Experimental Remington-Keene: Preventing Magazine Detonations

Published on March 31, 2020
Duration: 6:54

This guide details the operation of the experimental spacer magazine system on the Remington-Keene rifle, a rare prototype designed to prevent magazine detonations. Ian McCollum, demonstrating high expertise, explains the function of spacer disks within the tubular magazine and the automatic cocking mechanism. The rifle's design highlights early attempts to address centerfire ammunition safety concerns before the widespread adoption of box magazines.

Quick Summary

The experimental Remington-Keene rifle featured a unique spacer system within its tubular magazine to prevent accidental detonations. Spacer disks were loaded between cartridges to ensure physical separation, addressing concerns arising from centerfire ammunition. This prototype also included an automatic cocking striker, highlighting early firearm design experimentation.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction to Remington-Keene
  2. 01:08The Magazine Detonation Problem
  3. 01:55Experimental Spacer Mechanism
  4. 03:35Cycling and Operation
  5. 05:01Additional Experimental Features
  6. 06:00Conclusion and Rarity

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the main problem the experimental Remington-Keene rifle aimed to solve?

The experimental Remington-Keene aimed to solve the rare but dangerous issue of magazine detonations in tubular magazines. This occurs when the nose of one centerfire cartridge strikes the primer of the cartridge in front of it, potentially causing an accidental discharge.

How did the experimental Remington-Keene prevent magazine detonations?

It featured an external tube containing spacer disks. These donut-shaped spacers were manually loaded between cartridges to create a physical barrier, preventing the nose of one round from contacting the primer of the next.

What other experimental feature did this Remington-Keene prototype have?

Besides the spacer magazine, this prototype also featured an automatic cocking mechanism for the striker. This differed from the standard Remington-Keene, which required manual cocking of the striker by the user.

Why was the experimental Remington-Keene's spacer system not mass-produced?

The system was complex and required manual intervention. Furthermore, magazine detonations were extremely rare, and the industry eventually moved towards box magazines, which inherently solved the issue more effectively and simply.

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