Bolt action
From the late 19th century all the way through both World Wars, bolt action rifles were the standard infantry service weapons 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 and selective-fire firearms, and have remained only as sniper rifles due to the design's inherent potential for superior accuracy and precision, as well as ruggedness and reliability compared to self-loading designs.
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.
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.
[10] 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.
Target shooters favour single-shot bolt actions for their simplicity of design, reliability, and accuracy.
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).
Some pistols use a bolt-action system, although this is uncommon, and such examples are typically specialized hunting and target handguns.
[citation needed] Many Mauser M 98-inspired derivatives feature technical alterations, such as omitting the third safety locking lug, to simplify production.
The Lee–Enfield bolt-action system was introduced in 1889 with the Lee–Metford and later Lee–Enfield rifles (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.
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.
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.
The Swing was developed in 1970 in the United Kingdom as a purpose-built target rifle for use in NRA competition.
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.
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.
Haenel,[18] Chapuis,[19] Heym,[20] Lynx,[21] Rößler,[22] Savage Arms,[23] Strasser,[24] and Steel Action.
[25] Most straight bolt rifles have a firing mechanism without a hammer,[citation needed] but there are some hammer-fired models, such as the Merkel Helix.
The operation can be done via a rotating bolt, a lever, cam action, a locking piece, or a number of systems.
However, the Dreyse Needle fire rifle was the first 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 breech-loader and had the now familiar arm sticking out from the side of the bolt, to turn and open the 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.
