I was reading about how the patent model was found - a .45-70, military-style rifle,
w/33 1/8" barrel, and wood forend extending to the muzzle.
The bands, sling, nosecap & cleaning rod are the same as the US single-shot .45-70 Springfield of the time - with a LOA of 50 3/8" and weighing 9lbs 7oz.
The rifle will work as a normal Martini - swing the lever down & forward to tilt the breechblock down to expose the chamber to single-load a cartridge, etc.
The Savage rifle differs however, in being able to be used as either a single-shot or a repeater via a separate cover that pivots on the same pin as the breechblock, opening or closing a passage between the two parts for cartridges to move fron an internal butt tube magazine into the chamber.
The tubular buttstock magazine is loaded by swinging the lever to open the action, then sliding the cover rearward to expose a port in the receiver underside.
Four cartridges are then pushed rearward through the port, and are retained in the magazine by a moveable toothed bar in the tube underside, whose teeth are raised to hold each cartridge separately when the action is closed.
A fifth cartridge (the last one loaded) is held between the breechblock and the cover by a detent, and is fed into the chamber upon closing the action.
Holy "Walnut 66" ! !
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