What's the purpose??

[SBruce]

What is the purpose of these long extended bolt handles that I am seeing on alot of custom rifles these days?

I can see it giving a little more leverage, but I never felt I needed it before with just standard bolt handles.

I can see it being easier to find in a hurried situation, but I can't honestly ever recall finding the bolt knob to be an issue either.

Perhaps I just haven't done enough of the kind of shooting they are designed for, but I really wanna know what are they really designed for.

Problem; gotta take the bolt out of the rifle before putting it in a case or scabbard. Here's what happened when I didn't.

 

[FEENIX]

Bummer! I hope the big one didn't get away ...

Oversize bolt handle allows you to cycle rounds quickly, without having to feel around for the small factory handle. It makes it easier to grasp and provides fast, positive charging or clearing. While others do it for its tacti-coolness!

Ed

 

[davkrat]

Probably 95% the "tacti-cool" factor. I've always found it funny that in a sport where many claim if they thought they were going to miss with their first shot they would have used a repeater yet at the same time claim they have a need for a bolt that allows them to cycle the action and reload a micro second faster than a factory bolt? I agree they look cool but I think a classic wood stock blued steel gun looks cool too.

 

[Broz]

I shoot almost all my rifles prone. Whether testing loads, breaking in a barrel, shooting a group, busting rocks or hunting. I feel it is the best way to get good practice for real field conditions. I cant say the tac knob adds one thing for my hunting situations, but for shooting groups prone it seems to me to make the bolt function easier, smoother and easier to find with out looking. I will add I am a RH shooter and shoot RH actions.

Jeff

 

[zupatun]

A thicker and longer bolt handle will help my getting ready for follow-up shots on my Howa much easier. I have a hell of a time keeping my sight picture, working the bolt smoothly on this rifle. Next mod will be a Badger bolt knob or something like it.

I think once hunters get used to the smoothness and speed you can get with a "tactical" like knob on their rifles it's something to have on most rifles...it's just easier and smoother.

Just my two cents...

Matt

 

[Outlaw6.0]

OUCH!! Oh man that would make me sick.... is that one of Chad Dixon's striker assemblies??

I can recall (vaguely) one of my rigs had such a small amount of clearance between the raised bolt and the scope that it would darn near tear my thumb off while cycling the bolt, for that reason I switched to an extended length bolt handle. I've gotten so used to taking the bolt out of my rifles when they go into a hard case that I now do it even with my conventional styled rifle.... creature of habit I guess.

I have a couple of "tacti-cool" rigs with the oversized bolt handles & I can attest that they are in FACT easier to not only find while retaining sight picture, but from my experience, easier to manipulate positively.

Now, how many time has this been necessary??? Never, I've never lost an animal or what-have-you because I could not chamber a second round quickly enough.... so in retrospect... maybe it is "tacti-cool" but **** it sure looks good!

 

[SBruce]

OUCH!! Oh man that would make me sick.... is that one of Chad Dixon's striker assemblies??

No, but I just spoke with Chad and he said he'd fix it. It's a Lawton and the bolt handle/knob was aftermarket install. I bought the gun used just a couple weeks ago.

Say, that is a fine looking rifle in the picture Looks like maybe it was taken in Chads' shop?

Your bolt knob looks big, but it doesn't look like the handle itself protudes out laterally away from the gun too far.?
How do you like the Direct Mount? He's putting one on my other rifle that's in the process at the moment. Only bad thing I've read about them is one guy said it mounted the scope too high for him. Any thoughts/comments on that?

 

[Outlaw6.0]

....
Say, that is a fine looking rifle in the picture Looks like maybe it was taken in Chads' shop?

Your bolt knob looks big, but it doesn't look like the handle itself protudes out laterally away from the gun too far.?
How do you like the Direct Mount? He's putting one on my other rifle that's in the process at the moment. Only bad thing I've read about them is one guy said it mounted the scope too high for him. Any thoughts/comments on that?

Thanks for the kind words, yup that is Chad's OLD shop, he's in a different building now. the bolt knob isn't quite as big as it looks, it's on a Holland bolt handle (IIRC) attached to a PTG oversized bolt, Chad's flutes & striker assemblies; it doesn't stick out much farther than normal, but the size of the knob still dictates it be removed for hard case travels.

As to the Direct Mount, Chad actually talked me into it & i'm really happy with it, I DID have to raise the cheek piece to get proper alignment, so that is definitely a caveat. But the rest of the mount is pure NightForce, well made & thought out.

P.S. if you haven't dealt with Chad yet, I HIGHLY recommend him, I can't say enough good words.

 

[dig]

They are specifically designed to hang up on packs, clothing, shrubs, and foliage. Also to rub against you uncomfortably when carried for long periods of time and prevent the rifle from being put into a scabbard when hunting from horseback.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

They are specifically designed to hang up on packs, clothing, shrubs, and foliage. Also to rub against you uncomfortably when carried for long periods of time and prevent the rifle from being put into a scabbard when hunting from horseback.

Lol, well put, I can't argue with that. They may not fit into a leather scabbard but I carry a similar setup in a nylon scabbard attached to my backpack with no worries.

My rigs that are built like the one in the picture are purpose built, that rifle you all see weighs over #15 with optics, you don't want to be carrying that around allday, just sit on a hill and glass. (WAY easier on your back)

I have a few more suited to horses, scabbards & all of that wonder foliage you mentioned.