JLW Report post Posted July 26, 2010 is it normal on some models to have to move the safety switch to fire mode in order to open bolt to unload? a friend of mine bought a savage (not sure what model) in 30.06 caliber, it doesn't have the adjustable trigger. we went out this weekend to make a couple stands on our way to glass some deer and on our 1st set nothing showed we walk back tyo the truck and he takes the clip out and flips the safety to open the bolt BANG! he's fairly new to hunting but has been around guns a little and knows to always point firearms in a safe direction. is this a common accurance or should you not have to flip the safety to open the bolt? this happened with my brother-inlaw a few years ago with an older model remington and he quickly got rid of it. any info on this would be much appreciated! james Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmc Report post Posted July 26, 2010 I have sold a few rifles because how the safeties function. Ya they are safe guns but I don't like the concept of having to go unsafe to unload the rifle. Nor do I like what I call 3 stage safeties. I know that Browning A-Bolts, Savages, some Weatherby's and a range of older Remington 700s require you to move the safety to fire to open the bolt. Mauser, Ruger, & newer Remington 700's do not require this. Ruger uses what I called a 3 stage safety where you have full fire mode, safe (lock out trigger sear), and safe (lock out trigger sear and lock out fire pin). That certain range of older model Remington 700's you can easily modify to act like the new or very old 700's where you can leave gun on safe and open the bolt action. I'll admit I had that happen to me once after I killed a deer I reloaded my rifle while it was sitting on my lap so that when I walked down I had a round in it to verify it was dead. As i closed the bolt action a portion of my clothing was in the trigger so when I closed the bolt... boom. I researched the safety action changes over the years on the 700's and did the adjustment at home with a file that would have cost me $50 at the gun smith. I had a friendly gunsmith at the time. I suggest that you consult with a gun smith prior to attempting to modify the gun though. (CYA) But it is easy. Then again so is installing a Timney trigger for that matter which replaces that issue as well. Choice is yours. I about bent over my trigger on my Ruger M77 by moving it off safe/lock to safe able to open bolt a few times and then trying to shoot a deer. I grew up with the Rem. 700's where one flip of the safety was it to make the gun go boom. The Ruger needed to be swung all the way around front before it'd go boom thus having two clicks. The Browning was sold because the thumb safety needed to be put in fire setting to open bolt. I bought that gun for my kids and wife to start hunting with and regretted it so I sold it. They now have a T/C Encore to grow and learn on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted July 26, 2010 is it normal on some models to have to move the safety switch to fire mode in order to open bolt to unload? a friend of mine bought a savage (not sure what model) in 30.06 caliber, it doesn't have the adjustable trigger. we went out this weekend to make a couple stands on our way to glass some deer and on our 1st set nothing showed we walk back tyo the truck and he takes the clip out and flips the safety to open the bolt BANG! he's fairly new to hunting but has been around guns a little and knows to always point firearms in a safe direction. is this a common accurance or should you not have to flip the safety to open the bolt? this happened with my brother-inlaw a few years ago with an older model remington and he quickly got rid of it. any info on this would be much appreciated! james With the rifle unloaded, did you tried several times and can you hear and see the bolt hitting or firing the pin? That happened to me with a Remington 660, I was taking the safety off and BOOMM! rifle was going off. A small screw become loose inside and that was causing the problem. Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted July 27, 2010 his gun is only a few months old, we didn't check it to see what was going on he was a little shakin and i was anxious to go glass for some deer. thanks for the info! james Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cactusjack Report post Posted July 27, 2010 If his rifle is only a few months old, contact Savage and get it back to them. They will fix it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted July 27, 2010 just one of the many reasons that i like model 70's. most safetys are a trigger safety. when it is on safe the firing pin is live and the safety only blocks the trigger. as long as everything is fine, they work ok. get a little dust in the trigger in the right place, and this can happen. i've seen this happen with quite a few remington 700's over years. saw one that would fire everytime you closed the bolt, because of a little dust in the trigger. a model 70 safety is on the bolt and blocks the firing pin. actually what it does is it cams the firing pin back when on safe. all the way back the firing pin is blocked and the bolt is locked. half way forward, firing pin is blocked but you can open the bolt. all the way forward and it's hot. i see a lot of guys talking up the savages, and they are ok, but there is a reason they cost a lot less than other rifles. a trigger safety is one of em. the 2 piece bolt they have has always scared me. seen a couple of them break the pin and the bolt head falls off. one thing a guy always needs to do is cycle his rifle with no ammo in it every once in awhile to make sure things are ok. and always keep that trigger clean. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catclaw Report post Posted July 28, 2010 The Browning A-bolts are the worst that I have ever seen for this happening. They have very sensitive triggers that like to be operating room clean, get a little dust on them and you can't even cock the bolt open! Had one hunter that this happened to and we had to hike back to the 4 wheeler and use the dipstick to get it working again. A real PITA. Never had a problem with my Savage doing that. It is not SUPPOSED to happen. Something is wrong. If your safety doesn't lock your bolt closed, you run the risk of having it open on you and dumping a round while hiking with it slung. It is a double-edges sword in this respect! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted July 28, 2010 If his rifle is only a few months old, contact Savage and get it back to them. They will fix it. i told him they would take care of it. he's bumed cause he drew a 24b early tag and just bought a new scope and was so amped up about his first big game hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted July 28, 2010 just one of the many reasons that i like model 70's. most safetys are a trigger safety. when it is on safe the firing pin is live and the safety only blocks the trigger. as long as everything is fine, they work ok. get a little dust in the trigger in the right place, and this can happen. i've seen this happen with quite a few remington 700's over years. saw one that would fire everytime you closed the bolt, because of a little dust in the trigger. a model 70 safety is on the bolt and blocks the firing pin. actually what it does is it cams the firing pin back when on safe. all the way back the firing pin is blocked and the bolt is locked. half way forward, firing pin is blocked but you can open the bolt. all the way forward and it's hot. i see a lot of guys talking up the savages, and they are ok, but there is a reason they cost a lot less than other rifles. a trigger safety is one of em. the 2 piece bolt they have has always scared me. seen a couple of them break the pin and the bolt head falls off. one thing a guy always needs to do is cycle his rifle with no ammo in it every once in awhile to make sure things are ok. and always keep that trigger clean. Lark. 270 thanks for the info! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sjvcon Report post Posted August 28, 2010 just one of the many reasons that i like model 70's. most safetys are a trigger safety. when it is on safe the firing pin is live and the safety only blocks the trigger. as long as everything is fine, they work ok. get a little dust in the trigger in the right place, and this can happen. i've seen this happen with quite a few remington 700's over years. saw one that would fire everytime you closed the bolt, because of a little dust in the trigger. a model 70 safety is on the bolt and blocks the firing pin. actually what it does is it cams the firing pin back when on safe. all the way back the firing pin is blocked and the bolt is locked. half way forward, firing pin is blocked but you can open the bolt. all the way forward and it's hot. i see a lot of guys talking up the savages, and they are ok, but there is a reason they cost a lot less than other rifles. a trigger safety is one of em. the 2 piece bolt they have has always scared me. seen a couple of them break the pin and the bolt head falls off. one thing a guy always needs to do is cycle his rifle with no ammo in it every once in awhile to make sure things are ok. and always keep that trigger clean. Lark. Lark hit the nail on the head with this ... but to be honest I am a Winchester guy so I am biased. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
