Thread: .22 Semi-auto breech locker

I used to have an old savage .22 that had a bolt handle which could lock the bolt rearwards in the open position like a lot of rifles, but could also lock it FORWARDS in the closed position, effectively turning it into a bolt action which was particularly useful when shooting. 22 shorts or very weak subsonics that won't cycle the action anyway.
It irked me that modern rifles don't have this feature, especially those with suppressors as you'll never get true silence with the bolt trying to blow back.
So I whipped up this aluminium "breech locker" or more appropriately a blowback-blocker for my rossi 7022 that literally couldn't be simpler.
It has a small magnet punched into the centre, and when not in use it just sticks to the barrel.
It does ofcourse put a lot of pressure on the bolt handle but it's not like thousands of rounds will be fired this way, and it's only for use with low velocity ammo.
Perhaps steel will be better for future designs.

Thats a very simple clever idea! Would love to hear from a gunsmith or 2 about whether there are any problems with such a system.......I cant see any. "good thinking 99"

Actually that's bloody neat.
Well done, perfect for low powered loads

I'll report back after about 100 rounds regarding reliability and safety for anyone interested in trying something similar

Update: it didn't work.
Specifically it would fire one shot just fine but when you attempt to cycle the bolt manually the spent brass always remains stuck in the chamber.
My guess is the bolt moves a fraction of a mm just due to slop In the bolt handle or whatever and it allows the extractor to get ripped off the back of the rim and sometimes simply cycling the bolt a second time grabs the rim and extracts the case, but sometimes it stays stuck in the chamber with some obvious damage where the extractor slipped off the rim.
My ear-ometer could only really detect about 5% more quietness firing from the locked forwards bolt anyway.
Just get a bolt action haha lesson learned

If I am shooting my 10/22 and want it to be REAL quiet I just stick my non trigger thumb in behind the bolt carrier handle and prevent it from cycling that way. You do have to invert your traditional left hand stock grip to do this, but on close targets or with a comfy rest it works great.

.....And no, you won't break your thumb. Its a bloody 22, not a 7.62 machine gun

The Beretta Olympia/Sport and some older Walthers have 2 positions for the bokt handle when closed, up allows the action to cycle itself, down locks the bolt in place for single shot mode. Great idea and works pretty well out in the field!