Lever action more common than bolt action by WWI

I just got a new book on military small arms and the chapter on WWI includes the Winchester 1895 level action used by the Russians during WWI. Considering the most common repeating rifles of the middle 19th century were lever actions like the Spencer and Henry in the US Civil War or the 1866 Winchester during the Russo-Turkish War how do you have most armies in 1914 going into action with lever action rifles rather than bolt actions?
 

Delvestius

Banned
I just got a new book on military small arms and the chapter on WWI includes the Winchester 1895 level action used by the Russians during WWI. Considering the most common repeating rifles of the middle 19th century were lever actions like the Spencer and Henry in the US Civil War or the 1866 Winchester during the Russo-Turkish War how do you have most armies in 1914 going into action with lever action rifles rather than bolt actions?

The battles would be much more of a brawl... Significantly shorter range and faster firerates would mean the trenches would be built much closer together and change hands on a much quicker basis. This would put a lot less focus on artillery, who would largely be reserved to the tasks of screening retreat and long-range potshots looking for supply lines. This game would easily be decided by the nation who produces armored vehicles first.

Edit: I take back what I said about artillery being used in retreats. No force would risk loosing their heavy support in this situation. This may very well diminish artillery's role at this current stage altogether.
 
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Wouldn't the first force to field long-range bolt-action rifles be able to stop troops armed with shorter-range lever-action weapons at beyond their engagement range?
 
Wouldn't the first force to field long-range bolt-action rifles be able to stop troops armed with shorter-range lever-action weapons at beyond their engagement range?

Lever action wouldn't necessarily be shorter ranged. The Winchester 1895s used by the Russians in WWI were chambered for the same 7.62 round as the Moisin bolt actions.
 
What about straight pull rifles? They are capable of both rapid fire and high accuracy.

Didn't think of those for the OP but there is a period in the 1870s-1890s where level actions, turnbolts and straight bolts are about even in capability for military rifles, especially for repeaters. Interesting PODs to make the turnbolt not the main form for repeating rifles by the 20th century.
 

NothingNow

Banned
Wouldn't the first force to field long-range bolt-action rifles be able to stop troops armed with shorter-range lever-action weapons at beyond their engagement range?

That has a lot less to do with the type action than you're thinking. Range and accuracy is more about the cartridge loading, the rifling, barrel length, and how well everything is capable of staying together under >40,000psi pressures.

Fitted with a box magazine, there's no inherent limitation in what types of ammunition can be loaded across the entire field.

Bolt actions are slightly simpler and easier to fire prone, but have a slower rate of fire. Lever-actions can be cycled much faster, and like pump-actions, are also more ambidextrous.

That said, if you want it all, you'll have to go Semi-/fully automatic, with something like the Mondragon, M/1896 Madsen SLR or Fedorov Avtomat.
 

mowque

Banned
My own experience tells me if I am trapped in a muddy trench with little access to gun oil and dry cloth, I'd want a bolt-action.
 
That has a lot less to do with the type action than you're thinking. Range and accuracy is more about the cartridge loading, the rifling, barrel length, and how well everything is capable of staying together under >40,000psi pressures.

Fitted with a box magazine, there's no inherent limitation in what types of ammunition can be loaded across the entire field.

Bolt actions are slightly simpler and easier to fire prone, but have a slower rate of fire. Lever-actions can be cycled much faster, and like pump-actions, are also more ambidextrous.

That said, if you want it all, you'll have to go Semi-/fully automatic, with something like the Mondragon, M/1896 Madsen SLR or Fedorov Avtomat.

Box magazine lever actions were what I was thinking of when I made the OP. The Winchester 1895 was a box magazine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1895
 
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