I take it, then, that the first shot out of a given lever ought be more or less the same as that out of a bolt made to the same tolerances, of the same length, and with the same cartridge?
Thinking about it calls to mind a photo, or an illustration, of some exotic rifle that was made for some ultrademanding shooting event. Might've been winter biathlon, but I don't remember. Anyway, the rifle LOOKED to have a tubular magazine, but the barrel and mag had NO physical connection whatever. They both grew out of the action like parallel cornstalks. What am I talking about?