Thread: Sako 75 halfcock

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

The fact that European rifles including UK, have a heavy half open bolt position compared to American suggests to me that the Euro manufacturers intended for their firearms to be used that way - and that is what their customers wanted. A lot of US hunting has been done from stands where having one up the spout and safety applied is fine. Most of the Euro firearms that have come to NZ come from countries that don't hunt from stands. In NZ the Mountain Safety Council taught me ' Use a half open bolt or action only when in a state of semi-readiness'. To me a half open bolt with thumb and fore-finger holding the bolt in a positive grip is the safe position before moving to bolt closed and safety on (or not).
One position is probably no safer than the other from a mechanical point, but with the half open bolt I have positive contact with the bolt at all times and know the gun cant fire whereas with the safety on I have to look at it or move my thumb to physically check it is on. Learning to load and unload silently and carrying a rifle with an empty chamber is the safest of the lot with a Bolt action IMO.

Ask Euro gun makers that question and you'll find the answer isn't what you were thinking.

I lived in England and Scotland and hunted for there for 30 years and for 3 in the US. I never heard of half cock ever and never once thought I needed anything but the aptly named safety catch on my many rifles. When hunting alone I have always had a round in the chamber and safety catch on, which is common practice in UK. There are some bizarre “safety” practices here in NZ, but each to his own.

Oh, and does anyone think in these days of litigation that rifle manufacturers would fit unsafe safety catches to their rifles?