Bulge on magazine tube 1895 Cowboy

[Irascible]

I took my 1895 Cowboy apart to install a Wild West trigger. I noticed quite a large bulge toward the rear of the magazine tube and a matching hollowed out area of the forend. Why is that bulge there?

[softpoint]

That is so when you push the cartridges in the loading gate to go into the tube they can make the bend, or "go around the corner" I think all 1895's have it, I'm aware that some .444's do and some do not. I have a friend with an older .444 that has the bulge, and mine does not. My action will not handle as large a meplat bullets as his will, even if OAL is the same.

[Irascible]

I guess that makes sense, I wonder why my 38-55 336 Cowboy doesn't have it?
Now that I think about it, probably because the smaller diameter cartridge can go in straighter.