Open or closed?

[fatal wound]

Those of you who use gun safes, when you store your bolt action rifles, do you store them with the bolt opened or closed and why?

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Pull the trigger as you close the bolt to take pressure off the spring

 

[GBExpat]

Those of you who use gun safes, when you store your bolt action rifles, do you store them with the bolt opened or closed and why?

I remove the bolts and store them on the inside of the door ... because it makes for more longgun room in my gunsafes and minimizes dings whilst moving them around in there.

EDIT:

Here is what one of them looked like about a decade ago:

 

[jr_watkins]

closed

I store all my guns with the action closed and the trigger pulled. More to do with safety than with the act of storing. It probably makes little difference, but I like the idea of the trigger/action springs not being compressed as well.

 

[WestKentucky]

Bolt removed and stored elsewhere. If a person breaks in they will find gun parts which will not interest them, and unusable guns which hopefully won't interest them. I do clean my bolt (and other) guns before use, and simple disassembly such as bolt removal is a part of that. My handguns are the same, slide removed and on revolvers cylinder open with padlock through a chamber. In the bedroom though they are all ready to go just in case.

 

[ku4hx]

The way I see it, if it's acceptable for the bolts on my semi automatic rifles and shotguns to be stored in situ, the same is acceptable for my manual bolt action rifles. I do release tension on the springs as much as a particular action allows.

 

[ku4hx]

I remove the bolts and store them on the inside of the door ... because it makes for more longgun room in my gunsafes and minimizes dings whilst moving them around in there.

EDIT:

Here is what one of them looked like about a decade ago:

That's awesome! Ever try to insert the wrong bolt?

 

[GBExpat]

That's awesome! Ever try to insert the wrong bolt?

Thanks ... and, no, they all bear matching SNs, if not stamped then on a little hanging tag.

 

[hoghunting]

I store all my guns with the action closed and the trigger pulled

Exactly how I store my guns.

 

[Inebriated]

I store them with the action open. Don't have a ton, but I can usually squeeze them closer together with them open than when they're closed.

 

[ford8nr]

I've gone to storing bolt open as it makes for more room and less dings from bolt handles. I use to release the springs but have come to the thought that most guns stored back in the day were stored action closed, springs compressed and they still function today

 

[fatal wound]

Open or Closed

I just posted this question to see what kind of feedback would be offered. From what I read it's all good! Thanks all.

 

[il.bill]

...

Here is what one of them looked like about a decade ago:

I had to smile. That is what ONE of them looked like a DECADE AGO. Makes me wonder what they ALL look like now, TEN YEARS later!

 

[COLOSHOOTR]

I have gotten in the habit of taking the bolt out and storing them on a pistol rack in the safe. Mostly because I always case the rifle in a hard case and I feel the bolt being out puts less pressure on the bolt handle when you close the lid on the case and that just transitioned over to the safe.

 

[jmr40]

Bolt open.

It takes up less space. I don't really get any more guns in there, but could. But it leaves more space between the rifles and makes it easier to get them in and out.

 

[Miky]

Action closed and decocked. I also store them muzzle down to prevent excess solvent and oil from flowing into the bolt assembly and stock.

 

[Captcurt]

Pull the trigger as you close the bolt to take pressure off the spring

This. If you remove or open the bolt the firingpin spring is under constant tension unless it cocks on closing like some of the old Mausers

 

[quartermaster]

Action closed, decocked, with muzzle up. No excess oil is ever left in barrel.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

Like GBExpat I remove the bolts on all of my bolt actions with the exception of two of them. I keep my 30.06 Mauser and a .22 Win Mag loaded with the bolt open. I live in the middle of nowhere and those rifles can take down any pests that wander onto my property.