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Purpose of cocking piece on a Springfield rifle?

penguinpenguin Member Posts: 596 ✭
in Ask the Experts
Not sure of the purpose if the bolt cocks on opening.
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    jeffb1911jeffb1911 Member Posts: 2,111 ✭✭✭
    To re cock it when you have a dud round.  At least that was what I was told when I asked an RKI in my youth.  
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    navc130navc130 Member Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭
    Per BOLT ACTION RIFLES by Frank de Haas, "so the striker can be manually cocked or uncocked.  This feature is of small value except when one might want to recock the bolt after a misfire or hang-fire.  The extra metal adds weight to the striker and this can be helpful to ignition."  Many early military bolt action rifles had this feature due to faulty primers at this time period.
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    BobJudyBobJudy Member Posts: 6,473 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Anachronistic hold over. It is easier to raise and lower the bolt handle than to try to grab the cocking piece. In battle I would wager if a bad cartridge was encountered, it was just ejected and not tried again. Military weapons are approved by committee and someone on that committee thought it would be a good idea. As far as de Hass what does a hang fire have to do with a cocking piece? Bob
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    I have had interesting experiences with hang fires.  In combat I'd gladly pull back the cocking piece for a second try than open the bolt.  I have had a lot misfires that went on that second try, I don't try a third time, just wait it out and eject quickly.  YMMV.  
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    MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 13,778 ✭✭✭✭
    A carry over from the Krag(I think). Aside from providing a "re-strike", the knob on the cocking piece made disassembly of the bolt easier. This was important in the days of corrosive primers when EVERYTHING in/on the rifle required cleaning after firing.
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    HangfireHangfire Member Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭
    - It provides a protective shield for eye protection from gas blowback from a pierced primer/case rupture..Mausers have a flared bolt sleeve for the same purpose..During the National Matches in the '20's, some shooters ground off the knob to reduce weight for improved lock-time.. Some bad experiences with pierced primers stopped that practice..

    -If the safety is damaged/worn it may be necessary to slightly manipulate the piece to align the interface-also used when fitting new parts..

    -If the bolt is seized, and you are unable to raise the handle, being able to manually cock the rifle removes that small resistance..

    -In case of a failure to fire, you can re-fire without having to un-lock the bolt..



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    pip5255pip5255 Member Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭
    mostly for the name it was given, to cock the bolt
    just because you could doesn't mean you should
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