Bolt manipulation

Palm method here too.

I find this way I dont have to change methods when I wear gloves or mittens.

If you practice often enough I dont think your very likely to slip of the bolt
 
I use the thumb, and index finger, well, mainly because I'm a lefty, and shoot RH boltguns. WHen I shoot RH, the bolt usually stays in the crotch of my thumb and index finger. Kind of like an english wave:).
 
Gatehouse said:
I wonder if you have:
* Tried both methods
* Seen a clear reason to use one or the other
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ehh, forgot to answer the specific questions.

1. yes
2. seems that working it with the palm is faster because it works exactly the same for every bolt action (although it helps if the bolt is not knurled - this is why i hate knurled bolts and prefer just a smooth ball).

if you mainly use one rifle, one brand of rifle or rifles with very similar bolts then perhaps the thumb/forefinger grip makes sense because you get used to that specific bolt and you can finesse it... but if you use several different bolt actions all with different sized bolts, knurled/smooth, longer/shorter, heavy/light bolt lift etc then its just easier to use your palm since it works universally as well on everything and seems to exert much more force on heavy bolt lift rifles or ones with ####ty extraction.
i have a couple rifles where you cant use your thumb/forefinger because youll hammer your thumb against the scope ocular.
 
Gatehouse said:
How big are your hands/fingers?

If I use the palm method, only my pinky will contact the bolt, as the bolt knob is smaller than my pinky. Even if I wrap the hand around (*below* the pinky) I can only get so much of my hand ont he knob, and when pusing it forward, my hand bashes scope.

I can do both, butt he index/thumb works better for me, as the hand clears the scope.
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I must have girlie hand I guess. They go well with my 6'1", 200 pound frame:runaway:...
 
Gatehouse said:
I can only get so much of my hand on the knob.
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How has nobody caught this yet?

anyways, i am a big enough guy, (6'5", 270 last i checked) and i have always used all palm, no worries about smacking scope, or anything for that matter, just make sure you are on the outside of the bolt handle. I do, however, shoot my winchester 69A 22 lr with the two finger method, daintier guns require gentler handling.
 
Gatehouse, you might be onto something. I definitely prefer the palm up method although I simply rotate my palm around the end of the bolt handle. As for your question about hand size, I've got long enough hands but only average width. Since I find both methods equally comfortable I prefer the palm method the one that allows me to work a bolt faster.
 
Palm method here. Average size hands I think.

But when I'm sniping gophers I can manipulate the bolt on my 93R17 with my trigger finger and the rest of my hand doesn't move. It's the only gun I own I can do that with....
 
220Swifty said:
How has nobody caught this yet?
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Man, I walked rigth into that one!:)

anyways, i am a big enough guy, (6'5", 270 last i checked) and i have always used all palm, no worries about smacking scope, or anything for that matter, just make sure you are on the outside of the bolt handle. I do, however, shoot my winchester 69A 22 lr with the two finger method, daintier guns require gentler handling.
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More I think about it more it seems that it has to do with what you were taught, and what you like.:) I is also very possible that I am just clumsy...;)
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