Bolt Storage

[Harrier1980]

Hi all,

Just a quick question, I have had my first rimfire rifle (Anschutz 54) for a few weeks now, and was looking at the intershoot website, they have a bolt protector which it says cocks and de-cocks the bolt when you put the bolt in and take it out again.

so my question is, should the bolt be stored cocked or de-cocked? at present when I put the rifle away I tend to close the bolt while holding the trigger so it is not cocked in storage. is this right?

[ovenpaa]

I always store my bolts separately to the rifle and decocked.

[Harrier1980]

Thank you. is that your preference, or a general / manufacturer / legal guideline

[ovenpaa]

Well de-cocked I do because it takes the pressure off the spring which is good practice. Bolts separate to rifles, my preference from a safety and security viewpoint. As far as I know it is not nor has ever been a legal requirement to store them separately (It would be difficult with some rifles anyway)

[Gaz]

You don't need a tool to decock a .22 bolt, really - just grip and twist. (note: DON'T do this with fullbore rifles unless you actually have the cocking tool!)

I store my Enfield and my Anschutz decocked. Quite a few clubs I know with Anschutzes leave them with the bolts open (i.e. cocked), but they still work OK.

As ovenpaa says, it's good practice to ease the tension on the spring.