Originally Posted by
emtrescue6
The easiest and safest way to test the rifle is to do as RR mentioned...take a primed case (now powder, no lead) and attempt to fire the rifle with the lever in the "disengaged" position you mention. I own a pile of lever guns including 2 BLR's and mine do something similar to what you describe but will not fire in that position...as soon as the lever "drops" the rifle won't fire (on my rifles).
I have done it with a primed case. At the point where the trigger is engaged, the bolt is not fully forward. At this point, if the trigger is pulled, hammer falls hitting pin and popping primer. I assume that prior to the trigger engaging, the lugs have fully rotated and locked. The play in the action seemed odd as all of my experience has been with bolt, break and falling block actions which have a defined locked position.