tips for qualifying with a bolt action rifle

[SSG Platz]

I qualified on my first Appleseed with a bolt gun. But I also have a lot of experience with it as well. You can work your bolt without losing your sight picture but it's very difficult using a sling. I use to know a couple of army snipers that were left handed and used a right handed bolt, the two I knew really liked it because they didn't have to take their hand away from the trigger group but we also use bipods. So I don't know how it would be trying to work your bolt with a sling probably a bit more difficult.

[Mutti]

I learned quite a bit at the Ladyseed over in Sparta from CastleMountain:

Once cheek weld/NPOA is achieved, the main movement is a "flick of the wrist" forward movement with middle finger pull back on the bolt btwn each round (prone/sitting). Because the Marlin is older ('75?) - the action needs some work (which he nicely explained exactly how to do). 1 MOA was achieved after that, but I'm still needing practice on the movements/magazine changes. I've 7 shots per magazine and found myself "expecting" the 10.

I'll just need to work more (and find a less expensive price for the .22 Magnum Rounds. Least expensive is $15.50 per 50)

Thanks.

[Nickle]

Mutti, I suggest getting a rifle as near identical as possible to your 22 Mag, but in 22 LR. The ammo cost 1/10th as much. 1000 rounds or so of difference in ammo price would pay for a rifle, for the most part.

And, yes, I'm also in a very similar situation. Got a Savage bolt gun, 93R17, 17 HMR. Ammo costs about the same or a little more than your 22 Mags do. I love the rifle, and am keeping it (the 17 works nicely on small to mid sized varmints here). A Savage Mark II near identical to that 93R17 is on my short list of acquisitions (and, I do own several 22's, including a bolt action target rifle, Remington 513T).

[Mutti]

Thanks Nickle

We've a number of .22s (Cricket(s), Ruger(s), Marlin(s), Savage(s)), but the Bolt Marlin was "next left" in the gun cabinet so that's what I wanted to familiarize myself with. The Garand is after that - so that should be fun!

Great news - if I run into someone on the trail with a bolt action, I'll be able to help them out a bit. Never hurts to keep up/learn new skills.

Thanks everyone!

[VietVet]

Need something clarified here.
I've been told that a shooter using a bolty DOESN'T have to do a mag change on stages 2 & 3. They can load 10 in 1 mag.
True or False?

[GEmanuel]

Need something clarified here.
I've been told that a shooter using a bolty DOESN'T have to do a mag change on stages 2 & 3. They can load 10 in 1 mag.
True or False?

The original military course of fire was 5 and 5. As originally designed the course was done with bolt actions. With the introduction of the M! the load procedure went to 2 and 8. A mag change is required of all magazine fed rifles except tube fed. With the tube fed rifle the shooter loads 11, shoots two, ejects one, and then shoots the remaining eight. The extra round is to account for the mag change which they can not do safely or in a timely manner. I have had bolt rifles where we did 5 and 5 because of magazine limitations, but the change was still required.

[colycat]

False. 

Need something clarified here.
I've been told that a shooter using a bolty DOESN'T have to do a mag change on stages 2 & 3. They can load 10 in 1 mag.
True or False?

[George63]

Never hurts to keep up/learn new skills.

when you get it down with the rimfire come up north and try it with the magazine fed bolt centerfire, first I set up a .308 and that slapped down the score too far, so now I am using a bolt .223 for KD and can make it about 50/50 Will do the tour come summer and if we will both be at a shoot I will bring it with

[Mutti]

Never hurts to keep up/learn new skills.

when you get it down with the rimfire come up north and try it with the magazine fed bolt centerfire, first I set up a .308 and that slapped down the score too far, so now I am using a bolt .223 for KD and can make it about 50/50 Will do the tour come summer and if we will both be at a shoot I will bring it with

Now THAT would be a home made Bacon earning event! (Or cheese, or goat sausage). I look forward to it!

[Nickle]

Yup, mag change is required on Stages 2 & 3 for all rifles. Now, the rifle the AQT was designed around is the 1903 Springfield, not the M1. "Mag changes" (reloading with stripper clips in this case) were required with the Springfield.

It became "2 & 8" because the Army didn't issue 5 round en-blocs for the M1, so they adapted from "5 & 5" to "2 & 8".

Bear in mind that the AQT we do at 25 is an adaptation from KD, and when doing KD, we use 1 target, like the Army did.

[Charles McKinley]

Hey George63,

What rifles are you using?  I have been looking at the Mosberg MVP in .223 but wanted to talk to someone that has put it through its paces.

http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=46&section=products

For the .308 is it the Ruger Scout, TC Warlord or other?

Thanks,

Stand

[jimmythegeek]

On the last AQT I shot with it, second to last of the day.  (I wanted to shoot the last one with my Marlin 795 with iron sights.)  I felt it was a quality AQT, but not great.  Turns out it was good enough. 

Thanks to all the Appleseed instructors, and all the folks in this thread.  You helped me soooo much.   

Centerfire and iron sights coming up next. 

[citation04]

I qualified on my first Appleseed with a bolt gun. But I also have a lot of experience with it as well. You can work your bolt without losing your sight picture but it's very difficult using a sling. I use to know a couple of army snipers that were left handed and used a right handed bolt, the two I knew really liked it because they didn't have to take their hand away from the trigger group but we also use bipods. So I don't know how it would be trying to work your bolt with a sling probably a bit more difficult.

count me in as a southpaw who prefers shooting on a righty bolt gun as well. Unless your shooting notch sights with a very short sight radius your simply not going to be able to maintain a sight picture. Maintain a cheek weld yes with practice, keep your sight focus also maybe wwith practice, but your not going to be able to stay on target during your bolt work.