Bolt Action and Saddle Hunting

[Exhumis]

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

Are you shooting right or left handed?

 

[EricS]

I have a tikka that the bolt is super easy to lift. The safety will keep it closed until ready to fire.

 

[brydan]

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.

The number of lugs doesn't factor into the equation. Firearms are designed to handle very high pressures (think proof+ loads, not just off the shelf ammo), that's why they're designed to not fire unless everything is fully engaged. If you feel it's bad design for them to do it that way that's fine but gun design isn't going to change to accommodate improper use.

 

[WPS87]

The number of lugs doesn't factor into the equation. Firearms are designed to handle very high pressures (think proof+ loads, not just off the shelf ammo), that's why they're designed to not fire unless everything is fully engaged. If you feel it's bad design for them to do it that way that's fine but gun design isn't going to change to accommodate improper use.

It does when they are all still engaged. They have been making this rifle for 10ish years. I fail to see how this has escaped their attention for that long. The gun this happened to me on is around 3 years old. Kind of strange that there are two instances on this small forum where this has happened. Proof testing doesn’t factor in this equation as well. This isn’t improper use. We are talking about a gun that is still allowing the trigger to be depressed with the bolt slightly lifted. I have no opinion on their design.

 

[Swingin' Free]

It does when they are all still engaged. They have been making this rifle for 10ish years. I fail to see how this has escaped their attention for that long. The gun this happened to me on is around 3 years old. Kind of strange that there are two instances on this small forum where this has happened. Proof testing doesn’t factor in this equation as well. This isn’t improper use. We are talking about a gun that is still allowing the trigger to be depressed with the bolt slightly lifted. I have no opinion on their design.

Kinda strange that the bolt operated as designed. The only thing escaping is your concept of how your firearm works...
Like most any bolt action, if it isn't all the way seated, no boom.
Kinda like the idiot switch on a mower...
Gotta know how it works.... it's not black magic or a flaw.
It's simple user error....

 

[Tr33_n1nj@]

No I see what the problem is.

The thing that slides back and forth inside the tube is called the bolt. The part with the knob where you operate it with your hand is called the BOLT HANDLE!

So it’s not that the bolt is lifting up, the BOLT HANDLE is lifting up, because it gets bumped. There’s a huge difference.

The simple fix, hold it down with your thumb.

 

[brydan]

Proof testing doesn’t factor in this equation as well. This isn’t improper use. We are talking about a gun that is still allowing the trigger to be depressed with the bolt slightly lifted. I have no opinion on their design.

I mentioned proof testing to convey the concept to you why firearms are designed not to fire when they’re out of battery. Could a rifle fire “safely” with the bolt handle lifted with factory ammo? Probably yes, there’s probably enough safety factor designed in to handle it. However, they don’t design firearms to handle the easy low pressure situations. They design them to withstand and function under very high pressures well in excess of factory ammo. Above proof loads in fact.

In order for the rifle to withstand being fired at extreme pressures when everything is stressed to the maximum, they have to design it to function only when it’s fully locked up in its strongest configuration. Disagree with me if you want but it’s basic firearm design.

 

[Thethrd me Timbers]

Just so we’re clear, we are talking about the bolt getting pushed up or the bolt handle?

Yes sorry for the confusion. I’m talking about the bolt handle being pushed up slightly.


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[Thethrd me Timbers]

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.

Yes that’s exactly what happened. I’ve learned my lesson now but I’m going to have to live with losing three deer to learn it lol


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[Thethrd me Timbers]

Kinda strange that the bolt operated as designed. The only thing escaping is your concept of how your firearm works...
Like most any bolt action, if it isn't all the way seated, no boom.
Kinda like the idiot switch on a mower...
Gotta know how it works.... it's not black magic or a flaw.
It's simple user error....

I agree to an extent. Is most definitely user error that I raised my bolt handle accidentally and didn’t know to check before firing. That being said, I don’t like how easily the bolt handle can be lifted. To me, I would think raising the bolt handle should require an intentional amount of force. I don’t have another bolt action gun to compare it to though so I could be wrong. Additionally, why am I able to pull the trigger when the bolt handle is not seated enough to fire the round?


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