Why haven't striaght pull bolt actions take off in the U.S.?

[Frankr]

I know that they are out there in the U.S. Mainly the Blaser 93 and (obviously the k-31) and a few others but why haven't they really taken off?

Even when you could get a cheap (by price not quality) Mauser M96 American (now the Titan 16) or the Browning Acera (Ugly and like a BAR without the "A") people didn't flock to them.


With how well people love the Swiss K-21 for its accuracy and speed of fire I would have thought they would have become more popular.

I know the price is pretty steep for the European rifles but one would have thought and American company (besides Browning) would have come out with one.

Right now the Lynx rifle is by far my favorite and I am envious of the smoothness and speed in the action.

below is a

LYNX RIFLES by RACKNLOAD - YouTube

 

[mcfred]

Why is there such a Colt 1911 following? The 1911's a 102 year old design and it's hard to convince anyone that there are better, more modern designs.

The Remington M700 design's common, proven accurate and reliable, cheap, and there's a huge established industry supporting it. So it's likely just a stubborn culture taking the path of least resistance is my guess.

 

[Randoman5]

That Lynx looks pretty sweet. Do they even sell that in the US?

 

[long range newbie]

I can understand getting a rem 700 to start with but if you go custom might aswell put a little extra in a custom action right? btw I like ur posts of the 50wsm and you changing the calibers on it etc

 

[Dogtown]

I shot a Blaser T2 a while back setup with a left bolt and since I'm a righty, I was able to cycle it effortlessly without changing my shooting grip. Nice.

 

[hlee]

Every Walmart, Academy, Dicks, Bass Pro, and Cabelas carries several different brands of conventional bolt rifles, however, I only know of one retailer for Blazer rifles off of the top of my head. I think the term you are looking for is institutional inertia (there are large barriers to change) or self feeding cycle (no one buys them because none are available, and none are available because no one buys them). That linx does look sweet...

 

[vtb]

straight pulls by nature of design is something to make two quick follow up shots.

Area of usage of this feature is competitive shooting and hunting.
Because straigh pulls are made in low numbers their price is relatively high.
So it leaves niche like Hunting High-End rifles (because it's easier and more economicaly effective to add engravings and great walnut stock to the pricey chassis and sell it as pricey rifle than to lower the price for chassis and try to sell it as cheap rifle with staright pull)

If you look in that niche - there are straight pulls in all their beauty. Especially Blaser as one and single company who designed and patened (!) method of disassembly rifle for transportation without loozing zero (because scope is mounted on the barrel not on the reciever).

So as the result straight pulls do have twists, barrel contours and stocks which are
a) especially designed for them - i.e. there is almost none aftermarket parts for them - you can only buy original - and they are pricey
b) designed with hunting application in mind. So no Bull barrels, no tight chambers, no tactical stocks, etc.
Add here that straight-pulls are considered to be more dangerous by adepts of classic rifles (and while K31 is sweet you can break your cheek bone if your LOP is short)

So - straight pulls are niche rifles. and there they shine.

PS
That Lynx 94 rifle looks promising because it's like tikka by approach but have straight pull bolt. Thank you for the link.

 

[LVMED]

I don't know why they haven't caught on with everyone else but I love my Blaser Tac2.

 

[Frankr]

Randoman5 - It is not in the US - I wish

VTB - I think you are right on the head

LV MED - Do you like the stock? to ME it's not the best looking around (function or form I guess) but I wonder if you could get one dropped in a KRG wiskey, or other Chassis or Manners to make it appeal more to convential Tactical shooters.


Now I am not a tactical shooter (no Mil, LE or anything besides loving to hunt and shoot) but to my understanding fast follow up shots would be advantageous to people engaged in that line of work which is why I thought they would be more popular

YMMV

 

[slothlacrosse]

I'd buy a straight pull bolt gun if it took AI magazines. Some day... some day

 

[mallrat]

Kind of like why are lever action rifles so popular amongst the "Cowboy" crowd when slide action rifles were also available and are far more efficient. Like already stated "Institutional Inertia", just the way things are. If you're going to deviate from the manual of arms you've known since you were a child, might as well go with a semi-auto (match rules aside). Anyway, I'll have to remember to ask about those options next time I'm in the market for a bolt gun.

 

[biffj]

I'm having a lot of fun with straight pulls.....K31s are just one of the Swiss types starting with the IG89, IG96 and 96/11, KG 97, K11, and IG11 then on to the Mannlichers the K93 Swiss in 7.5 GP90 and the Austrian M95 in 8X50R later modded to the 8X56R, the Ross rifles in their variations. Mine is a 1905 in .303. A couple of Russian manufacturers make various toggle action straight pull like the Izhmash Biathalon rifles, mine is a 22 mag. I looked at the Blaser but for the cost the DTA looked like a better deal and more adaptable to other cals. I'd like to have one but they're a bit high costwise. I think that is the problem in the US with new straight pull rifles. The costs are normally higher than what buyers want to pay. You can get a very accurate Rem 700 or Win M70 (FN) for fairly low cost so why pay a lot more for the novelty of the straight pull. Most guys who want speed will go with a semi auto so the advantage of the straight pull is gone. Its a great idea and there are collectors out there who love them (me) but for practicality its not the answer.

Just my opinion.

Frank

 

[Dick D]

Most straight pull rifles, like the semi-autos and the pumps, have relatively weak closing, opening and extraction cams. They are really best suited to shooting new ammo only, and most will probably have a problem with shooting reloads unless they are very carefully prepared. Standard turn-bolt bolt actions have very healthy and aggressive closing, opening and extraction cams on the action and allow a lot more lee-way in ammunition. Since Americans tend to reload their own ammo a lot more then the Europeans do, it's no wonder we have gravitated more to the bolt action for this leeway in ammo. Plus, the performance is usually superior and the cost is less, what's to think about.

 

[kmose73]

I don't know anything about these. But I recently read a review in a gun rag about a blazer hunting rifle and they seemed perfectly happy shooting 2.5 moa groups. Surely accuracy potential is better than that.

 

[the gman]

The Lynx looks nice but with a price tag of about $5500 for the stainless target model and spare mags running $230 each for .308 models and $308 for .30-06 length, they simply will not sell enough of them here to make it worthwhile importing them.

 

[Frankr]

The Lynx looks nice but with a price tag of about $5500 for the stainless target model and spare mags running $230 each for .308 models and $308 for .30-06 length, they simply will not sell enough of them here to make it worthwhile importing them.

True the Lynx is pricey but even when you can pick up a Mauser 96 American for under 1000.00

they didn't sell

Here is a video of the Titan 16 which is a rebranded Mauser 96 American

Watch the first 30 seconds to see how fast they are and the rest is about changing the barrel

Roessler Titan 16 Straight Pull Rifle - YouTube