Bolt open about an inch is it really safe ?

L

Lodgepole

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For many years I have packed bolt guns with one in the pipe (safety on )and the bolt up from the notch and the round showing a bit. Is it possible for the rifle to discharge ? The same I do on my 870s ?What do you think ? The above applies to in the vehicle and in the house. If I am in the field it down with safety on .Could it fire with bolt not closed and safety off ?
 
Originally Posted By: atdIt won't. But remember muzzle control is the best "safety" you have.


2nd best - but only after the one thats located between your ears.
 
Originally Posted By: LodgepoleFor many years I have packed bolt guns with one in the pipe (safety on )and the bolt up from the notch and the round showing a bit. Is it possible for the rifle to discharge ? The same I do on my 870s ?What do you think ? The above applies to in the vehicle and in the house. If I am in the field it down with safety on .Could it fire with bolt not closed and safety off ?

Not sure I understand why you followed this practice? I mean rather than just carry with an empty chamber or chambered round safety on. Same for the shotgun.
 
Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: LodgepoleFor many years I have packed bolt guns with one in the pipe (safety on )and the bolt up from the notch and the round showing a bit. Is it possible for the rifle to discharge ? The same I do on my 870s ?What do you think ? The above applies to in the vehicle and in the house. If I am in the field it down with safety on .Could it fire with bolt not closed and safety off ?

Not sure I understand why you followed this practice? I mean rather than just carry with an empty chamber or chambered round safety on. Same for the shotgun.



This has me confused also. Seems the bolt would flop open and eject the round. Maybe I'm not understanding the question.
 
I trust an open bolt more than I ever trusted a safety.I carry to and from stand with the bolt up and in the vehicle that way. I've never had the action just pop open and eject a round.
 
Originally Posted By: FairChase93I trust an open bolt more than I ever trusted a safety.I carry to and from stand with the bolt up and in the vehicle that way. I've never had the action just pop open and eject a round.

What is the advantage over an empty chamber? Faster in and out of the truck? I'm trying to imagine a round in the chamber, bolt up and back an inch and when I turned the barrel vertical the bolt not sliding back to the stop and the round ejecting? To me "packing" my rifle while hunting sometimes finds it slung on my shoulder. That is the scenario where the bolt slides back and throws the cartridge out. I could see maybe lifting the bolt or cracking the slide back on the pump shotgun to cross an obstacle safely, like a creek or log, But for general travel while hunting it seems impractical.
 
I don't pull the bolt back an inch just lift it up I carry it over my shoulder that way I've not had the bolt slide back and eject a round doing that at least not on my Remingtons. My Ruger Americans the bolt would fall open I carry that one loaded safety on but when its in the truck safety off bolt up. Its how I've always done it how the guys I hunt with do it. In South Dakota ots perfectly legal to shoot a coyote from the pickup if in driving to work 15 miles in the country and see a coyote I shoot it. Its second nature for me to roll the window down close the bolt and be ready to fire. Unloaded guns are about as useful as rocks in my opinion.

Now the vehicle situation changes if I'm talong kids hunting or someone I'm hunting with for the first time or something and don't know what exactly to expect from them or their awareness.
 
to clarify my post as I stated to begin with when I am in the field On foot bolt is closed .In the pickup up and slightly open,in the house up and slightly open ,I know it is ready for business.Because it is always loaded t is an extra safety measure .Always muzzle down on the floor board in the pickup the bolt is not going to back up. If the bolt is closed you would have to open it to see if it is loaded if you see some brass you know it is ready .Just a quirk of mine.Could it go bang ?
 
Back in the early 80's on a bear hunt in New Brunswick, the guide took my rifle, a Howa then marketed by S&W, pushed the safety on and off, listened to the click, and told me this. When seated in the stand and loaded, push the safety off and raise the bolt handle just a bit. Close the bolt when the bear comes, and it will never hear the safety sliding off. I did that for 6 nights, but the bear never came. Not too long after I read the same advice in one of Peter Capsticks books, in the leopard blind I think. In a vehicle sounds a little unsafe to me, but thats a judgement call for each to make on their own.
 
In the tactical marksman world, Snipers for you gung-ho types, we use the term "cover safe"... which is a round chambered and the bolt forward with handle up when on station and unable to cover the target or target area with fire due to team members being in front. You can still observe.

I was trained in this technique by SniperCraft and have found the practice used by others LE marksmen.

In short, it's the preferred "safety" vs. using the rifle's actual safety. We would get chastised if we touched the rifle safety... bolt up was the only acceptable practice.

Now whether this technique applies to hunting, transporting your rifle in your vehicle, or while hiking is a personal choice.

I've got to where I simply no longer leave a round in the chamber per se unless I'm in the stand or actually going to or from. If I'm riding the ranch looking for hogs or coyote I'll have a round chambered, and if I have a bolt gun, I use the cover safe method, if semi-auto, I use the rifle's actual safety.
 
Just out of curiosity, how many of you have actually experienced a failed safety? Not heard about it but actually had it happen to you? Just a question out of curiosity. The only time I have seen it is when someone has messed with the trigger and got it set to light or out of adjustment.
 
In regards to actual safety failure, I can only recall one personally. Hunting rabbits with an 870, jumped one, and by the time I was getting a bead on him, he disappears in the brush - I was partway thru a trigger "squeeze", so I put it on "safe" and continue my hunt. Sometime later, I slip on a steep, frozen soil surface with light snow cover w/ the gun in my right hand - my uphill side at the time. 870 in my hand, my fist drives into the ground, and BANG on impact. Luckily I was alone, and gun was pointed ahead of me safely as could have been. Cleared a buncha vegetation with that 12 ga load blasting out across the ground. Hindsite - I shoulda worked that action after that partial trigger squeeze and reset. Not often do we "squeeze" a shotgun trigger, but I did as I was trying get a bead on that bunny in the brush. Be aware and careful out there.
 


First, muzzle safe is alway right. I like safeties that disengage trigger and sear or block the firing pin.




 
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Many common pump and semi auto shotgun safeties are the cross bolt type that only blocks the trigger - not the sear, firing pin or hammer. A very hard impact on the butt of the firearm can jar the sear engagement off while the safety is in the on position and with no movement of the actual trigger.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodog Just out of curiosity, how many of you have actually experienced a failed safety? Not heard about it but actually had it happen to you? Just a question out of curiosity. The only time I have seen it is when someone has messed with the trigger and got it set to light or out of adjustment.

Back in the 80's I purchased a 40XC Remington (NIB so no one had dinked with the trigger). Took it to the range, assumed prone position, stripped 5 rounds into magazine, closed bolt and put safety on while making a final adjustment to my sling and NPA. When all was set, I squeezed the trigger, and of course, nothing. Remembered the "safety" and disengaged (with right thumb and trigger finger) and the rifle fired.

My left (shooting gloved) hand was strapped to forend of the rifle and my right hand was nowhere near the (Walker) trigger.

I "dehorned" the safety lever to enable ability to unload the rifle with "safety" engaged, but NEVER engaged the safety on that rifle again.


Originally Posted By: Bowhntr6pt
I've got to where I simply no longer leave a round in the chamber per se unless I'm in the stand or actually going to or from. If I'm riding the ranch looking for hogs or coyote I'll have a round chambered, and if I have a bolt gun, I use the cover safe method, if semi-auto, I use the rifle's actual safety.

I've always favored Winchester three position safety which locks the striker, however I prefer, and have always practiced ^^^^this^^^^ extra layer of safety if carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

Never knew the practice had a name, but thanks, Bowhntr6pt, for providing one for the procedure.
lol.gif


Regards,
hm

 
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