A friend of mine picked up a used Winchester Model 70 (not sure if it's pre-64 or not, but I don't think it is) in .243, and it has the smoothest working bolt I've ever seen. It is so effortless, and just silently glides along.

In your experience, which rifle have you found to have the smoothest bolt action?

Short actions tend to feel smooyher, but I had a Smith-Corona 03-A3 sporter that had THE smoothest action. My friends had Dakotas and Sakos, and couldn't stand the fact that a $300 rifle was smoother than their own.

Well, one day they decided to put the "Typewriter" rifle in it's place with some bench shooting at the camp. Then they were REALLY ticked off.

Man I wish I still had that rifle.
HG

The old 30-40 Krag Jorgensen's have one of the smoothest bolts that were made.

Ditto, Bob. The 30-40 Krag.

Krag. Nothing else even comes close!

Course they haven't been made for a hundred years or so :p

My Sauer 202 7mm Rem Mag has a butter smooth bolt.

I haven't handled a whole lot of rifles but the Tikka T-3 (25-06 I believe) was smooth as silk! I think my stainless a-bolt is pretty smooth too compared to a lot of other rifles.

Remington 721 (1950) and Remington 700 (1978) both smooth as silk. I've tried some of the newer rifles and aren't quite as smooth, but that may come with use.

Another vote for the Tikka T3. Mines in 270wsm and its like butter.

The Krag is as smoothe as it gets.The Mannlicher is a close second.
Frank

I have two Mauser sporters (25-06 and 8mm) that are very smooth - they were probably made to be that way, but they are both certainly smooth now.

The Husquavrna dovetail bolt from the early 70's (now the Antonio Zoli AZ1900), the '98 Krag trailed by the Colt/Sauer. Everthing else is an also-ran.

I think this thread should have been a "poll" Savage Hunter.
The only bolt smoother than a Krag that I can imagine is a custom Krag.
"Feels like ball bearings" are in there! 30-40 is no slouch either. A gunmaker should make a note of that.

Cheezywan

my colt sauer is just like Glass, and for 1600 used it should be but it sure is purrrrdy

If you've ever tried a Krag, you'll never find anything that comes close to it for smoothness. Obsolete by any measure, weak by today's standards (though perfectly strong enough for the original .30-40 or 6.5 Swede), if anyone made one today I'd lay out a pretty penny for it.

i have a model 25 marlin .22 that i think was made in the seventies, and id say has had close to 10,000 rounds through it, talk about smooth, i work this thing with my pinky

The old 30-40 Krag Jorgensen's have one of the smoothest bolts that were made.

Ditto, Bob. The 30-40 Krag.

Krag. Nothing else even comes close!

Course they haven't been made for a hundred years or so :p

The Krag is as smoothe as it gets.The Mannlicher is a close second.
Frank

I think this thread should have been a "poll" Savage Hunter.
The only bolt smoother than a Krag that I can imagine is a custom Krag.
"Feels like ball bearings" are in there! 30-40 is no slouch either. A gunmaker should make a note of that.

Cheezywan

If you've ever tried a Krag, you'll never find anything that comes close to it for smoothness. Obsolete by any measure, weak by today's standards (though perfectly strong enough for the original .30-40 or 6.5 Swede), if anyone made one today I'd lay out a pretty penny for it.

YEP!!!, the 'ol 30-40 KragJorgenson is by far the smoothest bolt action riffle EVER made!!!, you'd swear that there were no springs or ammo in it!!

Take care...
Oberndorf

Guess I'm too young, and never had the pleasure of handling a Krag. In that absence, several Rem Mod 700's (8mm RM, and 243 SPS) had the slickest actions I've handled. A couple of pre-'64 mod 70's came close to the 700's, but not quite there.

My favorite was a 1909 Argentine Mauser I once owned. It was still in the cosmoline when I got it. It's hard to believe they crafted such a beautifully made rifle for military usage. It had the smoothest bolt I ever operated. Should have kept that one...

Krag. Nothing else even comes close!

Amen!! No more to say on this subject. ;)

Husquavrna dove tail smoothest bolt action rifle factory rifle I ever handled, hands down!

Howa model 1500 has the smoothest bolt i have ever handled.

1# Krag carbine
2# 03-a3 early ones
3# Early sako's & pre 64 wins

I cant imagine how a bolt could been any smoother than a Tikka. All I have to do is lift the handle and bolt falls rearward with NO effort and the only sound is when it hits at full extension.

Owning both a Krag and a T3.....

The T3 is certainly smooth. However, its a bit 'loose', explained I think, by the process they use to crank out a bunch of really nice rifles. I acquired the Krag after the T3. Wow. The thing is OLD but the fit is remarkable. If you couldn't see it and just had to feel the action, you might not think the thing is made of metal. Unreal.....

jonas

Definately the Krag and as Frank mentioned, the Mannlicher a close second

The Krag.
Everything else comes in second.

My wife has her Grandfather's 1896 carbine. They are one of a kind for smooth.

My uncle's Krag is the smoothest bolt action I've ever felt, bar none. Not even $5,000 rifles I've handled are so smooth.

Gotta say boys, the Sako 75 has the smoothest bolt. Thing is like it's riding on air.
None better.

I've got a low number 1903 Springfield (one of the ones that's supposed to blow up) and it is smooth as silk. The next closest, that I have used, was my dad's old Sako Finnbear. Never fooled with a Krag.

Never handled a Krag or Mannlicher, but 1+ the Tikka. Like greased glass.....!

Have a few Manlichers but my origional Newton is the smoothist. olddudeone

Hello, REM 725 is exceptional.

I have a 30-40 krag and I don't think there is a smoother action.

I have got to cycle a Krag!!!

1959 model 70, feels like its on ball bearings.

Never tried a Krag But a Tikka T-3 is like butter, and well priced.

I've never tried a Krag, so I can't comment on the smoothest, But I know the Rem 710 is the roughest I've ever seen

You know, just to add one to the mix...

I'd almost forgotten my Savage Model 45 Super Sporter in .300 Sav. Also very old, and while the action ain't perfect, it is still very, very smooth.
Not alot of them out there, so won't be surprised if no one's handled one. But of you have, you know what I mean.

jonas

I built a high power match rifle on a 1983 Winchester Model 70 action. This one has the bolt guide slot on the bottom of the right locking lug. I can't remember ever having a smoother bolt action. Not only is it smooth but the fit of the bolt to the receiver is free of exceeisve play. Great for the rapid fire stage. I had a high number 1903 Springfield but even it wasn't as smooth as this model 70.

Resurecting one of my old threads. Obviously many votes for the 30-40 Krag. For those who voted for the Krag, the 1903 Springfield, the Mannlicher, or the Colt-Sauer, what would be your vote for the 2nd or 3rd smoothest bolt action, preferably from a brand that's still in production, and readily available in North America.

It was a rainy day, I was walking around a gun shop and was looking at new bolt actions. I was so disappointed. So many of them seemed sloppy, loose and disconnected. I have a Winchester 54 and aWinchester 70 and none of these new guns even compare. I was especially disappointed with the Rem700. For all its fame the action feels terrible.

I haven't gotten my hands on one yet, but they are making the WinM70 again. I bet they're nice.

Hi to all,

Back in the 50's I worked at a gun store and we rented Krags during deer season. They were all smooth but I remember that the 6.5X55 was way smoother than the USA 30/40. I don't remember if they were Swedish or Danish but I think they were Danish. They were definitely smoother than the USA 30/40. With out a doubt the 6.5 Krags are the slickest action I have ever seen.

Frank

without a doubt a steyr mannlicher puch.
the only rifle i have ever seen that would close and lock the bolt simply by lowering the muzzle.
locks up like a warm buttered safe door.

>what would be your vote for the 2nd or 3rd smoothest bolt action, preferably from a brand that's still in production, and readily available in North America.




I'll nominate no particular make, rather a "class" of bolt actions. If a bolt action is of the "fat bolt" design, it will be smoother than most other types. When I say "fat bolt", I mean that the locking lugs are the same diameter as the main bolt body. Examples would be the Weatherby action and(I believe)the new Marlin bolt action(XL7?). Since the locking lugs don't extend beyond the main body of the bolt, no raceways are required -- there's just a smooth piston reciprocating within a smooth cylinder. Smooth, and no wobble.
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I have a friend that has a Mannlicher-Schoeneur (spelling??), and he says that his bolt is so smooth, that when he tips the rifle forward, the bolt slides forward and cocks itself.

1988 Winchester Model 70 Lightweight in 270 win is my smoothest. Followed closely by my Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag

The smoothest action I have seen is money out of my wallet!
Seriously, I would like to see the rifle that closes itself, I believe you, just would like to see it.
All of them work smooth compared to a custom .243 I have, it's like arm wrestling.

The 30/40 Krag with half as many locking lugs and the rear receiver ring split to accommodate the extractor would have to be smooth, on other designs, the non rotating extractor (Mauser design), the extractor would have to be removed to compete with push feed designs, on all of my Mausers, with out the extractor and ring, the bolt will fall and close when the barrel is lowered, that is smooth.

On some rifles the non rotating extractor contacts the receiver creating drag and or resistance.

F. Guffey

"Pure hindsight" Savage Hunter. This thread "should have been" a poll!

Cheezywan

Cheezywan, you're the second person to say that. How do you create a poll?

Some of the answers tells me that some posters have not shot, or at least handled, all of the guns being suggested.

Frank

Cheezywan, you're the second person to say that. How do you create a poll?

You have the opportunity to do a poll when you start a thread. I've never done one. I just remember that I could have. It was just a "click" of the mouse as I recall. Me thinks that "starting" a thread is you only opportunity to do so???

Cheezywan

1903 Mannlicher Schoenauer, Krag rifles (30-40 Krag) & Lee Enfield 303 (and Mk)

Modern - SAKO 85

I think some qualification should be added here - Winchester 70 is controlled feed and most of others mentioned are push feed - these are essentially 2 different beasts altogether - a mod 70 that is THAT smooth is a combination of smooth action and cartridge design blended - for a smooth "bolt" it is hard to beat a Tikka T-3 (not to mention that they feed so smoothly you will most likely want to look to make sure the cartridge was picked up !)