Thread: Half cock or safety

I regularly test the safety catch. It is rather easy to do. Although probably not needed.

I am wary of safetys. Its just more fool proof not putting a round in the chamber unless your going to shoot. Had a rifle go of on me once when I disengaged the safety. Had a young guy with me at the time showing him how to use a rifle. After that happened I said to him, Now you see the importance of always having your firearm pointing in a safe direction...

Originally Posted by blip

I am wary of safetys. Its just more fool proof not putting a round in the chamber unless your going to shoot. Had a rifle go of on me once when I disengaged the safety. Had a young guy with me at the time showing him how to use a rifle. After that happened I said to him, Now you see the importance of always having your firearm pointing in a safe direction...

Probably 9 out of 10 times when this happens someone either has their finger near the trigger or trigger has been fcked around with to get lighter trigger pull which seems to be so popular. You can still shoot accurately with a heavier trigger, have a go at service rifle shooting some time, you’ll be surprised.

my bush gun is a Forbes Ultralite 308 it has the Timney factory two-position safety system that allows you to load or unload the rifle with the safety on, it has an internal mag so it needs this type of safety to unload the rifle in a safer manner. if hunting with other people I do not have one in the chamber unless I am in front and still have the safety on with one up the spout if close to fresh sign etc. it took me a while to get my head around this system as I never trusted a safety before getting this rifle so basically the only time I have the safety off is is just before I pull the trigger, it is a good system that rates highly in my mind anyway.
I also have two Tikka TX3s do you think it would it be wise to fit the half cock system to them one is for a longer range in 6.5 crudmoor and 308 for subsonic

'Half Cock' is NZ Fudd Lore.

The saying 'don't go off half-cocked' is there for a reason.

None of the modern cock on open actions (Howa, Tikka, Sako, Rem700 and clones) recieve any benefit from 'half cock' as the rifle needs to be cocked for the bolt handle to be lifted up.

There was a following of leaving the rifle truly decocked, by holding the trigger down as you chambered the round and keeping a hold of the bolt handle.

This would effectively decock the rifle but leave the firing pin protruding on the primer of a live round. Very dangerous condition, but some argued the round could not possibly go off, and all you needed to do was lift the bolt handle and return it to battery vs flicking a saftey off (which can be done quitely on most quality rifles mentioned above.

Ended in tears when an old boys rifle sling broke, landed on the butt and the rifle discharged into his back.

Checking that a rifles saftey catch works is both easy and part of routine maintenance.

How do those guys with the scary semi auto's go around on 'half cock'?

Not sure why people can't load and unload a rifle safely without a safety on??
Just keep your finger away from the trigger.

This is a very political topic.

Really it comes down to the following:

1- How you hunt? Open country versus bush.
2- Make/model of your rifle.

If I'm in the open country when time allows, nothing in the chamber. Safety on. If in the bush in stalking mode, one up the chamber, safety on (rifles always pointing down - this is your second safety). I use to do half cock, but slipping or falling can close bolt and potentially discharge the rifle. I think its more rare for anyone to accidently disengage a safety then to bump a half coked bolt into the firing action.

As others have mentioned, half cocks for some models will engage the firing pin while others not. Know your rifle and its specs!

Originally Posted by woods223

Probably 9 out of 10 times when this happens someone either has their finger near the trigger or trigger has been fcked around with to get lighter trigger pull which seems to be so popular. You can still shoot accurately with a heavier trigger, have a go at service rifle shooting some time, you’ll be surprised.

I do do service rifle shooting. I tend not to piss around trying to lighten triggers my theorie is if you can shoot well with a shit trigger youll shoot even better with a nice one. I have rifles with both

Originally Posted by Shearer

Not sure why people can't load and unload a rifle safely without a safety on??
Just keep your finger away from the trigger.

I wonder that myself

Accidents by definition are unintended. Mitigating one risk factor is never bad.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

On the subject of half-cock, it has nothing to do with the type of hunting, area you hunt or the numbers of animals - it's solely to do with the design of the firearm.

Semi shotguns - this discussion just doesn't come up and no one questions the safety catch. Semi rimfires the same. It's only a historic chance thing regarding old style Lee Enfields in NZ that is like the proverbial cat with bolt action rifles. Just keeps coming back!

Reasons not to do it include certain designs that could discharge if the sear is dropped on a half open bolt, certain designs may fling the bolt open out of battery, some push feed rifles will not engage the extractor over the rim of the cartridge until the bolt is fully into battery, others have other reasons where it's not a great idea as well.

But if you thoroughly test out your rifle, are comfortable that it doesn't create an unusual or unforeseen safety hazard and can do it successfully every time the half open bolt might work for you. Just be aware that it's bad practice to recommended it as the rifle the other person might be using might not be configured the same even if it's the same make and might not be safe to carry at half-open bolt.

well I hope you heathens are happy now...... well are you?????
today while hunting I had my bolt semi open..and as soon as got into tight scrubbery...or slung it over shoulder...the bolt got shut and safety catch applied..
yip best of both worlds LMFAO.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

well I hope you heathens are happy now...... well are you?????
today while hunting I had my bolt semi open..and as soon as got into tight scrubbery...or slung it over shoulder...the bolt got shut and safety catch applied..
yip best of both worlds LMFAO.

Shut? On an empty chamber? Or was one up the spout?

Dont forget to check function of your firearm often, things get bashed around and abused. Ive had a rifle fire on closing the bolt due to a broken plastic trigger guard.

One up spout still....can't change all a leapords spots at once and I often only have a few seconds to ID then shoot.