Thread: What are some of the smoothest bolt actions you have handled?

Enfield
Defiance
Lone peak
AI AW
Blaser
Mod 70 push feed
Sako
Tikka

Clearly only very few of you have handled a Krag (not surprising as they fairly thin on the ground in NZ) but nothing else comes close, smoother than a silk worm's singlet!

I have 4 pre 64 Model 70's. They are the slickest rifles I own.......followed by the three Tikka's........Next up would be the Howa in 204Ruger..

Mannlicher Schoenauer.
Tikka T3x and Sako 85 a fair way behind the MC but still better than most.

Mannlicher Schoenauer , Harre 49

My fluted model 7 bolt is about as smooth as 60 grit sandpaper

My SMLE No 1 mk3 is so smooth. My late father said it was as smooth as a 1960's Yashica camera.

"Now I'm going to go out for true abuse after that little warm up - one of the best I have at the mo is a poxy old norinco 7.62 bolt (but this is after a LOT of polishing and cleaning up). The JW103 is actually not badly designed and when polished and cleaned up there isn't much for it to hang up on."

My old jw15 is almost dangerously smooth. Can literally flick up and back with a finger tip, but still doesn't seem sloppy. Thankfully it has a positive lock up once engaged otherwise I would be wary of using it. Seems like it has been used a lot but barrel doesn't, though I doubt very much that someone rebarrelled a 15.

Don't currently own a Tikka but agree that they are pretty bloody good for the $. Older Howa 1500 I had was pretty slick too.


My old man had a Steyr of some sort, double triggers (rear one was a feather light set trigger deal) although I was young I still recall it being insanely slick.

Don't have experience with any other high end stuff for comparison but the rest of them still make deer dead.

I note some people mentioning Lee Enfields... Is it just a possibility that they have fired 100K+ rounds? I tried an almost new out of the grease (SMLE) and it was about as smooth as cheap bourbon. Horrible

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

I note some people mentioning Lee Enfields... Is it just a possibility that they have fired 100K+ rounds? I tried an almost new out of the grease (SMLE) and it was about as smooth as cheap bourbon. Horrible

How dare you besmirch cheap bourbon, Sir I am offended.

Originally Posted by Preacher

How dare you besmirch cheap bourbon, Sir I am offended.

Smooth as Krico model 600 from West Germany in .270 cal. Brought second hand 1981. Only if you can afford one! 3 shot box magazine. Slick bolt.

Probably a schultz and larsen classic so smooth I swear it loaded itself if you let gravity do the work.
kimber, some super light carbon stocked thing
and my swedish mauser. so nice.

everything else has been pretty average