Do you need a bolt that locks when the safety is on?

[KenLee]

My dad has a thompson center contender i believe, it cost him a 170” whitetail cause while he was sneaking through the woods the bolt half popped up and when he pulled up on the deer it dodnt go boom. So i know i personally want something that locks.

Been there with a model 700 on a huge buck 30 years ago. Sold it the next day. Never again.

 

[Loper]

I have had a 2 position safety that locks the bolt one that doesn’t. I prefer to be able to run the bolt while on safe. While I haven’t had the bolt open and lose a cartridge, I have had the bolt become uncocked. On the rifle that locks the bolt, I had to put the safety on fire to chamber a round in the field and due to being used to the other type of safety, I forgot to put the safety back on. About an hour later I realized I was hiking around with a round chambered and not on safe. This scared me thinking my gun could have gone off at any time. I ended up selling the rifle with the two position safety and the locking bolt.

In my opinion, the best safety system is the X-bolt, which has a 2 position safety and a bolt release button. This allows the bolt to be locked and you to cycle the bolt while on safe.

 

[KenLee]

I’ve had bolts open inadvertently multiple times. But then again, I also like being able to unload and cycle a bolt with the safety on. The best solution is a 3 position. I wish more 700 clones had the option.

Best current safety setup to me is on the x-bolt. Bolt locks on safe, but has a button on top of bolt handle to open bolt on safe.
I used a-bolts for over 30 years with only open on fire, but bolt locked on safe.

 

[WI in the west]

The contender is a single shot break action, maybe a Compass or Venture?

Must be its not my gun so im probably off on the name i think it might be a venture

 

[Formidilosus]

Yes, I have had lots of non locking bolts come open in use. It’s such a problem that in some places for years it was mandatory to use a rubber band around the handle of R700’s and around the safety.

I have had a 2 position safety that locks the bolt one that doesn’t. I prefer to be able to run the bolt while on safe. While I haven’t had the bolt open and lose a cartridge, I have had the bolt become uncocked. On the rifle that locks the bolt, I had to put the safety on fire to chamber a round in the field and due to being used to the other type of safety, I forgot to put the safety back on. About an hour later I realized I was hiking around with a round chambered and not on safe. This scared me thinking my gun could have gone off at any time. I ended up selling the rifle with the two position safety and the locking bolt.

This is a matter of subconscious action and programming. This happens to people because thumbing the safety on isn’t an ingrained habit that is controlled by the physical gun handling- it’s a thing people do when they “want to”. Same as why “dropping the hammer” on an unloaded gun is a horrible gun handling habit.

 

[Mountainrancher]

As far as 2 vs 3 position I’m indifferent but a locking bolt is an absolute necessity for me. In my opinion a non locking bolt coming open is a disaster waiting to happen. Best case you notice it and maybe only lose a round or 2. Worst case an unknown obstruction enters your open bolt without you noticing and gets into your barrel/chamber and causes a serious malfunction or injury to occur when you try to shoot.

 

[sndmn11]

Best current safety setup to me is on the x-bolt. Bolt locks on safe, but has a button on top of bolt handle to open bolt on safe.
I used a-bolts for over 30 years with only open on fire, but bolt locked on safe.

The safety slide is also easy to manipulate but very hidden where it is at. I like the mechanics of the one we have.

 

[GWT]

Having the bolt lock on safe is a must for me. I’ve had rem 700 style bolts open on me in the thick brush.

 

[Greg1953]

Cheap fix LOL!

 

[Balderdash]

I like bolts that lock when the safety is on. Hunted with 700's years back and had the bolt lift several times. I have a couple of dandy 700's that shoot great, but I rarely take them in the field these days.

My favorite safety is low on the tang like the older A-bolts or X bolt. I do a lot of upland hunting with O/U's; thus, a tang safety is as familiar and quick as it gets for me. A close second for safety position would be to the side of the bolt as it is in the Tikkas and 700's.

I dislike 3 way safeties that swing around the back of the bolt shroud. Most of it is certainly unfamiliarity on my part, but I find the move from all the way on to all the way off long and cumbersome in comparison to other safeties. I know it's going to draw ire from model 70 fans, but they seem meant more to appease class action attorneys, not gun enthusiasts.

A thought on safeties that allow loading and unloading on safe: Not saying I mind a bolt unlock device like the S20 or X bolts have, it's just that it bothers me on several levels that we're willing to accept and acknowledge such a level of unsafe gun handling that we have to build guns to accommodate it. I get it that accidents happen and it's a tragedy that could've been avoided, but, to me, the blame needs to go on unsafe gun handling, not the safety. Barrels should never be pointed in a direction that could cause trouble, especially when there's a live round in the chamber. Even on the best safeties, there's just not much preventing the firing pin from striking the primer.

 

[SDHNTR]

The fact that anyone dislikes a 3 position M70 style safety is baffling to me. What’s not to love?

 

[SDHNTR]

but they seem meant more to appease class action attorneys, not gun enthusiasts.

I would give you that statement if it were in reference to a M700 trigger, but used in reference to a M70 that might be one of the most steeped in horseshit statements I’ve ever read on here.

It was called the Rifleman’s Rifle for good reason. It got, and still has, that solid reputation from avid “gun enthusiasts”. That safety is one of the exact reasons why the M70 is so highly praised. SMH!

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I can’t stand a 2 position safety that locks the bolt. 3 position is ok, but a non locking bolt is fine too. Been toting bolt actions for years and never had an issue.

 

[PRC]

My Browning x bolt hells canyon speed has the same bypass button and I like it for unloading just another precautionary feature!

The Sakos are my favorite setup. 2 position with a bypass button. I use non locking also, just prefer the sako. Wish Tikka was the same.

 

[FLATHEAD]

NO - I like being able to unload with the safety on.

 

[rokbottom]

Along the lines of talking safeties, are there any non-European actions that have decocking mechanisms like a Blaser, Sauer 404, or Sako 100?

 

[JohnB]

I have to brush bash into a fair number of the places I hunt, sometimes with my rifle on my shoulder and others with my rifle on the side of my pack. I really appreciate having the safety lock the bolt closed on my Tikka and had the bolt pop open multiple times with the safety off(nothing in the chamber) before I got wise.

I wouldn't mind being able to keep the safety on while opening the bolt but it's not a deal breaker for me.

 

[Fatcamp]

I'm surprised how many of you guys walk around with a chambered round.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I'm surprised how many of you guys walk around with a chambered round.

Why wouldn’t you

 

[KenLee]

The safety slide is also easy to manipulate but very hidden where it is at. I like the mechanics of the one we have.

The safety slide is also easy to manipulate but very hidden where it is at. I like the mechanics of the one we have.

I'm surprised how many of you guys walk around with a chambered round.

You'd also be surprised at the % of bucks
I "jump shot" before physical ailments slowed me down. Probably 60%.