Block off plate

[Thunderbox]

In my opinion, the real issue with the cut-off (which I only ever see raised by me) is that of the extractor and extractor spring damage that it causes. When the cut-off is used as a loading platform, instead of the rim of the cartridge sliding up into the extractor claw, as is does when fed from the magazine, the claw is forced to cam its way over the rim. Loading single rounds in this fashion cannot be good for the extractor and must put more strain on the extractor spring than if the round is fed from the magazine.

Even when firing single rounds, I make a point of always loading the round into the magazine first and then letting the bolt feed to round up from there.

Thats of course true of all Enfields from the Long Lee onwards, but I think by then the use of the cut-off had moved away from single-loading and onto a safety function. In the (very short) era of single loading, the Lee Metford had both a fairly soft extractor spring and the rounds itself had a rounder case rim. We'll probably never know, but single-loading was probably abandoned at the same time they changed the extractor and cartridge case - possibly they wanted to achieve a more positive extraction, and the realised that a harder extraction spring would necessitate magazine feeding of the round?

I think its quite fascinating how the upgrade from Lee Metford to Lee Enfield reflects the combat experience with the (then) revolutionary magazine rifle - its clear that after Sudan and NW Frontier conflicts, the Army suddenly comprehended the rapid fire potential of the rifle, and the effect that would have on tactics.

[jmoore]

Another factor? Ammo resupply. Before mechanized transport (aside from trains) and radios, moving large quantities of ammo wasn't as easy. If your force was out in the boonies, running out of ammo was of major concern.

[smellie]

I think that if you look at it from the point of view of the guy doing the attacking, it gets pretty sticky.

There you are, running forward with your assegai or your Remington, the 800 red guys in front of you are poppppping off in your direction on command, slow fire in volleys and all the rest. You are feeling REALLY lucky that nothing has connected with YOUR soft little bod and then, in the blink of an eye, just when you are getting ready to DO SOMETHING..... that entire line in front of you positively ERUPTS, just about two seconds after you hear somebody in front of you yell, "10 rounds rapid........ FIRE!".

That's 800 rounds a second coming your way: the equivalent of FORTY MG-42s.

I might be a barbarian, but I'm a SOLDIER, not a SUICIDE.

Time for tea, chaps.

See you at the signing of the peace treaty, what?

And from the other side (the side that all those red guys are on) we have to remember that the Charger has not yet been invented. It's a heck of a lot faster to EMPTY that 10-round magazine than it is to RELOAD the thing with single rounds, even if they do come in little paper packs of 10.

From the points of view of the period, as well as from the available technology, the doctrine of single-fire with the magazine in reserve made a lot of sense.

That said, my rifles with cutoffs are always loaded through the magazine, mostly to spare the extractor spring, partly because my Doctor (good fellow) is a Boer...... and a shooter..... and I think he might still be angry with us about a couple of things.

Just sensible precautions, y'know!
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