Rifle Bolt Storage

[375 Ruger Fan]

I don't know that this is something one needs to worry about. Springs are strong, and when the bolt is let down, they are still under compression. However, most bolts I know of can be dropped back to the lessor compressed position. Sometimes it is kinda hard to do. The harder part is getting them back compressed, so that you can reinsert them into the rifle , so a 3D printed wrench would be cool.

When I close the bolt on an empty chamber on a rifle, I usually or almost always squeeze the trigger while closing the bolt. That way, the firing pin spring is in the non-compressed state.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Friend of mine stored the bolt from his M70 featherweight separately. Misplaced it in a move and now has M70 paperweight.

That being said, I do store the bolts from some surplus rifles separately. But those are not used for hunting. I’d hate to discover I’d misplaced the bolt from a “working” rifle right before hunting season.

 

[Berettaco]

Some good suggestions - thank you.

I already have multiple safes - next step will have to be walk-in vault or start selling (blasphemy).
I’m surprised no one has suggested selling all the bolt rifles and just going to strictly doubles…. Problem solved.
Near term - I like to take the bolts out as I have the vertical rod systems in my safes - can really pack them in there but with bolts still in, they will get dinged a bit.
So what I had in mind was a bolt holder - imagine something like a much nicer version of that “Connect 4” game. Nice walnut or some such, holes drilled - off center every other row…. I’ll buy some wood and leg mounts of some sort and see what I can come up with.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Question for people storing rifles with the bolt removed or opened: does this leave the spring for the firing pin in a compressed state? Long term, this can’t be good.

I can't say that I have ever given the coiled firing pin spring on a bolt action being more compressed or slightly less during storage much thought. Does that concern most people? If you leave the bolt in do you dry fire the rifle before storing it? Just curious.

 

[Tam Dl]

I can't say that I have ever given the coiled firing pin spring on a bolt action being more compressed or slightly less during storage much thought. Does that concern most people? If you leave the bolt in do you dry fire the rifle before storing it? Just curious.

You make sure it is really clear, then you depress the trigger while you let the bolt down. The spring is then in the relaxed state. Of course, with most centerfire rifles, dry firing is safe for the gun.

 

[KurtVH]

I can't say that I have ever given the coiled firing pin spring on a bolt action being more compressed or slightly less during storage much thought. Does that concern most people? If you leave the bolt in do you dry fire the rifle before storing it? Just curious.

It doesn't concern me in the least. I've never had a firing pin spring fail on a bolt action rifle and several of mine are quite old and well used (by me and/or previous owners). I'm know failures happen, but I don't think those failures result from stowing the rifles with the spring compressed.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

You make sure it is really clear, then you depress the trigger while you let the bolt down. The spring is then in the relaxed state. Of course, with most centerfire rifles, dry firing is safe for the gun.

Yes. Dry fire is safe in most guns, but do most people find relaxing the spring an important step?

 

[Nyati]

When I close the bolt on an empty chamber on a rifle, I usually or almost always squeeze the trigger while closing the bolt. That way, the firing pin spring is in the non-compressed state.

I always do the same.

I do remember those bolt boxes made by MTM.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

It doesn't concern me in the least. I've never had a firing pin spring fail on a bolt action rifle and several of mine are quite old and well used (by me and/or previous owners). I'm know failures happen, but I don't think those failures result from stowing the rifles with the spring compressed.

I have to agree. While I have upgraded (a few times) I still have the first rifle I ever bought 50 years ago. An M70 .30-06. It still works without my worrying about the spring being more or less compressed.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Yes. Dry fire is safe in most guns, but do most people find relaxing the spring an important step?

I find it important. Probably because that’s what I was taught to do… Really just a habit now.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Some good suggestions - thank you.

I already have multiple safes - next step will have to be walk-in vault or start selling (blasphemy).
I’m surprised no one has suggested selling all the bolt rifles and just going to strictly doubles…. Problem solved.

I’m selling guns because I know I won’t use them and giving opportunities to people that are starting/wanting to hunt. No one to leave them to that will use them anyway.

Selling a Winchester in .300 WBY today… It was replaced several years ago by a LH 300 RUM…

 

[TOBY458]

I guess you could always by an R8 and you’ll only have to keep up with one bolt. And barrels are very easy to pack into a small space…..

 

[WAB]

I guess you could always by an R8 and you’ll only have to keep up with one bolt. And barrels are very easy to pack into a small space…..

Troublemaker!

 

[Laniarius]

My understanding is that springs lose their effectiveness from cycles of compression and release so a compressed spring is not a concern long term. At least that is my understanding from discussions about the long term storage of loaded magazines.

I think you're right. It's cycles of movement that eventually cause damage, rather than a spring sitting in a compressed state that is still well within the range of elastic deformation.

I understand the impulse to want to relax springs. I feel it myself. But materials science is more relevant than gut feel in this case. Sorry, I don't have sources to quote and like others this is partly based on articles about magazine wear, but I also recall one time discussing this with someone who taught applied metallurgy at a community college. There are probably good sources out there but I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole at the moment.

 

[Berettaco]

I guess you could always by an R8 and you’ll only have to keep up with one bolt. And barrels are very easy to pack into a small space…..

Thanks @TOBY458 - I’ll keep that in mind. See - lots of “outside the box” solutions

 

[rookhawk]

Hello all,
I am looking for a better way to store rifle bolts and was hoping someone here has a creative space saving solution.
I take my bolts out of my rifles before putting them in a safe as to keep from getting dings as well as creating more room. So this leaves bolts laying on top of a safe and there has to be a better way to organize them.
I took a couple pieces of 1x4, built a rectangular box, drilled holes and created a holder of sorts where they lay horizontally- but it didn’t turn out that great…. Anyone know of a better option? Preferably something I could buy to solve the storage issue?
Thank you
Berettaco

hmm. The only time I remove bolts is when they are in transit. When in transit, I take a pair of wool socks and put one around the bolt, then the other to create a giant fluffy package out of it.

At home, I have all my guns with bolts installed, but I bought horizontal gun cabinets to display my guns so its no issue. I find safes to cause more trouble than they are worth:

Safes benefit:

Prevention of theft
Prevention of a family member using a gun improperly

Safe's negatives:

In a fire, you don't get to claim a total loss, you get a worthless gun tempered at 800F that is worthless due to a claims adjuster stating it isn't a total loss.

You have created a sweat lodge for your guns, so they are rusting and you can't see it happening to stop it with a quick wipe of oil.

You can't admire your guns.

When you go for your guns, they inevitably dent one another clanging together.

You can't get them out if you need to use them urgently.


Conclusion:

Get gun cabinets, admire your guns, keep the bolts in them, have them insured.

 

[Tam Dl]

When I close the bolt on an empty chamber on a rifle, I usually or almost always squeeze the trigger while closing the bolt. That way, the firing pin spring is in the non-compressed state.

Me too, this is about relaxing the spring when the bolt is outside the rifle. One can find out about that in videos on bolt disassembly that cover the process in detail

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Question for people storing rifles with the bolt removed or opened: does this leave the spring for the firing pin in a compressed state? Long term, this can’t be good.

I can easily decock the firing pins on my 98 Mauser and 03A3 Springfield with bolts removed. It's a minor inconvenience recocking them to put bolt back in the rifle but this commonly occurs anyway when disassembling the bolt for cleaning. Don't know how to disassemble your bolts? Find a youtube video and learn!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I store my rifles and shotguns in the safe in soft cases so no worries about them banging together. Fortunately, I live in a cool temperate area with relatively low humidity so really no concerns about storing well oiled guns inside softcases. Anyway, I don't have a huge collection of guns: three hunting rifles, three shotguns, a .22 rifle, and one collectible lever action. Lots of space for them.

 

[R eight]

For my obsolete (non-Blaser) rifles I use cheap pencil cases. Details written on the outside. Generally store them decocked. The pencil cases cost about one Aussie dollar..70 US cents.

I only remove the bolts because that’s what our firearm laws dictate.