Originally Posted By: peterjcDisplayed Name,
I thank you for not getting too upset with my post. I didn't mean to come on so strong. I am not a gunsmith but I have worked on a lot of guns and I know how they operated. I don't understand why any guide in Africa would do that but if you say they do I guess maybe they do. There should be some guides from around the world there on this forum. Lets here from them. All I know is if I have a lion or rhino charging me all I want to do is push off the safe not try to remember I have to lift the bolt. Anyway don't use that method or we may be reading your obituary on this forum...lol Good luck and no hard feelings I hope. Pete
peterjc is absolutely correct. Letting the firing pin down on a loaded chamber is a disaster waiting to happen! Closing the bolt while holding trigger back on a loaded chamber results in a spring loaded firing pin resting on the primer of a live round.
Bump the rifle butt firmly on the ground sharply or hitting the end of the cocking piece smartly can cause the firing pin to strike primer w/sufficient force to ignite it!
I cut my teeth on surplus 98 Mausers and 1903 Springfields which most modern bolt rifles were patterned after. Both the Mauser and Springfield use a wing safety that locks the cocking piece, not the trigger. Winchester Mod. 70 also lock the cocking piece. While any safety can fail (that's why we all practice muzzle control.....we all do, always, don't we? 
), I'd rather trust the safety and safe gun handling than a spring loaded firing pin resting on a primer just waiting to be dropped or bumped w/muzzle pointed in ??????? direction.
Regards,
hm
