Safety types bolt action rifle poll

Seeing as how my custom 308 Norma Mag has a 3-position, Model 70 style "Wing" safety, as did the three Model 70s I had (still have one of them) before I got my 308 Norma,
I felt like I was "cheating" when I voted "Tang." Nevertheless, I actually do prefer the Tang safety on my old Ruger 77 to the "Wing" safeties on the other four bolt action rifles I've had (have).
I don't know. Maybe it's just because I spent so many hunting seasons hunting with my old Ruger 77, and I kinda got used to its "Tang" safety.

I like the tang safety on my original Ruger M77 and also on my Savage Axis II rifles. I just bought a Kimber Hunter and it has the 3 position safety. That will take getting used to but it seems okay.

I picked 3 position, but I'm honestly fine with any of them. My Weatherby uses a 3 position and I like being able to work the bolt with the trigger dead if I want/need to. I don't think it really qualifies as a wing safety though.

My favorite is the sliding safety mounted on the tang behind the bolt. The sliding three position next to the bolt is workable too.

The 3 position military Mauser safety has yet to be beat IMO.

Mosin Bubba said:

The 3 position military Mauser safety has yet to be beat IMO.

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Yup- The poll is missing the Mauser safety or my other favorite- the Lee-Enfield style. A true safety actually cams the striker off the sear, not just block the sear movement.

Tang, preferably bolt locking (browning Abolt). Second up right side, again preferably locking (Howa).

Long third, side swing wing safeties.

Top flip are a deal breaker for me.

As long as it locks the bolt down when on "Safe" I don't have a huge preference. I tend to prefer CRF and most of those have the wing type safety. But that preference has more to do with the more rugged extraction and ejection systems than the safety.

The Remington safety made prior to the early 1980's locked down the bolt, since I think 1983 they do not.

There are several companies making tang and Remington style 3 position safeties that will lock down the bolt. Others are using 2 position safeties that still lock down the bolt when on "Safe". One of the reasons I much prefer Tikka to Remington.

All of the rifles that I use have the 3 position Winchester 70 type safety. To be effective the safety must lock the firing pin, it must be able to lock the bolt handle down, and the bolt handle must cycle with the safety engaged. I will never buy another rifle that has a two position safety that locks the trigger.

I voted 2-position because I have more Remington 700/Seven variants than any other, and the Remington, Timney, and TriggerTech triggers in them are all 2-position. Philosophically, though, I like the functionality of 3-position safeties.

Mostly I want a safety that works correctly regardless of the type, but only have safeties on what I would consider my hunting rifles. I do not have safeties on my target rifles.

Bob

It's hard to argue with a Mauser type safety that physically blocks the striker from falling. I've never been comfortable with a safety that just blocks the trigger from moving, even though that seems to be the common thing these days.

Mosin Bubba said:

The 3 position military Mauser safety has yet to be beat IMO.

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That's my feeling -- with the 3-position safety, you never have to go hot, loading and unloading, and when you're crawling through a blowdown, the bolt is locked down, and you don't have to worry about inadvertently lifting it.

I'm the same way with the Winchester or Mauser style triggers -- I've had enclosed "wonder triggers" freeze up on me.

Vern Humphrey said:

the 3-position safety, you never have to go hot, loading and unloading, and when you're crawling through a blowdown, the bolt is locked down, and you don't have to worry about inadvertently lifting it.

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Exactly so - I will not have a rifle in my safe that doesn't have a three-position safety. OTOH, I'm a tang kinda guy for that three position safety, because of the inherent ergonomics of the tang safety position.

It must be pointed out that there are really two classes of rifle safety, regardless of whether they lock the bolt (3 position) or are positioned on the tang or on the side - those that lock the sear (most modern trigger designs), and those that lock the striker (Mauser style). There is no doubt that the latter is technically superior.

The tang and two position "safety's" only block the movement of the trigger. That's a poor excuse for a safety. A real safety would block the firing pin from moving.

While I like 3 position best, I've got a Peruvian M98 which uses the standard military Mauser 3 position, but backwards(?!?!) and I have to really think about it.

Same thing on a CZ452, it's two position but backwards (forward safe, to the rear fire)

Mauser 98 in my least favorite, but, don't hate it. Have no trouble using one comfortably. Seems to be slowest for me. Voted for tang safety as it seems the quickest. Used all listed at one time or another.

351 WINCHESTER said:

The tang and two position "safety's" only block the movement of the trigger. That's a poor excuse for a safety. A real safety would block the firing pin from moving.

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Well, the sear safety *does* block the firing pin / striker from moving - so long as the mechanical interface between sear and striker is intact. The value of a striker / firing pin safety is that it will work even if the striker slips off the sear.

Checking for proper sear engagement (using an unloaded gun, thankyouverymuch!) is pretty much a must for anyone that actually intends to use a sear / trigger mounted safety. I use a deadblow mallet on the side of the receiver to bang it about while the striker is cocked, but most folk just bump the stock onto the floor a handful of times while the gun is cocked to see if the sear can be bumped off the striker.

jmr40 said:

As long as it locks the bolt down when on "Safe" I don't have a huge preference.

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Ding! Ding! Ding! I have zero interest in any bolt action rifle with a safety that doesn't lock the bolt. I do prefer a safety that moves the cocking piece and firing pin off the sear e.g. Accuracy International, Kimber, Model 70 etc. That said, I have no issues with the safeties on my many AR15/AR308 rifles which simply block the trigger. As for the position of the safety, I find that the Tikka style is fine, but also have no issue with the Kimber, Model 70 or Accuracy International "wing" type safety that's typically on the cocking piece housing. My wish list includes the following:

• Safety moves cocking piece/firing pin off sear
• Safety has three positions e.g. fire, safe (bolt can open), safe (bolt locked)

The Tikka I recently bought from a friend doesn't allow the bolt to be manipulated (unloaded) with the safety on but I can live with it since it has a detachable box magazine.

The 700 was my only hunting rifle for many years, and was the base for the M24 SWS I used extensively in the army, so I never really had any issues using it. However, I do think the tang on my Ruger American is a superior setup.

I much prefer a safety that locks the firing pin then one that locks the trigger. When you extract, or load a round on a gun that has a safety that locks Just the trigger, your safety is doing nothing to keep the firing pin locked.
The Winchester Model 70 is my favorite, Mausers being my second.

Wait, why wasn’t the Moisin-Nagant pull hard and twist safety not included? It’s so easy to quietly switch on and off! [end sarcasm]