Editing Bolt action

{{short description|Type of firearm mechanism}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=August 2019}}

{{about|the firearm mechanism|the wargame|Bolt Action (wargame)}}

[[File:Swing Mk4 Right Side.jpg|thumb|Swing Mk4 bolt action target rifle]]
[[File:Oiled Rifle action bolt.png|thumb|A Kelbly rifle action bolt that has been oiled to run smoothly]]
[[File:Rackandchamber.jpg|thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|US Marine]] [[Extractor (firearms)|extracts]] a spent round from an [[M40 (rifle)|M40A3]] using a bolt-action mechanism]]

'''Bolt action''' is a type of manual [[Action (firearms)|firearm action]] that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the [[bolt (firearms)|turn-bolt]] via a [[cocking handle|bolt handle]], most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm (as most users are [[right-handed]]). The majority of bolt-action firearms are [[rifle]]s, but there are also some variants of [[shotgun]]s and [[handgun]]s that are bolt-action.

Bolt action firearms are generally [[repeating firearm]]s, but many [[single-shot]] designs are available particularly in [[shooting sport]]s where single-shot firearms are mandated, such as most Olympic and [[International Shooting Sport Federation|ISSF]] rifle disciplines.

From the late 19th century all the way through both [[World Wars]], bolt action rifles were the standard [[infantry]] [[service rifle|service weapon]]s for most of the world's military forces, with the exception of the [[United States Armed Forces]], who used the [[M1 Garand]] [[Semi-automatic rifle]]. In modern military and [[law enforcement]] after the Second World War, bolt-action firearms have been largely replaced by [[semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] and [[selective-fire]] firearms, and have remained only as [[sniper rifle]]s due to the design's inherent potential for superior [[accuracy and precision]], as well as ruggedness and reliability compared to self-loading designs.

Most bolt action firearms use a ''rotating bolt'' operation,{{Dubious|date=June 2024|reason=Aside from the vast majority of rimfires, which use non-rotating bolts.}} where the handle must first be rotated upward to unlock the bolt from the [[receiver (firearms)|receiver]], then pulled back to open the [[breech-loading weapon|breech]] and allowing any spent [[cartridge case]] to be extracted and ejected. This also cocks the [[firing pin|striker]] within the bolt (either on opening or closing of the bolt depending on the gun design) and engages it against the [[sear (firearm)|sear]]. When the bolt is returned to the forward position, a new [[cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] (if available) is pushed out of the [[magazine (firearms)|magazine]] and into the [[gun barrel|barrel]] [[chamber (firearms)|chamber]], and finally the breech is closed tight by rotating the handle down so the bolt head relocks on the receiver. A less common bolt-action type is the ''straight-pull'' mechanism, where no upward handle-turning is needed and the bolt unlocks automatically when the handle is pulled rearwards by the user's hand.

==History==
The first bolt action rifle was produced in 1824 by [[Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse]], following work on [[breechloading]] rifles that dated to the 18th century. Von Dreyse would perfect his [[Dreyse needle gun|''Nadelgewehr'']] (Needle Rifle) by 1836, and it was adopted by the [[Prussian Army]] in 1841. While it saw limited service in the [[German Revolutions of 1848]], it was not fielded widely until the [[Second Schleswig War|1864 victory over Denmark]].<ref>Dupuy, Trevor N. (1980). ''Evolution of Weapons and Warfare''. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, p. 293.</ref> In 1850 a metallic [[Centerfire ammunition|centerfire]] bolt-action breechloader was patented by Béatus Beringer.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g5dbAAAAcAAJ&q=Verrou+Arme+Beringer&pg=PA44|title=Description des machines et procedes specifies dans les brevets d'invention, de perfectionnement et d'importation, dont la duree est expirée ...|date=1855|publisher=Bouchard-Huzard|language=fr}}</ref> In 1852 another metallic centerfire bolt-action breechloader was patented by Joseph Needham and improved upon in 1862 with another patent.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Office|first=Great Britain Patent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P1wWAAAAYAAJ&q=Needham%2C+Joseph&pg=PA163|title=Abridgments of the Specifications Relating to Fire-arms and Other Weapons, Ammunition, and Accoutrements: A.D. 1588–1858]-Pt. II. A.D. 1858–1866|date=1859|publisher=George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, pub. at the Great seal patent office|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3GWAyUMi5eMC&q=Needham+1862+1544&pg=PA21-IA29|title=English Patents of Inventions, Specifications: 1862, 1522 – 1600|date=1862|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|language=en}}</ref><ref>Blackmore, Howard L. (1965). ''Guns and Rifles of the World'', p. 69. London: Chancellor Press. </ref> Two different systems for [[Primer (firearms)|primer]]s –the mechanism to ignite a metallic cartridge's powder charge – were invented in the 1860s as well, the Berdan<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mast|first=Gregory|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/847527424|title=To be a military sniper|date=2007|publisher=Zenith Press|isbn=978-1-61060-032-3|pages=48|oclc=847527424}}</ref> and the Boxer<ref>{{Citation|last=Heard|first=Brian J.|title=Firearms: History|date=15 September 2011|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470061589.fsa1022|encyclopedia=Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science|place=Chichester, UK|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Ltd|doi=10.1002/9780470061589.fsa1022|isbn=978-0-470-06158-9|access-date=3 April 2021|url-access=subscription}}</ref> systems.

The United States purchased 900 [[James Durrell Greene#Greene Rifle|Greene rifles]] (an under hammer, percussion capped, single-shot bolt-action that used paper cartridges and an ogival bore rifling system) in 1857, which saw service at the [[Battle of Antietam]] in 1862, during the [[American Civil War]];<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/a-nation-asunder-1861-to-1865/case-15-union-muskets-and-rifles/greene-breechloading-underhammer-percussion-rifle.aspx |title = NRA Museums}}</ref> however, this weapon was ultimately considered too complicated for issue to soldiers and was supplanted by the [[Springfield Model 1861]], a conventional muzzle loading rifle. During the American Civil War, the bolt-action [[Palmer carbine]] was patented in 1863, and by 1865, 1000 were purchased for use as cavalry weapons.<!--CSA or AUS?--> The [[French Army]] adopted its first bolt-action rifle, the [[Chassepot rifle]], in 1866 and followed with the metallic cartridge bolt-action [[Gras rifle]] in 1874.

European armies continued to develop bolt-action rifles through the latter half of the 19th century, first adopting [[tubular magazine]]s as on the [[Kropatschek]] rifle and the [[Lebel rifle]]. The first bolt-action repeating rifle was patented in Britain in 1855 by an unidentified inventor through the patent agent Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford using a gravity-operated tubular magazine in the stock.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rFVHmi_fLtYC&q=Bellford+1855+1436&pg=PA6-IA7 |title = English Patents of Inventions, Specifications: 1855, 1419 – 1481|year = 1856}}</ref> Another more well-known bolt-action repeating rifle was the Vetterli rifle of 1867 and the first bolt-action repeating rifle to use centerfire cartridges was the weapon designed by the Viennese gunsmith Ferdinand Fruwirth in 1871.<ref> Lugs, Jaroslav. ''Firearms Past and Present'', p. 147.</ref> Ultimately, the military turned to bolt-action rifles using a [[box magazine]]; the first of its kind was the [[M1885 Remington–Lee]], but the first to be generally adopted was the British 1888 [[Lee–Metford]]. [[World War I]] marked the height of the bolt-action rifle's use, with all of the nations in that war fielding troops armed with various bolt-action designs.

During the buildup prior to [[World War II]], the military bolt-action rifle began to be superseded by [[semi-automatic rifle]]s and later [[automatic rifle|fully automatic rifles]], though bolt-action rifles remained the primary weapon of most of the combatants for the duration of the war; and many American units, especially the [[United States Marine Corps|USMC]], used bolt-action [[M1903 Springfield]] rifles until sufficient numbers of [[M1 Garand]] rifles were made available. The bolt-action is still common today among many [[sniper rifle]]s, as the design has the potential for superior accuracy, reliability, reduced weight, and the ability to control loading over the faster rate of fire that all semi-automatic rifle alternatives allow. There are, however, many semi-automatic rifle designs used especially in the [[designated marksman]] role.

Today, bolt-action rifles are chiefly used as hunting and target rifles. These rifles can be used to hunt anything from [[vermin]] to [[deer]] and to [[large game]], especially big game caught on a [[safari (hunting)|safari]], as they are adequate to deliver a single lethal shot from a safe distance. Target shooters favour single-shot bolt actions for their simplicity of design, reliability, and accuracy.

[[Bolt-action shotgun]]s are considered a rarity among modern firearms but were formerly a commonly used action for .410 entry-level shotguns, as well as for low-cost 12-[[Gauge (bore diameter)|gauge]] shotguns. The [[M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System]] (MASS) is the most recent and advanced example of a bolt-action shotgun, albeit one designed to be attached to an M16 rifle or M4 carbine using an underbarrel mount (although with the standalone kit, the MASS can become a standalone weapon). Mossberg 12-gauge bolt-action shotguns were briefly popular in Australia after the [[National Firearms Agreement|1997 changes to firearms laws]], but the shotguns themselves were awkward to operate and had only a three-round magazine, thus offering no practical or real advantages over a conventional double-barreled shotgun.

Some pistols use a bolt-action system, although this is uncommon, and such examples are typically specialized hunting and target handguns.

==Major bolt-action systems==
===Rotating bolt===
[[File:Zamek czterotaktowy.png|thumb|Rotating bolt scheme]]
Most of the bolt-action designs use a rotating bolt (or "turn pull") design, which involves the shooter doing an upward "rotating" movement of the handle to unlock the bolt from the breech and cock the [[firing pin]], followed by a rearward "pull" to open the breech, extract the spent cartridge case, then reverse the whole process to chamber the next cartridge and relock the breech. There are four major turn bolt-action designs: the [[Remington Model 700|Remington M-700]], possibly the single most numerous produced rifle in history which is now also used as basis for most custom competition rifle actions,<ref name="Tactec">{{cite web | title=Make Bolt Action Run Smoothly | website=Tactec | date=25 March 2022 | url=https://www.tactec.com/how-to-make-a-bolt-action-rifle-smoother/ | access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> {{Citation needed|reason=This citation is irrelevant to the information provided. |date=September 2024}} along with the [[Gewehr 98|Mauser]] system, the [[Lee–Enfield]] system, and the [[Mosin–Nagant]] system. 

All four differ in the way the bolt fits into the receiver, how the bolt rotates as it is being operated, the number of locking lugs holding the bolt in place as the gun is fired, and whether the action is cocked on the opening of the bolt (as in both the Mauser system and the Mosin Nagant system) or the closing of the bolt (as in the Lee–Enfield system). The vast majority of modern bolt-action rifles were made for the commercial market post-war, numbering in the tens of millions by Remington in the unique, and most accurate {{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} Model 700, two of the others use the Mauser system, with other designs such as the Lee–Enfield system and the Mosin Nagant system, of only limited usage.

====Mauser====
{{Main|Mauser}}
[[File:Disassembled mauser long action.jpg|thumb|A disassembled [[Karabiner 98k]] action]]
{{anchor|Gewehr Bolt}}The Mauser bolt-action system is based on 19th-century Mauser bolt-action rifle designs and was finalized in the [[Gewehr 98]] designed by [[Paul Mauser]]. It is the most common bolt-action system in the world,{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} being in use in nearly all modern hunting rifles and the majority of military bolt-action rifles until the middle of the 20th century. The Mauser system is stronger than that of the Lee–Enfield system, due to two locking lugs just behind the bolt head, which make it better able to handle higher-pressure cartridges (i.e. [[magnum cartridge]]s). The [[9.3×64mm Brenneke]] and [[8×68mm S]] magnum rifle cartridge "families" were designed for the Mauser M 98 bolt-action.

A novel safety feature was the introduction of a third locking lug present at the rear of the bolt that normally did not lock the bolt, since it would introduce asymmetrical locking forces. The Mauser system features "cock on opening", meaning the upward rotation of the bolt when the rifle is opened cocks the action. A drawback of the Mauser M 98 system is that it cannot be cheaply mass-produced very easily.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} Many Mauser M 98-inspired derivatives feature technical alterations, such as omitting the third safety locking lug, to simplify production.

The [[controlled feed|controlled-feed]] on the Mauser M 98 bolt-action system is simple, strong, safe, and well-thought-out design that has inspired other military and sporting rifle designs that became available during the 20th century, including the:
*[[Gewehr 98]]/[[Mauser Standardmodell|Standardmodell]]/[[Karabiner 98k]]
*[[M24 series]]
*[[vz. 24]]/[[vz. 33]]
*[[Chiang Kai-Shek rifle|Type 24 rifle]]
*[[M1903 Springfield]]
*[[Pattern 1914 Enfield]]
*[[M1917 Enfield]]
*[[Arisaka]] [[Type 38 Rifle|Type 38]]/[[Type 99 Rifle|Type 99]]
*[[M48 Mauser]]
*[[Kb wz. 98a]]/[[Karabinek wz. 1929]]
*[[FR8|FR 7/FR 8]]
*modern hunting/sporting rifles like the [[CZ 550]], [[Heym Express Magnum]], [[Winchester Model 70]] and the [[Mauser M 98]]
*modern sniper rifles like the [[Sako TRG]], [[Accuracy International Arctic Warfare]] and [[GOL Sniper Magnum]]

Versions of the Mauser action designed prior to the Gewehr 98's introduction, such as that of the [[Swedish Mauser]] rifles and carbines, lack the third locking lug and feature a "cock on closing" operation.

====Lee–Enfield====
{{Main|Lee–Enfield}}
[[Image:SMLEAction.jpg|thumb|Close-up of the action on an SMLE Mk III rifle, showing the bolt head, magazine cut off, and [[stripper clip|charger clip]] guide.]]
The Lee–Enfield bolt-action system was introduced in 1889 with the [[Lee–Metford]] and later [[Lee–Enfield rifle]]s (the bolt system is named after the designer [[James Paris Lee]] and the barrel [[rifling]] after the [[Royal Small Arms Factory]] in the [[London Borough of Enfield]]), and is a "cock on closing" action in which the forward thrust of the bolt cocks the action. This enables a shooter to keep eyes on sights and targets uninterrupted when cycling the bolt. The ability of the bolt to flex between the lugs and chamber, which also keeps the shooter safer in case of a catastrophic chamber overpressure failure. 

The disadvantage of the rearward-located bolt lugs is that a larger part of the receiver, between chamber and lugs, must be made stronger and heavier to resist stretching forces. Also, the bolt ahead of the lugs may flex on firing which, although a safety advantage with repeated firing over time, this may lead to a stretched receiver and excessive headspacing, which if perceived as a problem can be remedied by changing the removable bolt head to a larger sized one (the Lee–Enfield bolt manufacture involved a mass production method where at final assembly the bolt body was fitted with one of three standard size bolt heads for correct [[Headspace (firearms)|headspace]]). In the years leading up to World War II, the Lee–Enfield bolt system was used in numerous commercial sporting and hunting rifles manufactured by such firms in the United Kingdom as BSA, LSA, and Parker–Hale, as well as by SAF Lithgow in Australia. Vast numbers of ex-military SMLE Mk III rifles were [[sporterised]] post WWII to create cheap, effective hunting rifles, and the Lee–Enfield bolt system is used in the M10 and No 4 Mk IV rifles manufactured by Australian International Arms. Rifle Factory Ishapore of India manufactures a hunting and sporting rifle chambered in .315 which also employs the Lee Enfield action.<ref name="rfi.gov.in">{{cite web | website=rfi.gov.in | url=http://rfi.gov.in/booking/prod/315_Sporting.htm | access-date=12 April 2021 | title=.315" Sporting Rifle }}</ref>

*Lee–Enfield (all marks and models)
*[[Rifle 7.62mm 2A1|Ishapore 2A1]]
*Various hunting/sporting rifles manufactured by [[Birmingham Small Arms Company|BSA]], [[London Small Arms Co. Ltd|LSA]], SAF Lithgow, and [[Parker Hale]]
*Australian International Arms M10 and No 4 Mk IV hunting/sporting rifles
*Rifle Factory Ishapore's hunting Lee Enfield rifle in .315

====Mosin–Nagant====
{{Main|Mosin–Nagant}}
The Mosin–Nagant action, created in 1891 and named after the designers [[Sergei Mosin]] and [[Léon Nagant]], differs significantly from the Mauser and Lee–Enfield bolt-action designs. The Mosin–Nagant design has a separate bolthead that rotates with the bolt and the bearing lugs, in contrast to the Mauser system where the bolthead is a non-removable part of the bolt. The Mosin–Nagant is also unlike the Lee–Enfield system where the bolthead remains stationary and the bolt body itself rotates. The Mosin–Nagant bolt is a somewhat complicated affair, but is extremely rugged and durable; like the Mauser, it uses a "cock on open" system. Although this bolt system has been rarely used in commercial sporting rifles (the Vostok brand target rifles being the most recognized) and has never been exported outside of Russia, although large numbers of military surplus Mosin–Nagant rifles have been [[Sporterising|sporterized]] for use as hunting rifles in the following years since the end of World War II.

====Swing====
[[File:Swing Mk4 Bolt Disassembled..jpg|thumb|Swing Mk4 Bolt Disassembled.]]
{{Main|Swing rifle}}
The Swing was developed in 1970 in the United Kingdom as a purpose-built target rifle for use in [[National Rifle Association (United Kingdom)|NRA]] competition. [[Fullbore target rifle]] competitions historically used accurised examples of the prevailing service rifle, but it was felt these had reached the end of their development potential.

The Swing bolt featured four lugs on the bolt head, at 45 degrees when closed - splitting the difference between the vertically locking Mauser and horizontally locking Enfield bolt designs. Supplied with [[Schultz & Larsen]] barrels and a trigger derived from the Finnish Mantari, the Swing was commercially successful, with the basic design reused in the Paramount, RPA Quadlock and Millenium rifles.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Laurie Ingram |title=The SWING SIN71 Rifle Prototype |journal=NRA Journal |date=2002 |volume=LXXXI |issue=Summer 2002 |page=24 |url=https://nra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/2002summer.pdf |access-date=1 September 2022 |publisher=[[National Rifle Association (United Kingdom)|National Rifle Association]] |language=English}}</ref>

====Other designs====
[[File:Vetterli rifle action.jpg|thumb|Cutaway diagram of the Vetterli rifle's action]]
The [[Vetterli rifle]] was the first bolt-action repeating rifle introduced by an army. It was used by the [[Swiss army]] from 1869 to circa 1890. Modified Vetterlis were also used by the [[Royal Italian Army|Italian Army]]. Another notable design is the Norwegian [[Krag–Jørgensen]], which was used by Norway, Denmark, and briefly the United States. It is unusual among bolt-action rifles in that is loaded through a gate on the right side of the receiver, and thus can be reloaded without opening the bolt. 

The Norwegian and Danish versions of the Krag have two locking lugs, while the American version has only one. In all versions, the bolt handle itself serves as an emergency locking lug. The Krag's major disadvantage compared to other bolt-action designs is that it is usually loaded by hand, one round at a time, although a box-like device was made that could drop five rounds into the magazine, all at once via a stripper or en bloc clip. This made it slower to reload than other designs which used stripper or en bloc clips. Another historically important bolt-action system was the Gras system, used on the French Mle 1874 [[Gras rifle]], Mle 1886 [[Lebel rifle]] (which was the first to introduce ammunition loaded with nitrocellulose-based [[smokeless powder]]), and the [[Berthier rifle|Berthier]] series of rifles.

===Straight pull===
{{See also|List of straight pull rifles}}
[[File:Zamek dwutaktowy.png|thumb|Straight pull bolt scheme]]
[[File:Mann95 noBG.png|thumb|[[Mannlicher M1895|Mannlicher M95]]]]
[[File:Rifle Lee Navy 95.jpg|thumb|Lee Navy Model 1895]]
[[File:Heym SR 30 Straight Pull Bolt Action.jpg|thumb|[[Heym SR 30]] <small>(1998)</small>, straight pull action. Lock up is achieved by 6 ball bearings around the circumference of the bolt head. This mechanism was originally developed for biathlon rifles.]]
Straight-pull bolt-actions differ from conventional turn-pull bolt-action mechanisms in that the bolt can be cycled back and forward without rotating the handle and thus only a linear motion is required, as opposed to a traditional bolt-action, where the user has to axially rotate the bolt in addition to the linear motions to perform chambering and [[primary extraction]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/shot-2025-kudu-turns-any-bolt-action-into-a-straight-pull-44818690 | title=&#91;SHOT 2025&#93; Kudu Turns Any Bolt-Action into a Straight-Pull | date=25 January 2025 }}</ref> The bolt locking of a straight pull action is achieved differently without needing manual inputs, therefore the entire operating cycle needs the shooter to perform only two movements (pull back and push forward), instead of four movements (rotate up, pull back, push forward, and rotate down), this greatly increases the [[rate of fire]] of the gun.

In 1993, the German [[Blaser]] company introduced the [[Blaser R93]], a new straight pull action where locking is achieved by a series of concentric "claws" that protrude/retract from the bolthead, a design that is referred to as ''Radialbundverschluss'' ("radial connection"). As of 2017 the Rifle Shooter magazine<ref name="Holtam 2017">{{cite web | last=Holtam | first=Dominic | title=Straight pull rifles | website=Rifle Shooter | date=10 March 2017 | url=https://rifle-shooter.com/article/straight-pull-rifles-in-depth-analysis-of-three-popular-straight-pulls | access-date=26 June 2024 }}</ref> listed its successor [[Blaser R8]] as one of the three most popular straight pull rifles together with [[Merkel (firearms manufacturer)|Merkel]] Helix and [[Browning Arms Company|Browning]] Maral.<ref name="Gun Mart">{{cite web | title=Browning Maral / Straight-Pull Rifles Reviews | website=Gun Mart | url=https://www.gunmart.net/gun-reviews/firearms/rifles/browning_maral | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> Some other notable modern straight pull rifles are made by [[Beretta]],<ref>[https://www.all4shooters.com/en/hunting/rifles/beretta-brx1-hunting-straight-pull-repeater-video/ Beretta introduces the BRX1 hunting straight-pull repeater]</ref> [[C.G. Haenel]],<ref>[https://www.all4shooters.com/en/hunting/rifles/haenel-jaeger-nxt-straight-pull-repeater/ Premiere at Haenel: the new Jaeger NXT straight-pull repeater]</ref> [[Chapuis Armes|Chapuis]],<ref name="The Firearm Blog 2017">{{cite web | title=Chapuis Armes "ROLS": New Straight Pull Bolt Action Rifle – | website=The Firearm Blog | date=11 April 2017 | url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/04/11/chapuis-armes-rols-new-straight-pull-bolt-action-rifle/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> [[Heym (gun manufacturer)|Heym]],<ref name="UK 2010">{{cite web | last=UK | first=Shooting | title=Heym SR30 straight-pull rifle review review | website=Shooting UK | date=13 December 2010 | url=https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/rifle/heym-sr30-straight-pull-rifle-review | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> [[Lynx Rifles|Lynx]],<ref name="Sporting Rifle magazine 2016">{{cite web | title=Lynx 94 Review | website=Sporting Rifle magazine | date=18 July 2016 | url=https://www.sporting-rifle.com/reviews/lynx-94-review/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> [[Rößler (firearms manufacturer)|Rößler]],<ref name="Potts 2015">{{cite web | last=Potts | first=Bruce | title=Titan 16 straight-pull rifle review | website=Shooting UK | date=16 December 2015 | url=https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/rifle/titan-16-straight-pull-rifle | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> [[Savage Arms]],<ref>[https://www.all4shooters.com/en/hunting/rifles/savage-arms-impulse-straight-pull-carbine-video/ Brand new 2021: Savage Impulse, the new straight-pull rifle from the USA]</ref> Strasser,<ref name="Potts 2016">{{cite web | last=Potts | first=Bruce | title=Strasser RS Solo review | website=Shooting UK | date=2 November 2016 | url=https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/shotgun/strasser-rs-solo | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> and Steel Action.<ref name="H 2017">{{cite web | last=Hrachya| first=H. | title=German Straight Pull Bolt Action Rifles by Steel Action – | website=The Firearm Blog | date=7 June 2017 | url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/06/07/german-straight-pull-bolt-action-rifles-steel-action/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref>

Most straight bolt rifles have a firing mechanism without a [[Hammer (firearms)|hammer]],{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} but there are some hammer-fired models, such as the Merkel Helix. Firearms using a hammer usually have a comparably longer [[lock time]] than hammerless mechanisms.

In the sport of [[biathlon]], because shooting speed is an important performance factor and semi-automatic guns are illegal for race use, straight pull actions are quite common and are used almost exclusively in the [[Biathlon World Cup]]. The first company to make the straight pull action for [[.22 caliber]] was [[J. G. Anschütz]]; Peter Fortner junior designed the "Fortner Action",<ref>[https://patents.google.com/patent/DE3432537A1/en Patent DE3432537A1 (expired)]</ref><ref>[https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/006244637/publication/DE3432537A1?q=DE3432537A1 DE3432537A1 Repeater rifle, especially as a sporting rifle, such as for biathlon]</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Bracholdt, Claudia |title=This German invention is used in 95% of rifles in biathlon |url=https://qz.com/54254/this-german-invention-is-used-in-95-of-rifles-in-biathlons |website=Quartz |publisher=G/O Media |access-date=23 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218085335/https://qz.com/54254/this-german-invention-is-used-in-95-of-rifles-in-biathlons |archive-date=18 February 2013 |language=English |date=16 February 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> which was incorporated into the [[Anschütz 1827 Fortner]]. The Fortner action is specifically the straight-pull ball bearing lock action, which features spring-loaded ball bearings on the side of the bolt which lock into a groove inside the bolt's housing. With the new design came a new dry fire method; instead of the bolt being turned up slightly, the action is locked back to catch the firing pin. The action was later used in the centre-fire [[Heym SR 30]].

== Operating the bolt ==
Typically, the bolt consists of a tube of metal inside of which the firing mechanism is housed, and which has at the front or rear of the tube several metal knobs, or "lugs", which serve to lock the bolt in place. The operation can be done via a [[rotating bolt]], a lever, cam action, a locking piece, or a number of systems. Straight pull designs have seen a great deal of use, though manual turn bolt designs are what is most commonly thought of in reference to a bolt-action design due to the type ubiquity. As a result, the bolt-action term is often reserved for more modern types of rotating bolt designs when talking about a specific weapon's type of action. 

However, both straight pull and rotating bolt rifles are types of bolt-action rifles. [[Lever-action]] and [[pump-action]] weapons must still operate the bolt, but they are usually grouped separately from bolt-actions that are operated by a handle directly attached to a rotating bolt. Early bolt-action designs, such as the [[Dreyse needle gun]] and the [[Mauser Model 1871]], locked by dropping the bolt handle or bolt guide rib into a notch in the [[Receiver (firearms)|receiver]], this method is still used in [[.22 rimfire]] rifles. The most common locking method is a rotating bolt with two lugs on the bolt head, which was used by the [[Lebel Model 1886 rifle]], [[Model 1888 Commission Rifle]], [[Mauser M 98]], [[Mosin–Nagant]] and most bolt-action rifles. The [[Lee–Enfield]] has a lug and guide rib, which lock on the rear end of the bolt into the receiver.

=== Bolt knob ===
The bolt knob is the part of the bolt handle that the user grips when loading and reloading the firearm and thereby acts as a [[cocking handle]]. On many older firearms, the bolt knob is welded to the bolt handle, and as such becoming an integral part of the bolt handle itself. On many newer firearms, the bolt knob is instead threaded onto the handle, allowing the user to change the original bolt knob for an aftermarket one, either for aesthetical reasons, achieving better grip or similar.<ref name="Shooting Illustrated 2012">{{cite web | title=Get a Handle on It | website=Shooting Illustrated | date=17 August 2012 | url=https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2012/8/17/get-a-handle-on-it/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> The type of threads used vary between firearms. European firearms often use either M6 1 or M8 1.25 threads, for example M6 is used on the [[SIG Sauer 200 STR]], [[Blaser R93]], [[Blaser R8]], CZ&nbsp;457<ref name="area419"/> and Bergara rifles,<ref name="area419">{{cite web | title=419 Bolt Knobs – Area 419 | website=Area 419 – Precision Comes Standard | date=29 September 2016 | url=https://www.area419.com/product/419-bolt-knob/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> while M8 is used on the [[Sako TRG]] and [[SIG Sauer 404]]. Many American firearms instead use 1/4" 28&nbsp;TPI (6.35 0.907&nbsp;mm) or 5/16" 24&nbsp;TPI (7.9375 1.058&nbsp;mm) threads. Some other thread types are also used, for example, No. 10 32&nbsp;TPI (4.826 0.794&nbsp;mm) as used by Mausingfield.<ref name="area419"/> There also exists aftermarket slip-on bolt handle covers which are mounted without having to remove the existing bolt handle.<ref name="Pandemic 2016">{{cite web | last=Pandemic | first=Major | title=Review: KRG Remington Action Bolt Lift Oversized Bolt Handle Knob | website=AllOutdoor.com | date=18 October 2016 | url=https://www.alloutdoor.com/2016/10/18/review-krg-remington-action-bolt-lift-oversized-bolt-handle-knob/ | access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> These are often made of either rubber or plastic.

==Reloading==
Most bolt-action firearms are fed by an internal [[magazine (firearm)|magazine]] loaded by hand, by [[clip (ammunition)|en bloc]], or by [[stripper clip]]s, though a number of designs have had a detachable magazine or independent magazine, or even no magazine at all, thus requiring that each round be independently loaded. Generally, the magazine capacity is limited to between two and ten rounds, as it can permit the magazine to be flush with the bottom of the rifle, reduce the weight, or prevent mud and dirt from entering. A number of bolt-actions have a [[Magazine (firearm)#Tubular|tube magazine]], such as along the length of the barrel. In weapons other than large rifles, such as [[pistol]]s and [[cannon]]s, there were some manually operated breech-loading weapons. However, the Dreyse [[Needle gun|Needle fire rifle]] was the first [[breech-loading|breech loader]] to use a rotating bolt design. [[Johann Nicholas von Dreyse]]'s rifle of 1838 was accepted into service by [[Prussia]] in 1841, which was in turn developed into the Prussian Model in 1849. The design was a [[single-shot|single shot]] breech-loader and had the now familiar arm sticking out from the side of the bolt, to turn and open the [[chamber (firearms)|chamber]]. The entire reloading sequence was a more complex procedure than later designs, however, as the [[firing pin]] had to be independently primed and activated, and the lever was used only to move the bolt.

==See also==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
*[[Antique firearms]]
*[[British military rifles]]
*[[Service rifle]]
*[[List of bolt action rifles]]

=== Other firearm actions ===<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
*[[Automatic rifle]]
**[[Blowback (firearms)|Blowback operated]]
**[[Blow forward|Blow forward operated]]
**[[Recoil operation|Recoil operated]]
**[[Gas-operated|Gas operated]]
*[[Break action]]
*[[Falling-block action|Falling block action]]
*[[Lever action]]
*[[Pump action]]
*[[Rolling block]]
*[[Rotating bolt]]
*[[Semi-automatic rifle|Semi automatic rifle]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title= Bolt Action Rifles |last= Zwoll |first= Wayne |year= 2003 |publisher= Krause Publications |isbn= 978-0-87349-660-5}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Bolt action (firearms)}}

{{Firearms}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bolt Action}}
[[Category:Firearm actions]]
[[Category:Bolt-action rifles|*]]