1. Militaries generally feared their soldiers using too much ammo. Eg the magazine Lee Enfield was only supplied with one magazine, and early on was only intended to be fired single shot with the magazine used in an emergency.
2. Cost. You see all kinds of conversion proposals to update bolt action rifles for this reason. I believe the French actually updated flintlock rifles all the way up to breach loaders rather than buying new.
1. Militaries generally feared their soldiers using too much ammo. Eg the magazine Lee Enfield was only supplied with one magazine, and early on was only intended to be fired single shot with the magazine used in an emergency.
2. Cost. You see all kinds of conversion proposals to update bolt action rifles for this reason. I believe the French actually updated flintlock rifles all the way up to breach loaders rather than buying new.