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Bolt Action and Saddle Hunting

T

Thethrd me Timbers

New Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2021
Messages
6
Three. That’s how many times I tried to fire my bolt action 30-06 at a deer yesterday. That's how many times my rifle went "CLINK" while pointed at a whitetails chest. That's how many times I had to fail before I finally figured out why I was “clinking" 3 times in a row. I've only gun hunted from a saddle a handful of times. Yesterday was the first time I used my bolt action 30-06. Holy **** I will probably not be doing that again. After my 3rd misfire and chance on a dandy buck, I finally figured out that when I used the bridge to settle my gun, the bolt was getting pushed up ever so slightly. Has anyone else had this issue? As for me, I'll likely be going back to my lever action 30/30. Thankfully, my fourth attempt resulted in a doe harvest. Albeit was 7 hours later
 
Glenn said:
I’ve killed a backhoe bucket full of deer with a bolt action from the saddle with no issues. Trying to visualize what you’re describing and can’t see it.
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I'm shooting a Ruger American 30-06 bolt action rifle. The bolt has to be completely seated in order for the firing pin to fully strike the primer and discharge the round. If the bolt isn't completely seated, I can pull the trigger and the firing pin will strike but the round will not fire because the firing pin won't have enough reach to cause the primer to fire the round. My guns bolt can very easily become unseated by a small amount of upward force. I learned the hard way that resting the rifle on my bridge and or tether to steady and aim was causing the bolt to be pushed up slightly.

I don't have another bolt action rifle to compare it to but on other bolt action guns from a different manufacturer, can the bolt so easily be pushed up?
 
I can’t visualize what you’re talking about and none of what you’re saying is making sense, I’ve only used bolt actions and have never heard of what you’re describing. If a bolt is forward and locked then that’s what it is, unless you’re resting in the lever used to a cycle the bolt I can’t fathom resting being a problem to what you’re saying nor is being in a saddle the problem. Pics of how you’re resting?
 
I thought there was a new “bolt action” saddle coming out. That would have been cool.
Good luck with the gun!
 
Thethrd me Timbers said:
I'm shooting a Ruger American 30-06 bolt action rifle. The bolt has to be completely seated in order for the firing pin to fully strike the primer and discharge the round. If the bolt isn't completely seated, I can pull the trigger and the firing pin will strike but the round will not fire because the firing pin won't have enough reach to cause the primer to fire the round. My guns bolt can very easily become unseated by a small amount of upward force. I learned the hard way that resting the rifle on my bridge and or tether to steady and aim was causing the bolt to be pushed up slightly.

I don't have another bolt action rifle to compare it to but on other bolt action guns from a different manufacturer, can the bolt so easily be pushed up?
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I used my brothers ruger American for a rifle hunt the other day and it did the same for me. But I’m a lefty using a right handed gun so the bolt was catching on my clothing a lot. I’m not sure if it’s a defect or design but I do think it’s stupid to put out a gun that will fire with the bolt lifted some.
 
I had a similar thing happen with a Savage Axis II and I could not figure it out. When it happened with me the trigger would not pull, I checked the safety and I checked the bolt. I loaded another round and it would not fire then all of the sudden it did when I was pulling to beat the band thus my shot was high I hit him in the spine and he flipped over dead. I was never able to recreate the issue. I was shooting from the weak side so the bolt was not coming in contact with the saddle. After reading this thread I wonder if my glove may have been lifting the bolt a little with out me realizing it???
 
WPS87 said:
I’m not sure if it’s a defect or design but I do think it’s stupid to put out a gun that will fire with the bolt lifted some.
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Bad things can happen when a gun fires out of battery. That’s why they design them not to fire unless the breach is fully closed
 
Nosaj said:
I loaded another round and it would not fire then all of the sudden it did when I was pulling to beat the band thus my shot was high I hit him in the spine and he flipped over dead.
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Better to be lucky than good, what a crazy shot.
 
brydan said:
Bad things can happen when a gun fires out of battery. That’s why they design them not to fire unless the breach is fully closed
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This much I know but recent memory tells me that companies don’t seem to care or think much when designing or promoting a product. Think beer company ads

Also the American has been out 10ish years. Also not sure that it would technically be out of battery. It’s a 3 lug design and lugs would still be locked if bold was lifted very slightly.
 
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Tr33_n1nj@ said:
Just so we’re clear, we are talking about the bolt getting pushed up or the bolt handle?
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I'm assuming he was using his bridge to rest his rifle on. As he is resting the rifle on the bridge, the bridge itself must have moved his bolt upwards enough to take it out of battery or to make him have a light primer strike or no click at all from the trigger.
 
Zero One Actual said:
I'm assuming he was using his bridge to rest his rifle on. As he is resting the rifle on the bridge, the bridge itself must have moved his bolt upwards enough to take it out of battery or to make him have a light primer strike or no click at all from the trigger.
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That’s what I am envisioning but wanted to be sure. Seems like that would be a design flaw. Or result of less beefy materials.

If it’s the other way and bridge bumping the bolt handle and lifting it up and out of battery then that would be an easy fix.
 
Still trying to wrap my head around this. That gun has a free floating barrel right? So what part of the gun is he resting on? Is it when the receiver is resting on the bridge, that its lifting the bolt out of the breech enough that the pin isn’t striking the primer? Or is the barrel on the bridge and torquing the barrel/receiver connection?

I think I’d just go with my original statement and get another gun.
 
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