How do you load a repeating rifle?

Answer 1

There are several types of repeating rifles, fed by different systems. Some rifle have detachable magazines, while others may have fixed magazines. Of fixed magazine rifles, you may have either a box magazine. or a tubular magazine. In any of these instances, you would load the magazine. If the rifle was fed by a detachable magazine, you would then insert the magazine into the magazine well and ensure that it was seated.

Rifles with fixed box magazines, such as bolt action rifles or the SKS, will require you to open and lock the action to the rear, then feed the rounds into the magazine through the open action.

Rifles with tubular magazines may have different ways of loading the magazine. Some will have a slot on the side of the receiver which cartridges are fed into to load the magazine. Some will require the end of the tubular magazine to be removed, and for the cartridges to be fed in from the front of the magazine (below the bore), after which, the cap (which often contains the magazine spring) is replaced.

Some tubular magazines are fed through an opening in the bottom of the receiver (this is most common with shotguns).

Some tubular magazines are inserted through the buttstock, such as on certain versions of the Remington Nylon 66. On these rifles, you would remove the tubular magazine completely from the rifle, load the cartridges into the magazine, then insert it back into the opening in the buttstock and secure the magazine.