The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: Bolt, Lever, and Pump Action

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 9, 2012, 11:38 PM   #1
Tom68
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 20, 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 349
Storing Rifle Bolts

I did a search and the thread centered around legal issues, safety, and physical security of storing rifle bolts separately from the rifle.... none of which addresses my question. I pull my bolts in order to best utilize space within my safe; bolt guns with the bolts removed will fit side by side.

Most of my bolt guns are the cock-on-opening variety; pulling the bolt leaves the bolt cocked. Could long-term storage in this fashion cause premature wear or damage of another variety?
Tom68 is offline  
Old December 10, 2012, 12:51 AM   #2
Scorch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2006
Location: Washington state
Posts: 15,248
Not in your lifetime, more than likely. Firing pin spring fatigue is typically an issue of improper heat treating. Back in the 1980s we used to buy crated K98s that had been stored since 1945 (40 years earlier), and they were typically boxed cocked. Every now and then one would exhibit signs of striker spring fatiguing, but rarely.
__________________
Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs.
But what do I know?
Summit Arms Services
Scorch is offline  
Old December 10, 2012, 01:57 PM   #3
PetahW
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 19, 2008
Posts: 4,678
.

FWIW, rifles stored with their bolts open/back can be stored close together.......................



.

Last edited by PetahW; December 11, 2012 at 10:37 AM.
PetahW is offline  
Old December 10, 2012, 02:18 PM   #4
Magnum Wheel Man
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Southern Minnesota
Posts: 9,333
I store mine with the bolt in them... ( just one less thing to lose... now where did I put that dang magazine )

if I'm worried about it, ( which I'm not particularly worried ) I pull the trigger as I turn the bolt in, which lower the firing pin / striker

this has been discussed with magazine springs... it's the cycles that wear them out, not the time with load
__________________
In life you either make dust or eat dust...
Magnum Wheel Man is offline  
Old December 10, 2012, 06:34 PM   #5
riche
Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2011
Location: upstate new york near the adirondacks
Posts: 48
I used to work with an older gentleman that had a huge collection of guns. He was vary concious that there was always a chance of someone breaking in and stealing his guns. He had several safes, so he pulled all the bolts on his bolt action rifles and stored them in a differant safe than the other guns, now were talking like 50+ guns with bolts. Anyhow ,he seemed to of gotten confused and couldn't figure out which bolts went to which rifles. Anyhow I don't know how he eventually made out, as the company laid him off, with no hope of being called back. So I don't think its a wise idea to remove them unless you only have one or two.
riche is offline  
Old December 10, 2012, 07:14 PM   #6
FrankenMauser
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,403
Quote:
FWIW, rifle stored with their bolts open/back can be stored close together
That's what I do, as well.

With standard bent bolts, the open bolt tucks in behind the stock of the rifle next to it. With a little twist of the rifle, you can slide it right out (without hitting anything).


You know...
If none of us cared about our rifles, we wouldn't have to worry about things like this.
...Just toss them in the safe and slam the door shut, before they fall out.
Problem solved.
__________________
Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.
FrankenMauser is online now  
Old December 10, 2012, 07:24 PM   #7
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
Bolt open for me in the safe. It takes up no more room than removing them. There are however times when I'm not able to secure them as well as I'd like. Then I will remove the bolt and take it with me. When camping for example, I may have to leave the gun in camp. The bolt goes with me. It is less likely to be stolen because it is useless without the bolt.
jmr40 is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 12:03 AM   #8
johnwilliamson062
Junior member
 
Join Date: May 16, 2008
Posts: 9,995
My guess is that when you start to have this problem you need to advance plans to go from a safe to a vault. One day, one day I will get there...
johnwilliamson062 is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 02:04 PM   #9
Tom68
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 20, 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 349
Yeah.... If I could just build a vault then the problem would go away

I'm talking about 10 or so bolt guns, and so far I've never had a problem matching them to the proper rifle, although I've toyed with the idea of tagging them just to be sure. Perhaps some day I'll have enough to where that really could be a potential problem, unless the wife starts looking in the safe.

On another note, I'm finally going to get those primers and powder out of the safe and store them in a wooden lock box (like several other threads have discussed) which will free up more space. Thanks for the replies, y'all have confirmed what I suspected about spring fatigue not being an issue.
Tom68 is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 02:11 PM   #10
Magnum Wheel Man
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Southern Minnesota
Posts: 9,333
you never know when it'll be your time to go... keep all your parts seperate, & unlabeled, & you can pretty much bet your heirs won't figure it out...
__________________
In life you either make dust or eat dust...
Magnum Wheel Man is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 02:30 PM   #11
Slamfire
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Posts: 5,261
Now you know why so many M1903, and Garand bolts have serial numbers on them. Certain military organizations were so safety paranoid that they stored the rifles separate from the bolts, then found out that bolts are not interchangeable between rifles (except Swiss K31 bolts, they are interchangeable across thirty years production and 800,000 rifles produced!) so they had to electropencil serial numbers on the bolts.

As for turnbolts. I would recommend lowering the cocking piece if you plan long term storage of the bolt. Like six months to years. You can use a vise to grab a cocking and pull it back into its notch prior to installation. You will probably scratch it on M700’s, M70’s. I don’t have any Savages. Old military actions, M98’s, 03’s, they are relatively easy to pull the firing pin/cocking piece back.
__________________
If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.
Slamfire is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 02:36 PM   #12
Tom68
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 20, 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 349
Magnum, your post compelled me to get up out of my seat and immediately go obtain some hang tags to carry home with me today. Consider your advice well taken.
Tom68 is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 02:56 PM   #13
Magnum Wheel Man
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Southern Minnesota
Posts: 9,333
I hope you live a long & fruitful life... but glad you're trying to help out those that survive you...

I had to help sort out my FIL's affairs after he died suddenly... in fairness, I think he was grooming me to manage his collection, but died before he completed his task... I'd like to think I did "ok" but really... 16 guns laying around between the kitchen & living room, some of them in pieces, the day he died... I don't think he was ready to go... I found his will in with the reloading stuff... almost too late
__________________
In life you either make dust or eat dust...
Magnum Wheel Man is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 06:11 PM   #14
presence
Member
 
Join Date: April 15, 2009
Location: Wheeling, WV
Posts: 52
Gallon size ziploc baggie. Oil the bolt up, toss it in, label the outside of the baggie with a sharpie.

Easy enough!
presence is offline  
Old December 11, 2012, 08:29 PM   #15
Dfariswheel
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 4, 2001
Posts: 7,477
I can't remember who, MTM?? used to make a snap close hard plastic rifle bolt storage box.
Dfariswheel is offline  
Old December 13, 2012, 03:33 PM   #16
tAKticool
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 16, 2010
Posts: 430
if you're not attempting to secure them Army style (Having the company 1st Sgt of the national guard detachment secure all the M16 bolts and the firearms locker separately secured with the M16 rifles...etc. that type of deal) what is it you're looking to accomplish by not keeping the rifles as nature/gunsmiths intended them to be ... ie. assembled/keep the darned tootin things together.

For a bolt action you could of course remove the bolt or just loosen it and lay it open/close the darned tootin thing... for AR-15 just fire it dry and be done tht way, etc.
tAKticool is offline  
Old December 13, 2012, 03:57 PM   #17
JimDandy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 8, 2012
Posts: 2,556
He already said why... he finds it easier to store them that way as the bolts hang over the next rifle's alloted safe space. Though others have answered that with open the bolts, and they're behind the action, in a void.
JimDandy is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:03 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.12976 seconds with 10 queries