Loading 12 rounds in an H001M - Revisited

[henry22]

This was covered before in a previous post, but it's way down the list now. Not long after buying an H001M, I realized I could load 11 rounds into the tube, — leaving the action open, and then manually dropping in 1 extra in the chamber.

You close the lever, the hammer comes back, and you're reading to fire without needing to rack one into the chamber - obviously.

But in the Henry H001 manual, it says: WARNING: Do not load the rifle with the action open

Can anyone tell me what the warning is for? What is the potential hazzard? I don't see one.

Thanks.

[CT_Shooter]

... I realized I could load 11 rounds into the tube, — leaving the action open, and then manually dropping in 1 extra in the chamber.

Or, you could load one round in the chamber, close the action, then fill the tube.

I don't know why it is strongly advised to keep the action closed when loading the tube, but since it is, I do.

I'm sure more experienced members can tell us why.

[henry22]

CT_Shooter, I thought of that, and someone mentioned that at one point, but I don't like the idea of having one in the chamber, releasing the hammer, then 1/4 cock safety, to then load another into the tube.

Funny that the warning says not to do it my way, but it seems "safer" since the action is open, and nothing is loaded into the chamber until you close the lever.

I just wonder why the warning?

[Conax]

Just guessing here, but when the action is open and the spring is compressed closing it up (full) a round may get stuck part way out of the magazine tube. Maybe causing a jam? When the action is closed the rounds can't escape the magazine.
I usually shoot 5 shot groups at targets, so a load of ten is fine for me. It keeps the numbers of rounds left in a box easy to figure and remember, too.

[henry22]

Conax, I agree. The last little while, in order to slow down how many bullets I go through, I've actually been loading the rifle one round at a time via the open ejection port. — Kind of stupid. I would've been just a happy with a single shot 22 or 22 mag. But I do love working that lever.

I love this rifle — Period.