Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Bolt disassembly in field conditions

"There I was, way out in the middle of nowhere, hunting X, when I had to field strip my bolt to get my hunting rifle in operation again... Dang good thing my rifle is a Y, because you sure couldn't do it with a Z. That's why my Y is superior to all others, and that's why Z sucks... it can't hang when the chips are down and the conditions are tough. "

Which begs the question: which rifles have bolts that can be stripped in the field to get them into the hunt again, and which must wait til you get home?

What spare parts do you carry... just in case?

Off the top of my head: Models 70 and 77, and the kimbers. A very good option to have. I've had to do it and have seen others need to as well.

well, not a 700 or an A bolt...or a Weatherby

Model 77 needs a small strong pin or finishing nail to put through the cocking piece, a Model 700 needs a dime and a strong bootlace. The 77 is easiest to insert the pin, you just rotate the cocking piece backwards a little bit, you'll need a strong bootlace or hard shelf of some kind to pull back the 700 striker far enough to insert the dime. So you'd need at least a nail or pin of the right size in your kit for the 77 and a dime for the 700. Btw, once you get the 700 bolt disassembled don't knock that dime out of place.

Neither of them is as easy as the classic 3 position safety rifles like a Mauser 98 (unconverted to two position type), Model 70 or the new MRC 1999. If you know what you're doing you can take a Mauser bolt completely apart in the field. In fact, that little metal stud with the hole in it in the stocks of German K98's is there to allow you to compress the firing pin spring to remove the striker, safety and spring.

Couldn't tell you about any other models as I only have experience disassembling those mentioned.

CZ 550's have a button on the left side of the bolt shroud. Press it with the bolt cocked, then remove the bolt, and the shroud/firing pin assembly can be unscrewed, just like a rifle with a M70-type 3-position safety in the middle position.

In addition to the others already mentioned, Blaser R8's have a very 'field strippable' bolt assembly. In fact, you can easily acquire a second complete bolt assembly and swap it on in about three seconds if you have a breakdown.

I like the CZ mechanism. It's pretty slick. I like the 70 as well.

I've taken a 700 bolt apart a few times. I don't remember needing a dime, just a bootlace/loop of paracord. It's been a couple years, though.

T3's are easy enough.

Howa. Easiest I know of. Twist off and twist on. Just guessing that the Nosler rifle will do the same?

That was copied from Sako, good system

All of my Mod. 70's easily field strip with out tools and the superb old style trigger can be rinsed off in a creek. The LAW .300 Winny strips easier then the Mod. 70, like taking a bayonet off, kinda. My old Springfield 03A3 strips, the cocking knob helps with that, besides giving a quick second hit on a bad primer. Most of the time one does not need a bolt that field strips with out tools. Reason is so much hunting in America is done where one leaves from a vehicle and returns to the vehicle later in the day. Also, if a guys bolt messes up while he is sitting in a stand waiting for a deer to come into a feeder, it is time for a new rifle!

Many of the hunts in Alaska are far from the vehicle and hunters may not see it for days. So it is good to have a bolt that field strips with out tools and a simple, rugged and reliable trigger that is not hidden away in a "housing".

I would also think a globe trotting hunter would want a "simple" bolt and trigger.

I think Phil Shoemaker wrote a piece on triggers freezing up in the field, not sure if he addressed field stripping bolts. I am sure, him and many other long time Alaskan guides have seen it all when it comes to rifle problems.

In my mediocre 53 year Alaskan hunting career, most of the rifle issues I have seen were caused by the shooter experiencing a huge adrenalin dump. For some reason it makes the bolt hard to manipulate correctly!

Other then that I have heard from a few friends who had trigger issues with one of Americas favorite rifles. I think I have only seen one bolt issue.

Around here we call that "huge adrenalin dump" and it's adverse side affects the buckeggers.

What's so hard about the 700?




Dave

You need a shoelace, a penny and eye of newt to field strip....

So you have to go home to get a shoelace & a penny ?


"Dogger

Which begs the question: which rifles have bolts that can be stripped in the field to get them into the hunt again, and [/b]which must wait til you get home?"[b]

B T W - Since 1972 -- I have never needed to field strip a bolt --- maybe a moot question.


Jerry

The 700 kool-aid is addictive... But yes, I wear velcro and no shoe laces (I'm old) and have no use for pennies, other than to make front sights for Sharps rifles

Jorge, I've been drinking 700 since 1976. It's so smooooth.


Jerry

What's the penny for? I've taken a few M700 and Model Seven bolts, but it's never included a penny.

Mauser 98

And no need for spare parts they don't break.

The only rifle I've ever seen fail to fire during a hunt was a 700. Field stripping and cleaning the spring would have solved the issue. So would have preventative disassembly and cleaning periodically in the 30 years leading up to the failure.

Mauser 98
If, you have to replace a part, which is very unlikely, it takes only a few minutes, and no tools.

Oh yeah, and, the bolt handle won't break off!