I've always thought a tube magazine with no loading gate (just the cartridge-shaped hole near the front style with the "tensioning insert," as it were) was probably one of the stupidest ideas ever to use in a firearm, much less one that has stood the test of time. Yes, let's force the user to point their gun in an unsafe direction and put their hands near the muzzle while they're loading it. 
My first rifle (Marlin 60) was that way. Made learning the Four Rules a lot more annoying.
Contrary to some I guess, I was taught that pointing up or in the dirt WERE safe directions. Any other way was pointing it at someone or something. Anyway, you can load it without putting your hands over the muzzle and you can at least open the action first.
I figure the tube mag under the barrel is just easier to design.
I shot one of these a lot growing up. I always thought it was a good gun to learn with. All the controls are manual. You have load each round, close the action, aim, and pull back the hammer. It also makes a good rifle to learn to safely drop the hammer down. It was very accurate too.
I've never seen a .22 LR that used a loading gate.
