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"Straight Pull" Bolt Action Rifles

So after my last post I have become fascinated with the "straight pull" bolt action rifles. I have found two modern hunting rifles thus far and was wondering if anyone knew of an others. Google hasn't been to helpful in my search.

This is what I found:

Mauser M96 American
This gun was produced only 3 years the regular model was produced in 1996 - 1997, there was a premium model in 1998.





Blaser R8

This is a high end rifle system that has interchangeable barrels (wide variety of calibers), scopes and stocks.




So my quest is to learn all I can about these unique style of bolt action rifles. What else is out there?

The Ross rifle.

The Browning T-Bolt rimfires -both old and new versions.

Also, I think Browning did a straight pull centerfire bolt called the Cierra for a few years..

And of course there are the toggle link straight pull bolt Biathlon rifles from Izmash in Russia and the Fortner Action from Anschutz.

Blaser still makes the R8's predacesor, the R-93. Its slightly lighter and sleeker, but can only handle calibers up to .416 Rem. Mag. The R8 can go up to .500 Jeffery.

Before that there was a Blaser "Ultimate" and an R84 I think.

In early straight pulls there is also the early military Steyr, the U.S. Navy 6mm Lee, and several models of Schmitt Reuben used by the Swiss for many decades.

I have a matched pair of R93 Professionals with 9 barrels that is the backbone of my "retirement battery" so I'm biased.

Lee 1895 6mm Navy and its hunting versions, Steyr 1895 military rifle, Ross, and others. Here you have a not well known Finnish straight pull the Lynx94. The hunting model here possess stock that was designed by a french stock maker friend of mine to follow french, german and other european hunters.

This rifle is very well made and has very good reputation in Finland. Calibers available: 6,5x55, 270, 7x64, 308, 30-06, 8mmMauser, 338Federal, 9,3x62

this model is for shooting comp with laminated stock ajustable cheek piece and lengh of pull.
Dom

Don't forget the Swiss Schmidt Rubins. I really like the K31 which was the final version. The K31s are the best surplus rifles to come into the country in a long time. PH

I am curious how a turn-bolt shooter does with a straight-pull. Is it a problem to get over trying to lift the bolt? (I tend to be a very slow learner when it comes to adjusting habits.)

Heym makes a wonderfully accurate straight-pull rifle called the SR-30. I used one on a cull shoot for fallow deer in Ireland a few years ago. Most of the shooting was fairly long-range sniping, but once we stalked a bunch of deer that we found bedded down, and I had no problems slamming the bolt handle back and forth while doing some quick shooting.

However, when working a regular bolt I use a back-and-forth motion anyway, with the palm of my hand. The typical shooter who grabs the knob firmly with thumb and fingers, then goes through four separate motions to work the bolt, might have more trouble with the transition.

For some reason I've always done a "palm, hook, push" without it ever being taught to me. It might be because when I first started I was too little and weak to get a good grip on the bolt knob with my fingers.

i learned it cause one of my first centerfires was a SMLE.....so now i run all bolts like that, my wife uses the other method and as a result hates any of my cock on closing rifles....

I started out with a .22, but my first center-fire was a MkIII Enfield. I hadn't thought of that, but I am sure that it reinforced the action.

Yeah, Lee-Enfield bolts need a good push!

Yeah so much so that the Hun thought "The Old Contemptibles" were armed with machine guns.

K31 with S&K mounts and Burris Scout. 308 performance, $650 all up. Far faster than a $3500 Cooper Scout. And it uses stripper clips and a QD magazine.



ALSO takes a Nasty bayonet!

Ah, yes, but it hasn't been officially annointed and blessed.

I've got a Swiss K-31 and a Steyr M-95. Both are interesting rifles, but the K-31 is made to high quality commercial standards.

Yeah, the K31's are very well-made rifles. Mine will shoot very very even without a scope!

One of my frend's son has a K31.

It is nice

The only serious drawback I've seen is when left-handed shooter try to use the rifle. A left-handed buddy of mine eventually gave up using his K31 in CMP matches, because working the bolt for the rapid fire was too much.

That's one of the many beauties of the Blaser R93 and R8. All you need to change is the bolt and bolt head to convert from right to left hand action. It's a completely modular rifle.