"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!

'03 Springfield and Mauser, Winchester 54, Krag-Jorgensen, AR-15 (well, you do need something to pick the firing pin retaining cotter pin out).

Nothing, unless you wear Velcro sneakers.

A loaded cartridge.

I have two Ruger M77, one MK II, and the other a Hawkeye African (both .338s). Anyway, I can strip the bolt without any tools (small nail or a piece of wire), and I am not really that strong (just an old guy). All you need is a good grip, one on the bolt and the other on the "whatyoumaycallit" that holds the firing pin. Just turn the "whateverit's called" CCW while firmly holding the bolt. There is a small grove or detent that you must go over, but once you do, it's a piece of cake. A finish nail or brad makes it much easier, of course.

The whole thing amounts to having the initiative to do what must be done when afield. For example, take a look at this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCuY-w9Y6oY

Just carry another set of shoe laces

Well, ya know, that's why Herr Mauser created his rifle with the three position safety and easy bolt stripping - the German Army wore boots with no laces...

Well, hmmm. If you need to field strip a bolt during a hunt, aside from falling into a river in sub freezing temps, I’d say you didn’t perform adequate maintenance before hunting season. Happy Trails

Even the most strident 700 aficionado can discern the difference between ease of disassembly between a 700 and the other rifles mentioned, 70, Mauser, etc, but I understand.

So do we jorge.


Jerr

Only rifles that I've ever had a bolt problem with is Remington 700 2 broken extractors .....once on the 3 rd round in a Custom Shop rifle....then on a wilderness helicopter bear hunt leaving the rifle a single shot with one tag left and no spare rifle in camp....both needed a cleaning rod to remove fired case from chamber.....

I would never ever own a Remington 700 ever again.....Winchester Model 70's pre-64 type or a clone is the only way to go.....

Among moden designs, it's Howa for the win, for certain. The CZ 527 (not a likely candidate for a remote big game hunt) is the same, except the bolt handle falls out.

98s without the 3-position safety require (for me anyway) a cut-off .45/70 case to pull on the cocking piece, a dime to put in the notch, and a little drill press vice to hold the dime.

In the absence of the vice, a friend can be substituted, if available, as long the friend's not a Chinese woman.

Prepare for the wrath that will befall you....

In 2016 built a 6mmBR on a Rem700 action, drove 900 miles did some target practice before hunting and pierced some primers.

We had to take the bolt apart to troubleshoot misfires. We found out about the dime trick, and found the bolt was full of pierced primer divots.

Steyr SBS
Howa/Vanguard
Sako
Ruger 77
Tikka T3x

in that order, no tools needed for all but the Ruger with a finishing nail

Out of all of these the Weatherby Mark V can be "completely" field stripped if one has a shoe string or a sharp edge to catch the cocking piece.

Now, now ... those who will consign him to the outer darkness are very valid in their actions; after all, since it has never happened to them, it has never happened to him (or anyone else).

It's a pretty simple undertaking.



Dave

Not if you're broke, barefoot, and Mr. Gingrich is unwilling to go the Moshe Dayan route.

I've found that people that worry about schit like this also don't routinely carry appropriate allen keys, torx wrenches, or screwdrivers. Which increases your chances of being SOL by tenfold.

Of all the things to prepare for and worry about, the bolt is about bottom on the list.

M70 is super easy, 700 almost as easy.

Never needed to during a hunt though.

What if that Remy has a Leupy? Then you are oubleday uckedfay.

This sounds similar to the BRNO ZKK rifles that were the precursor to the CZ 550. Very easy to disassemble the bolt.

That’s my position too.

And... IF the bolt assy. is gunky, gritty... it tells me several other things.

Jerry

I always have Leatherman with pliers and screw driver. Have not found a bolt yet that I can not take apart.

Yeah, it's possible with just about any of them if you understand how they're put together.

Many years ago I traded for a Kimber of Oregon .223--which refused to fire one coolish (but not cold) spring morning. The bolt was NOT designed to be taken apart, but I managed, and found it full of heavy grease. This was really odd, but after cleaning out the grease the rifle worked fine.

Found out a few years later from Steve Timm that one of Kimber of Oregon's older employees was some sort of mechanic who figured rifle bolts, like wheel bearings, needed to be packed with grease. This solved one part of the mystery, but not why the company let him do it.

Husqvarna 1900 and 1600, Win.M70, M98, and Mannlicher-Schoenauer to name a few.

Brno, but in over forty years of shooting I have never had to field strip a bolt.

You know of course that now I am going to have to do so the very next time I go for a shot...the world works like that.

The 700 is tricky once the bolt handle has broken off......

Naw, you just place the 700 on the ground, then shoot it in the bolt with a pre-'64 Model 70.

One handed MD!

Oh no. Use both hands on the Win.


Jerry

The easiest and quickest bolt to disassemble may be the one found in the Arisaka Types 38 and 99.
.

.
Remove bolt from action (easily done with the Mauser-type bolt release). Use palm of hand to push on safety and rotate it. Safety, firing pin, and mainspring slide out of bolt. Rotate and push forward on extractor if it needs to be removed. Only six parts.

And yes, Arisakas can make attractive sporters.
--Bob