Easing the spring
- Thread starter Wendell
- Start date
I don't pass loaded rifles to anyone and ask to have the rifle opened before being handed a rifle , and on every range I have been a member of or have shot on, it is mandatory to have the action open.
I don't use mechanical safeties, my safe rifles are open rifles.
Cat
Starting about when I was 4 or 5 years old I was taught when picking a rifle up to open the action, and leave it open... and always have the action open if handing it to someone. My father drilled that into me...
Gun shows are a scary place concerning safety. Many time you see closed firearms being carried around.
Bill, I might be late to the party, but "ease springs" is a term from the Canadian Armed Forces relating to infantry weapons. You were in the wrong infantry to have heard that term before; you would know if the US military has something similar. And not to be confused with "make safe"... Been around since my time in the Forces started in the early 80's, so not a millennial thing.
Means to de-#### the weapon with the action closed. For the Lee-Enfield, holding the trigger to the rear while closing the bolt; for the C1, C2, C7, etc, pulling the trigger after confirming the weapon is clear. For the Inglis Hi-Power, either simply pulling the trigger after the weapon is confirmed clear, or controlling the fall of the hammer forward with thumb and finger while pulling the trigger.
I don't recall any mention of the "why" during my Small Arms Instructor course, but I assume that somebody at some time in Gun Plumber Land came to the conclusion that reducing spring tension would minimize wear/reduce potential for spring failure when it really matters.
I have no personal opinion on whether this accomplishes anything as far as improving spring life/reliability; it reminds me of the never ending fight over whether or not to leave magazines loaded or unloaded when not in use. I have watched the gun plumbers using gauges on springs while doing their annual first line maintenance checks on the Inglis High Powers; I assume they have similar gauges and do similar checks on all the other small arms in the inventory. So presumably, the gun plumbers are doing their job of annually ensuring all firing springs in all the weapons are good to go.
I also have no personal opinion as to whether de-cocking civilian rifles, shotguns, and handguns is better for the firing springs over the lifetime of the weapon. I do it with all my firearms as a habit, on the theory that while it might not help, it certainly shouldn't do any harm. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if for some reason I forgot to do this before storing a firearm for a year or two.
I get this, and agree that rifles should be verified empty when handing them to someone. But where does it end? I grew up on a ranch. Rifles were propped in the corner all the time. Bolts in battery. You can’t just leave rifles open indefinitely. Bolts can’t and shouldn’t be open walking around while hunting. In fact it’s bloody dangerous. Any time a rifle has a magazine full of cartridges the rifle should be verified as having an empty chamber and that bolt needs to remain closed. Otherwise closing it will load the rifle.
If I hand a rifle to one of my kids as we start out hunting in the morning that bolt is closed. Period. I’ve verified the chamber is empty. If I hand it to them open there is a possibility that when they close the bolt they will load the chamber. People that live by “rules” scare the ever living crap out of me. People need to use their heads and think.
Range shooting is a bit different than a hunting scenario, for sure.
I also knew many trappers back when I was younger whose guns were locked and cocked 24/7 hanging on their cabin wall or in the corner.
Cat
A farmer not far away (when I was a kid on the farm) ... left his 22 in the corner behind a door... he was going to shoot a gopher in the yard but that did not happen so he left it propped in the corner... later that day kids were playing and running in and out and one of them picked the rifle up with his finger on the trigger ... it was loaded and the next thing you know, BANG and he accidentally shot his sister in the neck... partial paralysis for the rest of her life.
Every thing was wrong... rifle left out... rifle left loaded, rifle picked up with finger on trigger, rifle pointing at someone...
bolts can be left open... the rifle can not fire with an open bolt
Dennis, you can’t cherry pick your way out of this. Safety is safety. A loaded rifle in the house isn’t safe.
I’m not packing rifles around with open bolts. I suspect you don’t either. I’m also not handing my kids rifles with loaded magazines and the bolt open. It is not happening. It’s not smart, nor is it safe.
Again, use your head.
I’m not packing rifles around with open bolts. I suspect you don’t either. I’m also not handing my kids rifles with loaded magazines and the bolt open. It is not happening. It’s not smart, nor is it safe.
Again, use your head.
WTF! I didn't think I was cherry picking out of anything... What exactly did I post that makes you think that?
And in Canada it is against current laws to have a loaded rifle in a house. It wasn't 40 or 50 years ago.
And a loaded rifle in a house is not automatically unsafe. It would depend on who has access to it.
Canada's Firearms Act defines some words, as do many other acts and regulations, and their definitions carry with them the weight of law. For example:
We may choose to employ this word (or that), casually, when we really mean this (or that), but it doesn't change the fact that - in Canada - Canada's Firearms Act is the law, and the Firearms Act's definitions carry the weight of law. Anyone who disregards the law, and teaches others to disregard the law, does us no favour.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Now if you said, drop the hammer, or firing off the action so it's not cocked, we may understand.
Alot of my bolts are stored with the action open.
Alot of my bolts are stored with the action open.
