I've had the trigger come loose on my T3. I love T3's but the first bit of advice I'd give anyone is to apply medium strength loctite to the trigger screw.
Tikka safety, is it safe!
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LeftHandGuy
Well-Known Member
This is why I treat every operation of the safety as a potential trigger-press.
Personally, I think the ability to lock the bolt is actually the most useful feature of any safety that can do so, but I realize that it's very much "certain strokes for certain folks".
For my money, the safest firearms are those without a safety mechanism because then there is no false sense of security.
Had a few Tikkas and one was Remington 700 class, never really figured it out either. All the parts were same. Maybe some grit got in. But seems others have had it too here. A light sear?
TringSaint
Well-Known Member
So can the CZ550(mine at least) and some if not all military mausers. I believe it was actually part of what made a mauser a mauser.
the 96 and 98 i have handled (original pre ww1) had 3 position safeties that blocks the firing pin from moving, hence why the safety can only be engaged when cocked. I havent had it apart yet but my CZ seems to work the same way.
I did have a 98 apart once and i dont see that safety failing, it obstructs the thing from hitting the primer and takes a good amount of force to unlock (big flag lever on the back.
kinda miss those safeties, see at a glance whats up, glove friendly and takes a good solid push to disengage.
making that 98 fire while on safe would require either a cartridge malfunction or something pushing a chunk of steel out of the way of the striker.
When did we go to those little levers and buttons....
dont bring back the 91 action tho.... dumb things like to "decock" forcefully when the trigger is pulled with the bolt open especially when they are a bit older.
If this is worrying you:
Blaser and some other rifles have decocking mechanisms.
Winchester and 98 Mauser have 3 position safety's that lock the firing pin.
Sako and many other 3 position safety's only lock the trigger mechanism.
Most rifles including Tikka have no 3rd position.
The moment of danger is from taking the rifle off safe to lifting the bolt, that all happens in one continuous operation with the rifle pointed in a safe direction.
Check your safety with a empty rifle, try and bump fire it, that's part of maintenance, all mechanical things fail.
Is one design safer than the other, the advertising material suggests it is, in reality 100 years use suggests that 2 position safety's aren't an issue.
Blaser and some other rifles have decocking mechanisms.
Winchester and 98 Mauser have 3 position safety's that lock the firing pin.
Sako and many other 3 position safety's only lock the trigger mechanism.
Most rifles including Tikka have no 3rd position.
The moment of danger is from taking the rifle off safe to lifting the bolt, that all happens in one continuous operation with the rifle pointed in a safe direction.
Check your safety with a empty rifle, try and bump fire it, that's part of maintenance, all mechanical things fail.
Is one design safer than the other, the advertising material suggests it is, in reality 100 years use suggests that 2 position safety's aren't an issue.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Rereading this thread really does make you wonder at times.
1) treat all guns as always loaded
2) never point a gun at anything you don’t want to destroy
Most safeties are simple trigger blocking safeties. They prevent the trigger from being pulled which in turn lets the sear fall, which in turn lets the firing pin fall.
Even with the safety on, a good hard blow on the rifle and especially firing pin will likely fire the gun. Even more so if the trigger has been adjusted for a light pull. Could easily see this happening as you slip on a slope with the rifle on your shoulder and back of the firing pin collides with a branch or rock etc.
A trigger / sear has a few thou of engagement. It doesn’t take much gunk to cause a malfunction. I once had grass seed cause my rifle to fire when I released the safety.
With most bolt action rifles as soon as you lift the bolt handle the firing pin is blocked. This is to prevent an out of battery firing.
I really don’t get the stick a round in the chamber as you leave the car mentality. How long does it actually take to chamber a cartridge - less than a second. If a beast does pop out get up on your sticks rack the bolt and shoot.
If you covering distance, going across rough ground etc etc keep the chamber empty. Perhaps you might loose an opportunity, but is the risk of shooting your shooting buddy or yourself worth it. And can you shoot a deer as climbing down a steep cliff or trying to cross a fence.
Lots of comments - “we never hear about accidents or negligent discharges”. - well there is at least very good AW on this thread who reports witnessing multiple NDs with candidates out stalking. I know other AWs who also can report such things. Indeed the time when my rifle went off as I released the safety was in front of an AW.
When ever you load, unload or take the safety off that muzzle must be pointing in a safe place. You do see videos of the safety being released as the rifle is pointing at a deer - this could result in a wounded animal. Release the safety with rifle pointing into the ground, then bring the sights onto the kill zone, then put your finger on the trigger.
So is a safety “safe” - NO - the gun is loaded and can still fire.
1) treat all guns as always loaded
2) never point a gun at anything you don’t want to destroy
Most safeties are simple trigger blocking safeties. They prevent the trigger from being pulled which in turn lets the sear fall, which in turn lets the firing pin fall.
Even with the safety on, a good hard blow on the rifle and especially firing pin will likely fire the gun. Even more so if the trigger has been adjusted for a light pull. Could easily see this happening as you slip on a slope with the rifle on your shoulder and back of the firing pin collides with a branch or rock etc.
A trigger / sear has a few thou of engagement. It doesn’t take much gunk to cause a malfunction. I once had grass seed cause my rifle to fire when I released the safety.
With most bolt action rifles as soon as you lift the bolt handle the firing pin is blocked. This is to prevent an out of battery firing.
I really don’t get the stick a round in the chamber as you leave the car mentality. How long does it actually take to chamber a cartridge - less than a second. If a beast does pop out get up on your sticks rack the bolt and shoot.
If you covering distance, going across rough ground etc etc keep the chamber empty. Perhaps you might loose an opportunity, but is the risk of shooting your shooting buddy or yourself worth it. And can you shoot a deer as climbing down a steep cliff or trying to cross a fence.
Lots of comments - “we never hear about accidents or negligent discharges”. - well there is at least very good AW on this thread who reports witnessing multiple NDs with candidates out stalking. I know other AWs who also can report such things. Indeed the time when my rifle went off as I released the safety was in front of an AW.
When ever you load, unload or take the safety off that muzzle must be pointing in a safe place. You do see videos of the safety being released as the rifle is pointing at a deer - this could result in a wounded animal. Release the safety with rifle pointing into the ground, then bring the sights onto the kill zone, then put your finger on the trigger.
So is a safety “safe” - NO - the gun is loaded and can still fire.
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That about sums it up. So i would summarise: Some safeties are more reliable than others (blocking trigger vs blocking pin) but no safety should be considered safe.
Any round that goes in an unintended direction is a negligent discharge.
and if you want that extra peace of mind get a 3 position so you can unload a bit more secure. i certainly wouldnt want a round going off unexpectedly for the simple startle of it, as i think i mentioned i once had a gun skin my knuckles and hurt my hand because it went off when i removed the safety and i had it pointed down but not firmly shouldered.
But none of it should remotely affect where that round ends up! that is 100% up to the shooter.
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