Thread: Half cock or safety

Originally Posted by Makros

No it's not. After firing, when you open the bolt that action is compressing the firing pin spring and cocking the firing pin. Cock on closing is like a Lee Enfield type action.

yes AND no..... because the striker is not in the open groove untill handle is rotated..so yes spring is in the same position as when ready to fire..but unless sear is enguaged it will slide down the "ramp' as bolt handle is rotated...its not cocked..as such until it is held by sear

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

yes AND no..... because the striker is not in the open groove untill handle is rotated..so yes spring is in the same position as when ready to fire..but unless sear is enguaged it will slide down the "ramp' as bolt handle is rotated...its not cocked..as such until it is held by sear

You misunderstand the meaning of cocked. The firing pin is cocked no matter whether it is retained by the sear or not. The M70 and most of our modern rifles are based off the Gewehr M98 a "cock on opening" action.

Originally Posted by Makros

No it's not. After firing, when you lift the bolt handle that action is compressing the firing pin spring and cocking the firing pin. Cock on closing is like a Lee Enfield type action.

Okay so just been to the gun safe and had a little play and I concede you are correct.

I didn't necessarily wanted a debate on the issue just curious as to what the consensus is, might have been easier to ask which is better, Ford or Holden.

Originally Posted by 7mm tragic

Okay so just been to the gun safe and had a little play and I concede you are correct.

I didn't necessarily wanted a debate on the issue just curious as to what the consensus is, might have been easier to ask which is better, Ford or Holden.

Don't worry about it won't be the first or the last soon to be multi page thread on half-cock. The continued theme to me is it's widely misunderstood and many are using are really unstable position on their rifle.

Try the half cock position on your M70 and give the trigger a good old squeeze. See what happens, I can't tell you as I've owned one M70 and handled several others and some release the sear, some don't. Seems to be solely down to the tolerances in the individual rifle.

Originally Posted by 7mm tragic

Okay so just been to the gun safe and had a little play and I concede you are correct.

I didn't necessarily wanted a debate on the issue just curious as to what the consensus is, might have been easier to ask which is better, Ford or Holden.

today Greg Murphy was speaker at work do..in his garage is a 1600 sport escort......

Originally Posted by Makros

No it's not. After firing, when you lift the bolt handle that action is compressing the firing pin spring and cocking the firing pin. Cock on closing is like a Lee Enfield type action.

Maybe rephrase your statement once you will have put your hands on a Winchester 70.
The m70 is kind of 2/3 cock on opening and 1/3 cock on closing.( or 3/4-1/4) So 7mm tragic is not completely wrong and your not completely right either.

Originally Posted by Friwi

Maybe rephrase your statement once you will have put your hands on a Winchester 70.
The m70 is kind of 2/3 cock on opening and 1/3 cock on closing.( or 3/4-1/4) So 7mm tragic is not completely wrong and your not completely right either.

I have owned a M70 it's no different than any other cock on opening rifle.

Safety on the Finnwolf, half-cock on ‘cocking on closing’ bolt actions and again safety on semi auto and pump actions

Always follow the standard rules especially the safe direction one.

Originally Posted by 7mm tragic

I've always hunted on half cock however the other day in my efforts to negotiate my way through some shit, my bolt got knocked out of half cock, slid back, ejected the round, never to be seen again.
I really hate losing ammo, doesn't happen often in fact very rarely but when it does it really grates.

I was always taught to never trust the safety on firearms and I never have.

I am wondering though if the modern rifle has changed the thinking on this.

I am unlikely to change from using half cock for 2 reasons, my M70 makes a very loud click when the safety is released and I'm likely to stuff it up in the heat of the moment if I change now.

I am however curious to the general consensus of the use of the safety.

Empty chamber.

Having a deer 10m in front of me and failing to shoot it, does not put me off hunting. Accidently injuring or killing myself or a loved one definitely will...

Such a retarded mindset on the one hand saying you don't trust a safety and on the other hand having no problem getting about with a half closed bolt

the NZHunter team do some sort of alteration to bolt on ???Tikkas??? so the safety locks the bolt in semi open position..best of both worlds...it would be nice if it was made mainstream @7mm tragic you can fire your model 70 using the safety as a trigger.... read about a PH shooting a man eating tiger like this so being YDFOC I of course had to try it....take aim,depress trigger and then swing safety with thumb....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the NZHunter team do some sort of alteration to bolt on ???Tikkas??? so the safety locks the bolt in semi open position..best of both worlds...it would be nice if it was made mainstream @7mm tragic you can fire your model 70 using the safety as a trigger.... read about a PH shooting a man eating tiger like this so being YDFOC I of course had to try it....take aim,depress trigger and then swing safety with thumb....

Never tested this, that said finger only goes on trigger when target sighted and in the cross hairs.

Originally Posted by 7mm tragic

Never tested this, that said finger only goes on trigger when target sighted and in the cross hairs.

it works...but wouldnt rely on it....lol unless man eater was up in tree above me LOL.... funny the things you try when YDFOC.....

I dont put handbrake on in my cars on flat ground either,put auto gearbox into park...... but use it on a slope.....

The only safe gun has an empty chamber. Hunt with an empty chamber and learn how to load a round silently and quickly once game is close. Then stalk in to the shot with safety on or 'Half open Bolt' cupped between thumb and fore-finger.
As the old adage goes ' All the deer ever bred, dont make up for one man dead'