Poll: Storage - Bolt-in or Bolt-Out?

[dmftoy1]

I'm curious how people store their bolt action rifles in a safe . .it occurred to me that it'd be much easier to get them in/out of the safe if I stored the bolts separately. I'm thinking of making up a rack to hold the bolts with labels for each bolt and I'm not sure if it's worth the effort or not.

Just curious.

Regards,
Dave

 

[Nugilum]

I try to make sure there's enough room between my rifles in the safe, and I've got ALL of them in gun socks to prevent dinging.

I've got a way too inquizitive four year old and he's actually figured out how to load a rifle on his own (he explained the process to me). Maybe I should remove bolts / firing pins from my firearms for safety. It took me to the age of 12 to get into my father's safe, so I'm predicting it'll take him to about 8 to crack my safe.

 

[JWarren]

I don't like the "and I don't care about dings" part of the question. I store my firearms with the bolt IN, and I DO care about dings. But I just exercise care.


-- John

 

[dmftoy1]

My apologies for the dings part. That's the thing that's got me considering removing the bolts. I've got them in gun socks and I can very very carefully ease them in/out but it's definately not easy. What made me think last night about pulling them was how easily my Marlin 1895 went into pretty much any slot I tried it.

 

[JWarren]

no worries... I was just pointing out the middle ground.

Of course, it really goes to the assumption that everyone ideally prefers less dings (well maybe not some Milsurp collectors)-- its just a matter of whether you'll alter what you do towards that end.


-- John

 

[AZAndy]

I don't take the bolts out, but I do keep them open so that moisture can't collect. In the case of the bolt-actions, this also gives them a narrower profile for storage. (The semi-auto, not so much.)

 

[Pilot]

Stored with bolt in and I DO CARE about dings. Flawed poll.

 

[dagger dog]

i spent 3days refinishing a stock and about 2/10's of a second ruining it with a big gouge ,it slipped from my hand and made contact with a checkered rifle bolt,when storing it in the safe

the socks are the way to go.if you don't want to remove the bolts.

 

[AirForceShooter]

here's the real question.
Muzzle up or down?

AFS

 

[ArmedBear]

Depends...

Some bolts are low-profile, if you arrange the guns in the safe the right way, dings aren't an issue. Old milsurps with straight bolt handles are not like that; some of those I store with the bolts out.

 

[Bwana John]

Muzzle up or down?

Down.
I keep the bolt in the rifle. I dont want to loose it!

 

[Strakele]

I always thought it'd be the best idea to store with bolt in and closed, uncocked, so that the spring isn't sitting compressed all the time.

 

[wakerider017]

I keep the bolt in and put socks on all my long guns. No need to worry about pulling them out of the safe and bumping another gun.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

I take them out because my safe is small and they don't fit well with the bolts in.

 

[wally]

I don't have a lot of bolt guns, but I keep the bolts in if possible and keep them open or closed as dictated by how they stack with adjacent guns. So net result, some are out, some are in and closed, other are in and open.

I didn't vote it the poll.

--wally.

 

[wraco]

Bolt in, firing pin relaxed, barrel down -- and I make certain they don't ding each other.

Regards:
Rod

 

[rero360]

i don't like the idea of storing long guns muzzle down, just seems like it would put too much stress on the barrel, plus you have all the weight at the top making it unbalanced, more likely to fall over, I could be wrong though

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Usually bolt left in, decocked to relieve pressure on the springs. My rifles are stored in such a way that dings aren't much of a concern. My K31 has so many dings the stock, I probably wouldn't notice another one or two anyway.

 

[Gun Slinger]

Bolt in. Muzzle up. Firing pin/spring relaxed. In and out of safe with care. No dings for me please.

G/S

 

[dakotasin]

ditto.

 

[Franco2shoot]

Bolts are in and Snapcappers used to relieve spring tension. Now this was a real problem with the Mosin-Nagant's as I could not find a SnapCap for 7.62x54r so I had to drill out the primer on a spent cartridge, actually drilled all the way to the interior case edge. Then popped out the brass/spring pieces from a Red .308 snap cap. This needed to be ground down a bit to fit tightly in the Russian case, but it made a nice SnapCap. I would still like to know it there is a commercially available Snapcapper.

KKKKFL

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I'm with John, bolt in, and I do care about dings!

 

[Sav .250]

All these years storing them with the bolt "in and closed".......... Your question gave me pause to think. In my case, I`ll stick with "in and closed."
At least I can`t lose anything.

 

[mp510]

Bolt in the rifle, uncocked (I release the firing pin while closing with rimfires) or dryfire right after closing the bolt with centerfires.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Bolt in...but also care about dings.