Location of bolt gun safety

M

Major Dave (retired)

New member
Pick up a bolt gun and note that the safety is usually on the same side of the action as the bolt handle.

That means your thumb is on the wrong side to allow it to operate the safety.

We humans have "opposing thumbs", like apes. Therefore, trigger finger is on one side of action, while thumb is on the opposite side.

So, when you put the safety on the same side of the action as the bolt, you are making it impossible to operate the safety with your thumb while shouldering the rifle. You have to un-shoulder the rifle, operate the safety, then re-shoulder it.

That's just not right.
 
That is why I liked the old Ruger model 77's with their tang mounted safety. It was not an ideal placement, but it was better than the "improved" copy of the Winchester model 70 safety. But, the Winchester style had three posistions where one could open the bolt to remove rounds while keeping the saftey engaged.
 
I don't agree. If the gun is handled and used enough, the operation of the safety becomes intuitive. If the gun is used occasionally, then yes, you have to look at the safety to disengage it. When I pick up my Mossberg 22 bolt, my Model 70 or my Savage 110, I know where to disengage the safety without looking at them. Granted, each has a different scope, so different view to help me remember, but the right side safety of the Mossberg doesn't affect speed or accuracy to target for me. And the flipper of the Model 70 and the sliding safety of the 110 don't make a difference to me.
 
When your thumb is wrapped around the wrist and in firing position, you have minimal (if any) range of motion. There is no available movement to operate a safety in that location. So if the safety were on the left side of the tang, you would almost have to un-shoulder the rifle in order to operate it.


With right-side safeties, however, it's just a flick of the thumb. There's no need to un-shoulder the rifle unless you have tiny hands or the rifle was very poorly designed.

Some of my rifles do have fairly loud safeties that I prefer not to let "click" or "snap" while hunting. In those situations, even when moving my entire right hand to grasp the safety while disengaging it, I don't have to un-shoulder the rifle. Support with the left hand, and ease the safety off with the right hand.



(All of the above applies to right-handed shooters, of course. People operating primarily in their right brain need not apply. ;))
 
When shooting a rifle, especially a bolt gun, I don't wrap my thumb around the stock's wrist anyway.

In fact, I don't even use the safety. I don't hunt or engage in gun battle with enemy. No point using the safety punching holes on paper targets. I open the bolt unless I am ready to fire.

-TL
 
Almost no one would have hands large enough to make it work on the other side. What you propose works on pistols and AR's. They've been building bolt guns for a while now. The system works
 
The current safety position on Remington 700's, Ruger M77's and Savage Model 10's has not caused any problems for me, they are perfectly placed and I can operate them while the rifles are shouldered. I think that is because I was raised doing it and with practice it became intuitive as KenL said.
 
I have many different bolt action guns. Ruger, Winchester, Remington, and a few others. My favorite safety is the Remington 700's. Quiet, simple two position, very secure, original locks bolt shut, and right where it should be. If I could design my idea of the ultimate bolt action, it would be something like a pre-64 Winchester 70 with a Remington 700 safety.

I cant wrap my head around why anyone would feel it necessary to unshoulder any of the popular bolt actions to disengage the safety. Maybe the Mosin rifles.
 
I beg to differ on the fact that you can't work the safety on a gun with your thumb. I'm proof that you can. I'm left eye dominant and shoot left handed. I have a right handed/ standard Remington 700 that I inherited from my FIL who was right eye/handed. I routinely actuate the safety with my left thumb when the gun is on my shoulder. The only PITA is the bolt function.

I rather like the fact that the safety can be worked with out removing my finger from the trigger.

Mike
 
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I agree with Major Dave. I've always thought that the best side of the action on a bolt rifle to locate a safety is on the left side for a right-hander. That's where my thumb (as a right-hander) naturally lays when I'm shouldering the rifle. A tang-mounted safety would be my second choice (and the middle location accommodates right-handers and southpaws equally). A safety mounted where M-14s/Mini-14s and Browning Double Auto shotguns have them are also areas that suit either hand equally.

With practice and familiarity, any location can be adapted to of course. But for many of us, there's always an optimal location for any safety to be situated.
 
I have no problem with it as far as being right handed goes.

Haven't looked to see if they put it on other side for a left handed rifle.

Thumb simply reaches forward, puts safety on or off and back to normal position.

I do like tang safeties and less costly to mfg as you don't have to swap another part over to the left side.

I think tang is better (Savage) but am fine with not
 
On the bench, I don't ever use the safety.

Indoors, bolt open and no round in the chamber.

Sitting hunting, I have the bolt handle up. Walking, I might use the safety, but I've never noticed that its location was ever any sort of a problem.
 
I shot right handed. I shoot 3 different bolt rifles (T/C Venture, Win 70, and Vanguard with a Timney trigger). All 3 have the safety on the same side as the bolt handle.

I don't use the safety when shooting from the bench, the bolt is open or is HOT when closed and pointed at the target.

When I use the safety (hunting or offhand drills on the range) I move the safety OFF as I mount the rifle and with my finger OFF the trigger. The finger doesn't touch the trigger until I can see the target in the scope.

Anyone can teach themself to do the same thing by practicing with an UNLOADED rifle and dry firing. It is a muscle memory and habit thing. Finally, I have been trying to learn NOT to wrap my thumb around the wrist of the rifle. A friend who has done some work with the Army Marksmanship Group told me this would improve my trigger control and "straight back" pull on the trigger. I can tell you it has improved my marksmanship when I do it correctly.
 
As long as we don't have to use a factory Mosin-Nagant safety, I don't care!

It can always be made in a different way that we like better, but they work for my needs.

Right hand side safety, or Mauser 95/98 bolt mounted safety- I am fine.

I will admit liking my safeties on the Garand, the Mini-14, the Savage 99 [lever mounted- not tang], but I digress- as none of these are bolt action rifles.
 
The location of bolt gun safety is really irrelevant on a hunting rifle. However, having to move your hand makes putting the thing on an actively conscious thing to do.
 
I hated and then learned to love the Arisaka safeties. Never really had any gripes about my Model 70 Winchester safety either.
 
As long as we don't have to use a factory Mosin-Nagant safety, I don't care!
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I'll bet Timney sells as many, if not more, of their triggers for this rifle for the safety than for the trigger itself (though the military trigger is as awful as the safety is!). I'm sure it was almost never used...can you imagine trying to operate that cocking piece with heavy gloves in below-zero temps in a snowstorm :eek:
 
1903 Springfield taught a couple of generations not to wrap their thumb around a bolt action's grip.
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My dad has my great-grandpa's 1903, but I haven't shot it and he is out of state.

Are you referring to safety design, or to a possible issue of safety with the thumb/web of hand behind the bolt?

I assumed it was a safety reference, then started to overthink it [i think;)].
 
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