The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Tactical Rifle & Carbine => Topic started by: tombogan03884 on July 25, 2017, 03:06:50 PM
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Cock on open, or cock on close ?
Justify your choice .
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Or it could be like those Chipmunk rifles where cocking is independent of the bolt action. You have to pull the striker back manually after you've closed the bolt.
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My Brownings cock on open.
Speaking from a hunting perspective, I do think it makes for a smoother bolt cycle when shooting rapidly (just my opinion). I think it just works better for follow-up shots to power the bolt open and then cycle smoothly to close than having to power it closed.
I've seen guys at the range trying to shoot rapidly and end up fumbling to close bolts on rifles that cock when closing (springs may have been really stiff).
That being said, I might add that I only think it is a very minor difference.
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I don't even own a bolt action and haven't in many years, but what I read makes me think cock on closing would be better. Opening the bolt works to unlock it and cam the case back a little. If the case is sticking that makes it even more work and you don't need to add more work (cocking) to it. Closing the bolt on a new round is so easy that cocking it then shouldn't be any trouble.
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I prefer the bolt to be unsprung. Store open for free air flow, and spring at rest.
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Being still isn't what puts wear on springs, it's the movement, compressing, or releasing, not BEING compressed or released.
But I agree about leaving them uncompressed since you might want to take it apart and all springs at rest makes that a bit more convenient.
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On standard pressure stuff it does not matter, on the really high pressure stuff cock on close. I don't want any extra effort for extraction.
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Being still isn't what puts wear on springs, it's the movement, compressing, or releasing, not BEING compressed or released.
But I agree about leaving them uncompressed since you might want to take it apart and all springs at rest makes that a bit more convenient.
thanks .. my limited knowledge of springs is from auto/truck work. Rarely do they just sit, so I have only considered the spring length lost after years of compression.
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There was a debate a while back about leaving mags loaded or not and the final word was that leaving them was fine either way, it was loading and unloaded that caused wear.
Then in one of the rifle video's on CandRsenal Othias made the same point in relation to rifle strikers.
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The only cock on closing rifle I have is my Enfield. If you take modern cock on opening rifles like the Remington 700, and the Winchester Model 70, it really doesn't take any added effort in lifting the bolt handle to cock it. You can easily do it with just your thumb. There is plenty of camming action to do both cock the firing pin, and extract the case. Even with hot loads. I never cared for cock on closing. It just seems awkward. Especially if you have a scope mounted with not a lot of bolt handle clearance. With cock on opening, closing the action on a live round is effortless. Even with controlled round feed.