Who else drops their bolt?

[gonzo]

CZs tend to be the exception. They have a recess in the barrel that accommodates the cartridge rim and ensures the firing pin never contacts the chamber steel

Didn't know that. So I went and dragged the barrel out of one of my 452's to look.
There isn't a recess in the barrel, but there is in the bolt face. The firing pin only extends to the face of the bolt. So it SHOULD just stop short of striking the barrel. At least on that one I checked.

 

[gonzo]

Most firing pin springs I have seen are still under a good degree of compression, even when decocked. And on a good quality rifle, this should have been designed in, in terms of compression and spring spec. So I'd question how much benefit there is to decocking to store.
Possibly only going to be an issue on poorer quality guns, where long term damage may not worry you. And you can always replace the spring.

 

[User00040]

How about a more useful topic of conversation...

Who strips their bolt back to the firing pin when cleaning, and do you lube the cocking cam(s)?

 

[User00036]

I'm pretty sure magazine springs get weaker, so why not bolts?

 

[Taff]

How about a more useful topic of conversation...

Who strips their bolt back to the firing pin when cleaning, and do you lube the cocking cam(s)?

If servicing customers or purchased guns, also strip ejectors.

 

[MarinePMI]

Moving back to firearms, I note that those people with a lot of rifles advocate keeping the bolt in the rifle. Which makes sense. But there's an argument to be made that keeping bolts separate is at least a small degree safer when it comes to burglars. Although if they've got into your cabinet, it's likely they will get into where your bolts are kept anyway.

As for leaving rifles cocked, I suspect the real truth is that the difference it makes is something pretty small. I do like the idea of leaving the bolt in the rifle but open. Might experiment with that.

We don't have as many problems with burglars here in the US.....we just shoot them.....which you can't do if the bolt is kept separate.

Without a bolt, a rifle is...an expensive club.

 

[treetop]

Bolt left open in receiver
Fit more rifles in that way
Bit of air flow
Spiders can escape
Dont leave bolt behind

sorted

Have to agree with this …
Always store with the bolt open , to get a bit of air flow …. I used to remove it, but on a shooting day, I arrived with no bolt After a 2 1/2 hour drive - never again - now it stays in

 

[User00040]

One final nail in the coffin for 'dropping the bolt'/releasing the firing pin spring.

Do you think that private soldiers sitting in their trenches, not knowing if or when an assault or defence would be called for, bothered to 'drop the bolt' or unload their magazine for fear of the springs losing tension?!

If you worry about these things, either buy a proper rifle or find something more important to worry about!

 

[bluesako]

We don't have as many problems with burglars here in the US.....we just shoot them.....which you can't do if the bolt is kept separate.

Without a bolt, a rifle is...an expensive club.

marinepmi that really got a chuckle out of me this morning "we just shoot them" brilliant bs

 

[Turkish]

If only someone had invented a system where you can lock the bolt on the chamber - after de cocking it - with a key.
I'll have to see if any of the big manufacturers are interested in that idea................................

 

[8x57]

Lowering the bolt may have been a more apt title than "dropping the bolt".
"Easing springs" is the term used by the military though they actually dry fire rather than make any conscious effort to ease gently.

 

[8x57]

If only someone had invented a system where you can lock the bolt on the chamber - after de cocking it - with a key.
I'll have to see if any of the big manufacturers are interested in that idea................................

Sako tried with the 75 but got it arse backwards and locked the bolt when in the cocked position. Remington also introduced a key lock system with their 700. Both of these systems were intended to comply with a legislative requirements in the U.S. that were later dropped.

 

[MarinePMI]

If only someone had invented a system where you can lock the bolt on the chamber - after de cocking it - with a key.
I'll have to see if any of the big manufacturers are interested in that idea................................

Remington J bolt with key lock on the bolt. It didn't go over well with the US public, and well, now Remington is bankrupt.

A solution in search of a problem.

 

[MarinePMI]

marinepmi that really got a chuckle out of me this morning "we just shoot them" brilliant bsView attachment 220434

LIke I said, burglars are less of a problem here because of the castle doctrine (your home is your castle, and intruders are legally allowed to be shot).

Seems to be effective at keeping burglaries down, especially when people are home.

"A well armed society, is a polite society."
~Robert Heinlein

 

[Taff]

Remington went bankrupt because they were bought by asset strippers, the 700 action was most probably the best ever made, apart from Mauser

 

[MarinePMI]

Remington went bankrupt because they were bought by asset strippers, the 700 action was most probably the best ever made, apart from Mauser

Sorry, I'm going to have to disagree on that one. They once made a good action...about 30 years ago (long before they were bought by asset strippers). But they never stayed up on technology or improved manufacturing. A good chunk of their machines are WWI aged machines. You can't compete these days running that type of manufacturing process, and they knew it (but didn't want to invest in re-tooling).

There's a reason you have to send a Remington in to get a barrel fitted, and a reason Tikkas, AI's, Bergaras and others you don't. Because their actions were built on dated methods and the variance between bolt face to receiver ring was crap for this day and age. "Three rings of steel" was marketing hype, and if anything, Remington had the most problems (and lawsuits) for knowingly selling rifles with a potentially dangerous trigger.

Hell, modern manufacturers sell Remington clones for the same price as Remington once did, and the newer actions are held to much higher standards and QC. So much so that they can take pre-fit barrels. This action has a lot of improvements that Remington should have done to stay in business, but they decided to reap what they could and ride the beast into the ground.
EVO Stainless Steel Action | Mack Brothers Suppressors

Sorry, but Remington's time came and went a long time ago with an aged design and no improvements. Up until now, it's just been a matter of when they went under, not if.

 

[stubear]

Never bothered myself - if you decock the main hammer spring (which is big and strong) you quite often put tension on other smaller springs in the action like firing pin return springs. By the time those have been crushed under the force of the main hammer spring for weeks at a time they can easily perish.
Let’s put it like this - my SxS has been in my possession for over a decade and it was second hand when I got it. I always leave it with the firing springs cocked and it’s never been an issue. I’m sure there are dozens of other people on here with rifles far older who can say the same thing.

 

[bowji john]

I ease springs on my mauser 98s but not on the Cz s

Why?

Dunno - habit I think - and a vague idea that I'm saving the firing pin's elasticity - Hooke's law and all that stuff

Oh - and we were trained to do it in the forces, both Rhodesian and HMS (apparently the training retention is selective in my case - see above on Cz s)

 

[Alantoo]

Yeeeeaaah…but we all know the round count is underestimated…

Exactly the tongue in cheek reason I said it...just adding a couple of "face with tears of joy" icons to someone else's little dig doesn't make it your joke you know.

Alan