Thread: Calibre and Barrel Length Decision......

Originally Posted by Shearer

I have to admit to not testing it with the T3, but I would be VERY surprised if you could make it fire just by dropping or banging it. Some of the old military 303's were bad for that sort of thing and I think that's where the idea of it being unsafe came from. Not convinced you could make a modern rifle fire accidentally like that. The main reason I don't hunt with the chamber empty (unless I am with someone else) is the noise it makes loading. Enough too alert an animal and force a hurried shot.

The real issue is rifles that have an exposed cocking piece or indicator that is directly part of or connected to the firing pin. A bloody good whack on these and it will likely discharge and that is just plain unsafe!

Originally Posted by Mathias

The real issue is rifles that have an exposed cocking piece or indicator that is directly part of or connected to the firing pin. A bloody good whack on these and it will likely discharge and that is just plain unsafe!

Like a Tikka?

Originally Posted by Gibo

Like a Tikka?

A Tikka is under cover (plastic) but does have an indicator, though this is not really exposed. I personally just don't condone the practice.

Originally Posted by Mathias

The real issue is rifles that have an exposed cocking piece or indicator that is directly part of or connected to the firing pin. A bloody good whack on these and it will likely discharge and that is just plain unsafe!

Good point.
The T3's cocking indicator is completely hidden under the bolt shroud when decocked.

It takes a pretty decent hit to get a primer to go off in my experience anyway when hunting alone which is most of the time that's how I carry mine decocked on a round in the chamber havnt had one go off in 34 years so far not to say it couldn't happen tho

I see, thanks for highlighting these points. I could never quite decipher this story which was most probably told to me while twisting tops off brown bottles a wee while ago.
Sorry for thread highjack maxx...keep the 260 std or chop and can the 308 bro.

leaving a live round in the chamber on a decocked bolt IS NOT SAFE

Regardless of whether the back end of the firing pin assembly is exposed or not, there is still a risk of discharge as the pin is sitting on the primer and under spring tension, so a heavy bump on the stock can be sufficient to bounce the firing pin causing a discharge.

I had assumed that if the rifle was decocked the spring was NOT under tension???
Hopefully someone will try it to see if it will actually happen.

Originally Posted by Shearer

I had assumed that if the rifle was decocked the spring was NOT under tension???
Hopefully someone will try it to see if it will actually happen.

Easy enough, prepped case with primer ONLY in it & full your boots...

BTW primers are pretty loud so be careful where you do this

Oh & naturally keep the pointy end away from you

Originally Posted by Shearer

I had assumed that if the rifle was decocked the spring was NOT under tension???
Hopefully someone will try it to see if it will actually happen.

I'm with Shearer on this.

The de cocked firing pin will still be in a very strong tension on most bolt guns. Good luck trying to bounce the the rifle hard enough to get enough energy for the firing pin to travel back (at all) and forth to strike the primer.

Originally Posted by Shearer

I had assumed that if the rifle was decocked the spring was NOT under tension???
Hopefully someone will try it to see if it will actually happen.

ok tried it today with a primed case spent just under an hour and couldn't get it to go off I would of nearly fuked my scope and rifle if I got rougher with it

Interesting...I'm happy to resign that one to a theoretical high road. Thanks Northdude, I hope your scope reticles aren't shaking around loose after your testing.
How about the old chestnut of the "half cock" bolt position. Safe? I find that when moved down a little with the trigger pulled it will slam fire. I think this could inadvertently happen in the bush and would only use it in combo action with the safety on.

Combination

Should I stop using the hand brake on my car