First firearm that was magazine fed was the Spencer repeating rifles and was used in the American Civil War. Prior to that the guns used powders and balls and were normally single shot weapons. Gradually with the arrival of multi-shot guns the use of gun magazines became common. While there are different types of magazines the basic purpose of their use is as the storage of ammunition in the barrel of the gun in which the magazine is used.
Starting with Tubular Gun Magazines
It all started with a tubular magazine in Spencer repeating rifle and the magazine was placed in the butt of the gun unlike the latter day magazines that were placed under the barrel. It also used the new rimfire metallic cartridges. However, the rimfire cartridges ignited occasionally in the magazine of the gun destroying the gun and injuring the user.
Evolution of Gun Magazines with Bolt Action Rifles
In the last part of the 19th century the emergence of bolt-action rifles the magazines also started changing. Tubular magazines were still in use and were part of 1884 updates of Mauser Model 1871 and in Norwegian Jarmann M1884. An 8 round tubular magazine was also used in the French Lebel Model 1886 rifle.
Gun magazines started evolving with the evolution of cartridges during the first part of the twentieth century. Gradually the box type and finally the detachable magazines started making their mark in the weapon industry. Automatic and semi-automatic guns these days use magazines that can store over hundred bullets.
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