Takedown rifles were originally marketed because so many people in the urbanizing America around the end of the 19th Century had to travel by train or coach to get to hunting areas, and a compact take-down rifle in a mutton-leg case was easier to carry than a full-length rifle. There are a few issues with takedown rifles: if they are taken apart and reassembled often, the threads begin to wear and the fit gets loose, causing issues. No reason to worry, Winchester built them with a mechanism to adjust the sloppiness and tighten the rifle back up. A light coat of grease on the threads reduces wear. Takedown rifles are a rarity, unusual in that they were special order and most people did not want to pay the extra cost for the convenience.