Loading a bolt action rifle from the bottom

[laea7777]

(empty chamber) and uncocked

What is the purpose of uncocking it if the chamber is empty? Is this just so you can visually confirm that the rifle is not ready to fire? Thanks.

 

[Riomouse911]

I wonder...if you chambered a round, and then flipped it over and loaded five, would the increase in pressure on the spring pop the floor plate open under recoil?

That sure would stink out on a hunt...

Stay safe.

 

[Steve S.]

Iaea7777, your question is a good one because as you infer, it is not necessary because there is no round in the chamber. However, I am pushing the bolt forward anyway, so why not take the cocked pressure off of the spring - again not necessary, but why not - I do not need the bolt cocked with no round in the chamber and no need for a readied rifle - old school, old habit.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Wow, yall really jumped him on this one. And while i agree with many of the sentiments echoed, loading from the bottom (especially an sks) is super easy. I have never ever ever loaded my SKS from the top or with strippers. Hold the gun upside down with the muzzle slightly higher, tilt the gun to the side you need the first round on and fill er up. With an even round count, its easy to put the first round in where the follower is taller. It doesnt take any more practice really; just to be familiar woth your rifle, which you should be anyways.

But for a BDL style bolt gun, holding only 5 ish rounds, I doubt its much quicker. Though i find the follower and plate on a BDL bolt gun to be much more flimsy than the SKS versions

 

[natman]

It might be faster to load from the bottom, but it's also possible to screw it up. If I'm in a situation where I need to reload in a hurry, I'll take a slightly slower method that always works over a faster method that might work.