The Bolt Action Rifle Vol I-II

298 Pages·1985·329.75 MB·English

by  S. Otteson

The
Bolt
Action
A DESIGN ANALYSIS
by Stuart Otteson
Volume I1
A special edition by
Wolfe Publishing Co., lnc.
Cased Set Limited Edition of 1,000
-
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or
reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written
permission from the publisher except by a reviewer who wishes to
quote brief passages in connection with a review.
Queries regarding rights and permissions should be
addressed to Wolfe Publishing Co , Inc.. 138 North Montezuma.
Prescott, Arizona 86301
Wolfe Publishing Co., Inc.
Vol. I1 ISEN (5-935632-22-0
Copyright CC;' 1985 by Stuart Otteson
ISEN 0-935632-23-9( cased set Vol. I & 11)
1985
volfe Publishing Go., Jnc.
138 North Montezuma
Prescott, Arizona 86301
Contents
PAGE
v
Acknowledgments .... .....
Introduction ................ ...v i1
1 Original Model Newton ...... .....2
2 Savage Model 1920 ...... ....2 0
3 Buffalo Newton ............. ....3 2
4 Schultz & Larsen Model 545 . . ....5 2
5 Savage Model 110 .......... ....6 6
6 Ranger Arms ..... ....8 6
7 Voere Shikar. ............... ...1 06
8 Schultz & Larsen Model 68DL ... ...1 20
9 Ruger Model 77 ............. ...1 32
10 Champlin ........... ...1 52
11 Mauser Model 3000 ...... ...1 70
12 Carl Gustaf ......... ....1 82
13 Omega 111 ... ....1 98
14 Voere K-14 ... ....2 14
15 Colt Sauer .............. . . .2 30
16 Golden Eagle Model 7000 ... ....2 50
17 Browning BBR .......... ....2 66
Bibliography ..... ....2 84
Patent Summary . . . . ... 284
Index ............ ... 286
Stuart Otteson
This book is dedicated to my lovely and talented
eleven-year-old daughter, Lori Otteson
IV
Acknowledgments
In various ways, a lot of people contributed in the prepara-
tion of this book. So many, in fact, that this is perhaps best
handled by simply listing them alphabetically, along with
the company they are (or were) associated with, and ex-
tending my most sincere appreciation to each.
Phil Anklowitz
Bill Auvenshine (hi-shear Corporation)
Joe Badali (Browning Arms Co.)
Peter Bang (Friedrich Wilhelm Heym)
Manfred Birkenhagen (J.P. Sauer & Sohn)
John Brandt (Brandt Arms, Inc.)
Lenard Brownell (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Jay Bryant
Judy Burnham (Colt Firearms)
Alan Carver (Browning Arms Co.)
George Caswell Champlin Firearms, Inc.)
Doug Champlin (Champlin Firearms, Inc.)
Eric Claesson (FFV Sport AB)
Joe DuBiel (Ranger Arms, Inc.)
David Eaton (Colt Firearms)
John Eaton
Gerald Feather
Bob Fessler (FESCO, Inc.)
Ron Freshour
Ron Gardner (hi-shear Corporation)
Dr. Rolf Gmihder (Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH)
Bob Greenleaf (Savage Arms Division)
Earle Harrington (Savage Arms Division)
Jerry Haskins (Champlin-Haskins, Inc.)
Ken Hercick (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Henry Into (Colt Firearms)
N.C. Jackson (Wichita Engineering 6 Supply, Inc.)
Fred Jennie
Hartwig Jess
Roy Jinks (Smith & Wesson)
Lennart Johansson (FFV Sport AB)
Bob Kleinguenther (Kleinguenther’s Distinctive Firearms, Inc.)
Neal Knox
V
Homer Koon (Ranger Arms, Inc., Omega Arms, Inc.)
Fritz Larsen (Schultz & Larsen Rifle Company)
Larry Larson (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Gunnar Larsson (Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag)
Jack Lawrence (Browning Arms Co.)
James Magill (Omega Arms, Inc.)
John Martin (Ranger Arms, Inc.)
Bill Mattson
Don Mitchell (Colt Firearms)
Ludwig Olson
Harold Reed (Omega Arms, Inc.)
Jim Reeves (Ranger Arms, Inc.)
Hershel Reid (Omega Arms, Inc.)
Robbie Robinson (Golden Eagle Firearms, 1nc.l
Bill Ruger (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Bob Sears
Harry Sefried (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Ed Stark (Savage Arms Division)
Jim Sullivan (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Stan Terhune (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Tom Thornber (Colt Firearms)
Ben Toxvard
Jim Triggs (Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
Harold Waterman (Colt Firearms)
VI
Introduction
About ten years ago, editor Ken Warner would from time
to time become very concerned over my choice of subject
matter for the original volume of The Bolt Action. Seldom
did he discuss the book without ruminating over the need
for at least a few additions, like the Newton rifle, and the
then newly introduced Colt Sauer. I could only defend my __
choices in the most pragmatic of terms. Information and
cooperation wasn’t that readily available to a new writer.
I covered two Mossberg rifles (both now, alas, out of pro-
duction), and no Ruger Model 77, for example, mainly
because Mossberg’s chief engineer was exceedingly
gracious and cooperative, while I could at that time barely
squeeze past the front gate at Southport.
While I ended up reasonably satisfied with each chapter
individually, I’ll admit that taken together the sixteen
actions represented a less than complete, or perhaps even
wholly representative, coverage of the species. The possi-
bility of a second volume thus occurred very early in the
project, particularly after it became clear that few pub-
lishers were interested in tackling a twenty-five or thirty-
chapter book of this type.
As it was, the first volume of The Bolt Action took more
time to write and illustrate than any reasonable person
could anticipate - perhaps even more than justified by the
ultimate rewards, tangible and intangible. I certainly could
have earned a lot more money with the same time and
effort spent just about any other way. Thus, when I walked
out of the Manhattan offices of Winchester Press on a
summer afternoon in 1976, following an all-day session with
their line editor, I had more or less resolved to find a new
and less demanding avocation.
During an obligatory stop at Abercrombie & Fitch on the
way back to Penn Station, however, fate intervened. After
browsing through the carvings and leather goods, I de-
cided to take a quick run up to their famed gun department.
Upon alighting from the elevator and approaching the
nearest counter, one particular rifle caught my eye. I’m not
sure how I recognized it so fast, because in truth I’d only
seen a couple of Newton rifles before. To make things worse,
it turned out to be unaltered, in pretty fair condition, and
priced at a disgustingly reasonable figure.
Soon after, and again quite unexpectedly, I ran across an
almost mint Savage Model 1920 for sale at a local gun show.
Thus began, not I believe on an entirely voluntary basis,
the second volume of The Bolt Action. While things started __
off quickly enough, the going got awfully slow eventually,
and it has again taken far too long. Thus I think I can safely
promise that there will never be a Volume 111, at least in
my lifetime.
I attempted in the introduction to the first volume to define
the bolt action. I won’t repeat much of it here, but essen-
tially I still feel that it is the extent to which the bolt action
yields to control by the shooter that distinguishes it from
all other repeating rifle mechanisms. While the turning bolt
is not unique to the bolt action, the fact that its movement
is directly under the operator’s grasp is. It can be cycled
fast or slow, but always without intermediate linkages
whose failure might interrupt the full application of leverage
and power (which, due to the internal geometry of the bolt
action, is most considerable).
Equally basic is the “openness” of the bolt action. In
levers, pumps, or autos, the cartridge disappears inside a
closed mechanism, never to be seen again until ejected to
some distant point on the ground. There is no way to
observe its progress as it is stripped from the magazine, fed
into the chamber, and undergoes extraction and ejection.
Thus, if the mechanism falters, the reason isn’t immedi-
Vlll
ately obvious. In the bolt action, the cartridge moves along
its journey in full view. It can even be helped along the way
where necessary, and when the bolt handle is lowered
solidly into firing position, there need be no doubt that the
cartridge is where it should be, or that the mechanism is
fully locked and set and ready to fire. Such reliability and
certainty is simply unavailable in other repeating breech
mechanisms.
As in my first volume, the work of Paul Mauser, in par-
ticular his Model 98, occupies unique importance, and in
fact forms the basis for most of the bolt actions covered.
However, more so than before, there are some pretty wide
detours, and in a rifle like the Colt Sauer, for example, it
becomes difficult to find a great deal of kinship with
Mauser’s classic principles.
The seventeen chapters of this book, with the sixteen-
chapter first volume, offer a uniquely definitive coverage
of this type of rifle action, probably the most complete trea.t-
ment ever done. There are of course other very interesting
actions, plus new ones coming along periodically, and I
hope to cover at least some of these in future magazine
articles.
The content of this book is, like the first, based on the
actual examination of actions, plus as many firsthand
interviews with their designers and engineers as possible.
Its general layout also follows the first volume rather
closely, except that there is better artwork. In addition to
more photographs, the drawings tend to be more elaborate
due to a greater emphasis on the cooperation between the
various working parts of each action. It was thus fortunate
that my colleagues Dave LeGate and Mark Harris were able
to directly prodess my pencil work, rendering it into print
as clearly as if it were ink. This not only saved me countless
hours of work, but avoided the compromise attendant with
inking-over very precision pencil drawings. Thank you Dave
and Mark!
Stuart Otteson
March 25, 1982
IX