Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I see folks get all worked-up about their actions, & everyone seems to think one particularattribute is more important thanall others. It's just that no one can agree on what that oneattribute is. I hear about strong actions,and smooth actions, and reliable actions, and safe actions, and... Thus far, I've just been content if the gun went "bang" when I squeezed the trigger.

I've heardwonderful remarks about Weatherby Mark V actions, but the ones I'vetried this week felt fairly sloppy when I cycled the bolt, and the short bolt throw didn't make me all weak-kneed. I've heard good things about Rugers, but that bolt seemed especially wobbly during cycling. I've handled Savages, & they seemed sloppy/wobbly, too. I've got a Remington 700, & it seems OK: nothing special.

I suppose that in the grand scheme o' things, what the bolt feels like when it's traveling back & forthdoesn't matter nearly as much as how well the thing locks up when you put the handle down. Still, I wonder if there's something... more.

When I was growing up, my fathershot a 7x57 custom Mauser, & that's the only rifle he had. So, my notion of a bolt action rifle was that the bolt should move forward and backward like it was gliding on perfectly trued rails. The bolt should feel so effortlessly urged on that it seems as ifit's simply willed to do so by the shooter. The bolt should track laser-straight,never deviating even in the slightestinthe absolutely silent journey along it's North-South path. Yeah, well...I haven't felt anything remotely like that rifle since I left home.

I hadn't tried any other centerfires growing up, so I shouldn't have known whether it was good, bad, ugly, or indifferent. Still, when I handled that rifle, I knew that it was something special. I felt like I was working with a precision instrument.

Was that wonderful feeling due to the type ofactionthat my father's riflehad? Was it due to the specific rifle he had, that it had perhapsbeen breathed on, caressed, and lovingly fondledby weathered & wisened craftsmen? Was that just how all rifles were built in the 1920's?

I'm sure we could all argue ourselves into a big hole as to whether or not it matters. A $200-ish Stevens 200 will print tiny groups and kill animals as dead as they can possibly get. So I'm trying to avoid having thisthread go down that road.

I guess I'd just like to know, "do they build 'em like that anymore"? And if so, where would I find one?

Rambling on as usual,

FC

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RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I have a 1903 Springfield built in the 1920s that my grandfather passed down to me. His fathergave it to him when he was a teenager -gramps is 85 now. He bought a rough-cutwalnut sporter stock that he finished and checkered himself. He shot the rifle in competition, sometimes out to 1,000 yards, he says. When the war started, the rifle wentinto the closet and my gramps went off to the Pacific.He returned in one piece, but the rifle stayed in the closet for most of the next 60 some years, until he put it in my hands. That was a special day.I've shot that beauty often, hunted with it a few times, and I swear there is no sweeter feeling action in myhands.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I have a hard time believing that the bolt on the Ruger was wobbly. I have a new M77 MKII All-Weather and the bolt don't wobble at all? It all comes down to personal preferance though. My backup is a cheapo Rem 710 and I am perfectly happy. Probably gonna get either a Ruger, Remington, or Savage in 7mm-08 for my kid so me, my dad, and my kid can all hit the mountains together for a week and get in touch with the real world. I guess I'm just a happy man. [8D]

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I now have two Ruger M77 MkIIs, and agree that the bolt is smooth, although it does feel loose compared to the Springfield. But, the Ruger action and bolt were the closest I could find to the feel of the 1903, that I could afford in a hunting rifle. You're right, of course, personal preferance is the key. Enjoy the real world and stay happy!

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

The nicest bolt action I have felt at this point is the Colt Sauer. Good luck.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I just handled a Ruger All Weather the other day and must say that the bolt was sloppy when the action was opened. This was a brand new rifle and I couldn’t believe the movement of the bolt from side to side. I questioned it to the guy behind the counter and he told me all rifles were like that and pulled out a Weatherby to demon straight the same thing. Although I didn’t handle the Weatherby, I had a hard time believing him so when I got home I checked out some rifles I had and they weren’t as bad as that Ruger. I’m still in a market for a Ruger but that bolt sure is wobbly...

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

Weatherby gets my vote!

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I own a Ruger and can say it is definetly wobbly and rough. I took it to the smith to have it polished and he did the best he could but it isn't much better.

Question: Is a wobbly action more reliable than a tight fitting smooth action?

I'm asking because of the differences between an AK and an AR. The AR is tight and prone to jamming and the AK is loose and difficult to cause a jam.

Any thoughts?

Tom

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I’m no gunsmith but I know what I like and the tighter action on my Sako is definitely better and I haven’t had any problems with it jamming either although they aren’t the AK & AR you’re refering to...

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

The "sloppiest" bolt-action rifles I've ever handled were military Mausers. When the bolt is open all the way, you can wiggle it up and down at least 1/4" at the back end. But they're made this way on purpose, so they will work when filthy and full of sand! The best I've seen for military rifles were thedouble-heat-treated 1903 Springfields made after WWI.

By far the smoothest commercial, production-linebolt riflesever made were the Mannlicher Schoenauers made in Austria with diamond-dust honed actions!

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I think that sums it up quite nicely. Funny thing, the other day a friend was complaining about his Remington being too "rough" during cycling. He asked me to look at it. I took it and cleaned the slide rails good and applied a light coat of synthetic lube that I use on my pistols. Gave it back to him and he loved it.

I personally think that too much emphasis is place on "sloppy" action and the like. If the bolt is square and locks up tightly with equal contact on each lug then you have a good gun. Take a colored sharpie and color the backs of the locking lugs on a bolt. open and close the bolt serveral times and remove the bolt. Look to see where the marker has been rubbed off. On a good action both lugs will be completly wiped. On a bad one only one lug will be clean, while the other will looked like it hasn't been touched. And of course there is every thing in between. Partial contact on one, partial contact on both etc etc. You will find both good and bad in every commercial manufactured action.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I think you need to check out a Tikka T3. It's strong, double lobe bolt. Very smooth action. The ejector will seem small compared to the Mauser 98 bolts. But it works well, too.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

Remington 700 is kinda modeled after the Mauser system, the Rem's have a single rail system vise Mauser's 2 rail system......I prefer the Mauser action...its top notch. Savage's 12 series has really smooth action on there bolts. Sako's are pretty nice......a little trick I learned to smooth out a bolt is to take toothpaste and squeeze it in the bolt system and just work that action while your watching TV......man i smooths it right out ;)

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I wouldn’t mind getting a Tikka if only they had it the cartridge I’m looking for...:eek:

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

The smoothest and nicest action I've ever layed my hand on was a SIG SAUER,that stayed on the shelf at my favorite toy store for a year or more. I wanted to buy the darn thing because of the action but didn't cause I didn't need another 308. It was as smooth as glass with snot rubbed on it:D

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

Mauser actions are made under the Sig Sauer name now.....so more then likely it was a mauser action you got your hands on.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I prefer the older Sakos!

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I sure would like to get my hands on an older Sako so that I could make a comparison...

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

Maybe that's why I don't think it feels wobbly? I'm quite used to the military rifles and no what you are talking about. I think mentally, that is probably one of the reasons I bought the Ruger All-Weather. It's butt stock resembles that of my M-16A2.

RE: Talk to me about bolt actions
 

I second the Sauer. Although Colt never manufactured the rifle, they only imported the Sauer for sale here, as does Sig now, the German Sauer has the smoothest bolt of any built today (or yesterday for that matter). They lock down tight and eject flawlessly. And they have an accuracy out of the box that is not surpassed by any. I own 3 Sauers and they are each priceless to me. I do like a Sako as a distant second.