with the great grand folks, so take it all with salt...I miss the old bastards.
Last edited:
