Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska the safest bolt gun safety?

simple solution for me was i purchased Winchester model 70`s, s.s. with the claw and 3 position safety in a 30-06 and a 338 Win. mag. so weather is not a problem either as much.

Only a couple of times... .

3 position type safety that blocks the firing pin like a M98, Winchester M70 etc, as far as a safety that is next to impossible to go off. Some major parts would have to break first otherwise it's physically impossible for that firing pin to go forward, doesn't matter how bad it's slammed or jarred.

Far as carrying empty........around here you would get mocked and laughed at for suggesting such a thing when out hunting by yourself and actually trying to shoot something.

Walking in or out with more than 1 person? Sure, that's different. Lead person can be loaded if everyone is cool with it, everyone behind should be empty in my opinion. Lead guy walking carrying muzzle forward is a safe type of carry.

I like the three position on my Ruger. Absolutely not going off and the bolt is locked so the bolt won’t come open and lose a shell if tangled in heavy brush. I do have M700 foot print rifles as well but IF I’m hunting with others I go empty chamber with those. I normally have a sidearm I’m proficient with on my side as well. Everything is a compromise that you have to deal with.

One that locks the firing pin

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This

I grew up in PA and now live in SE AK. Growing up, everyone always had a round chambered. Around here, if I'm out of a boat or vehicle, there's a round chambered. Around here, aside from beach or alpine hunting you'd better be ready to shoot immediately or not at all. Then there's bears to consider as well.

By now in life I'm of the opinion that a three position safety ala M70, M77, Kimber, and such are the best idea going. Lever actions on half-cock work fine. I've got a Ruger No. 3 9.3X62 that gets some use as well. On that rifle I tweaked the safety so that it takes a definite effort to move it to fire.

I always have one in the chamber, we stalk a lot of the time in thick woods. I don’t hunt with other people except my son or daughter now and in that case they’re in front with one in the chamber and I’m behind with an empty chamber

I remember a similar thread many years ago on this same subject.......it got heated.

The obvious one nobody mentioned is the system now common on European rifles. No safety, but a decocker. Used in the excellent Blaser R8, Sauer 404, some of the Voere model 98s, and many others. It allows you to safely carry with a round in the chamber because the rifle is not cocked. Impossible to fire in this condition, and unlike every other safety system there's nothing to break or get out of adjustment. Cocking is accomplished by pushing the decocker forward, like a standard sliding tang safety. Longer travel and a bit harder to do, but easy with practise. An elegant solution and completely reliable. It gets my vote.

Exactly.

A safety is a mechanical device that can fail.

4H shooting never used safety and we taught it that way.

Our rifles are always on fire with a cold chamber until its time to chamber and then don't have to worry about the safety NOT releasing in a bind....

I know thats not your answer but since we don't use the safety I have no other answer.

Apparently some of you missed the part about "shooting is imminent". ( "or might be") was implied

One size does not fit all circumstances. No reason to have one chambered walking to the Tree stand in the dark, or climbing up into it, no reason not to chamber one once up there.


Etc. etc. etc.

I have installed two of PT&Gs Rem 700 three position M70-style swing safeties on the two 700's I hunt with. I like having a safety that locks the firing pin on my hunting guns and it is nice to have the mid position to operate the bolt with the safety on when clearing the rifles.

Hunting with an empty chamber doesn't answer the question.
Of all the rifles Ive every used, the Enfield P14 safety is the most fool proof and reliable. It's it my favorite, no- but it answers the OP question.

Thats true. Or a single shot with exposed hammer. Relying on a safety is a crutch though and I rarely if ever use one.

That said the safety on the AR15 trigger would be almost impossible to overcome.

The one where you control the muzzle direction and keep your finger away from the trigger

If I'm out stalking hogs by myself, I have one chambered, using a M70 or M77 Hawkeye both with 3-position safeties.

If I'm doing the same thing with some others, nobody has one chambered.


I thought I recently read of there being some tang or Remington style safeties that are now being made (or can be modified) as a 3-position. It doesn't seem to me that they would have the same tactile feel advantages of the swing safety of a M70 or M77. I've always wished the M77 was a little larger, like the M70. I can easily feel if they are in position 1, 2, 3

I feel the safest safety is the types that can be recognized with a glance, so anyone will notice when their companions safety is off.

I love my Remington’s but not their safeties. Hard to beat a Mauser 98 for a good safety. I like the Winchester pre-64’s too.

I was in NFLD a couple years ago for a moose hunt. The guide preferred that I hunt with an empty chamber.

I agreed with his reasoning and complied without argument.

To answer the OP, I would suggest that original M98 military flag safety is the best one out there.