It was full-dark when the Rangers heard footfalls.
The command was met by blasts from the bandits Colt.
A ricochet fatally pierced a lawmans belly.
The 1898 Mauser turned the world’s military units — and hunters — onto the advantages of bolt rifles.
By match-light, the Rangers found the man, felled by Franks self-loading rifle.
The Model 8 was our first commercially successful self-loading centerfire.
In .25, .30, .32 and .35, it had a rotating bolt driven by a long-recoil mechanism.
Springfield Armory’s Waypoint offers great features, a variety of chamberings and accuracy — all factors that keepbolt-actions popular.
It would be replaced in 1936 by the Model 81.
That year, the U.S. Army adopted the M1 Garand as its service rifle.
But hunters werent as quick to accept autos.
Springfield’s SAINT is a trim, lightweight AR-15, a top pick for hunters who like autos and the .223.
Only about 60,000 Model 8s were sold during its 30 years in production.
Lever-actions outsold it many times over.
Post-war availability of surplus infantry arms further fueled it.
A sturdy, reliable action, recoil-absorbing weight and excellent iron sights boost the appeal of the M1A.
Theyre gas-driven and fire powerful, flat-shooting cartridges.
The .25 Remington was loaded to a pressure of about 35,000 psi.
Self-loaders now cycle ammunition generating 65,000.
AR-15 cartridges must fit .223-length magazines. L-R: .223, .224 Valkyrie, .22 Nosler, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 Remington SPC, .350 Winchester Legend, .450 Bushmaster.
Bolt Action vs. Semi-Auto: A New Era?
Every major ammo company has worked to upgrade .223/5.56 NATO loads and add new ones.
The SAINTs 1-in-8 twist works with many bullets, including long, heavy hollowpoints for hits out yonder.
In semi-auto hunting rifles, the author likes Springfield’s M1A. It is offered in .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor, both fine hunting rounds.
Early self-loaders werent drilled to acceptriflescopes needed for deer hunting, and installing optics could be expensive.
Most hunters were satisfied with iron sights, as autos were typically used at woods ranges.
But modern gas-operated rifles like the M1A and SAINT are both more accurate and easily scoped.
Springfield’s M1A (bottom), essentially a civilian M14, is much like the M1 Garand (top). Both have big game punch.
TheM1A Scout Squadhas a short rail forward of the receiver for an intermediate-eye-relief (IER) scope.
The SAINT Victors full-length rail affords great latitude in scope position.
Hunters sweet on the lithe, scabbard-friendly profiles of lever-action carbines dismissed the first autos.
When the goal is landing one powerful blow on resilient game, the author believes a bolt-action rifle excels.
But the ways hunters transport and use rifles have changed with the times.
Saddle-guns have given way to truck guns.
Many shooters are now accustomed to steep, small grips and find lightweight ARs quick to the target.
One careful shot from a bolt rifle like the Waypoint can topple game in the field.
M-Lok slotson five sides of the SAINTs 15 hexagonal handguard accept add-ons.
The dual-aperture rear sight has half-minute windage detents; the eared post up front adjusts for elevation.
No lever- or bolt-actions I know of come standard with all those features!
An AR semi-automatic rifle took this bull. But most AR-15 loads are marginal for elk, and 7.62 AR rifles are heavier.
Pulling the pin on the SAINT lets the breech swing free for easy from-the-rear cleaning, per bolt rifles.
On the Other Hand… Light weight and the vertical grip make it easy to control from unsupported positions.
An AR-15 can be even be pointed and fired with one hand.
(Try that with anM1 Garand!)
But such agility exacts a cost in cartridge size and bullet energy.
But elk, mountain goats and grizzly bears are not easily felled.
In cover under field conditions, any second chance can vanish during recoil.
The Garand chambered the.30-06, the most widely used hunting roundof its century in North America.
The burliest .223 loads register 1,400 ft-lbs at the muzzle less than the 06 carries to 500 yards!
While new hunting cartridges for AR-15s offer heavier bullets, theyre arguably all marginal for animals bigger than deer.
Well, you could say, a 7.62mm AR fires thepowerful .308.
Yes, but that ARs action is larger.
Hunters often walk and/or wait many hours to earn one shot.
A rifles heft and shape both affect how it carries.
Straight, slim-waisted, iron-sighted rifles feel good in either place, also in my right fist.
To shield the action from rain or snow, I tuck it to my side under my right arm.
Even a lightweight AR-15 like a 612-lb.
SAINT doesnt yet feel good to me in any of those positions.
The vertical grip and magazine fight every option save the tuck.
Sorry, AR fans, but a 7.62mm AR beats me up until I have it in firing position.
A rifle of traditional profile doesnt prod me at every step.
Springfield M1A is a cheerful companion.
And its barreled for two excellent big game cartridges.
The .308, introduced in 1952, is essentially a short-action .30-06.
Hunting bullets lag the 06s by about 100 fps and exit with up to 2,950 ft-lbs of energy.
They can bring 1,800 to 300 yards a lethal blow to the vitals of any North American game.
The6.5 Creedmoorcame from the shorter .30 T/C.
The numerous M1A variations listed by Springfield include walnut and synthetic-stocked variations.
My pick is the loaded version with walnut.
The air-gauged barrel is rifled 1-in-11, the two-stage trigger tuned for a 412-lb.
For some inexplicable reason, I like the feel of an M1A.
Its excellent sights (.0595 hooded rear aperture, .062 front blade) absolve me of adding a scope.
My eyes cant do much better!
From a solid position, these sights suit the M1A for 250-yard shots.
The M1A is a sturdy rifle that begs no coddling.
Its bolt slams home with theka-chunkof a vault door.
Its mass and gas mechanism mitigate recoil.
From field positions, the muzzle hops; the butt bumps gently against your clavicle.
Then, magically, the sights are aligned again, for another quick press of the trigger.
Which Can Perform?
Early concerns about the reliability of autos dont apply to the likes of the M1A and the SAINT.
So why do most hunters still favor bolt rifles?
Cost is one reason.
Bolt-action centerfires are cheaper to build than self-loaders or lever-actions.
An entry-level turn-bolt can be had for around $400.
Autos now can start in four figures.
Also, a bolt-action is easy to understand.
Anyone can pull its bolt to check the bore or fix a minor feeding problem.
Field-stripping an AR is not difficult; but neither is the task intuitive.
The most accurate rifles are bolt-actions.
Triggers on autos cant match the best in bolt rifles.
The most recent AR on my bench has a rough 6-lb.
That on an aging, unmodified 03A3 Springfield bolt rifle breaks smoothly at 4 lbs.
pull I like on hunting rifles comes easiest on turn-bolts.
In brutal environments, a bolt-action is comforting.
Bolt-actions can best handle big, potent cartridges.
While self-loaders have been barreled to the likes of Winchesters .338, these havent sold well.
In autos, power quickly adds component weight.
Lastly, bolt rifles have most ably pioneered designs and materials that serve hunters.
Carbon-fiber (CF) stocks and barrels are quickly and inexpensively fitted to bolt-actions.
Most new cartridges, factory-loaded and wildcat, are for bolt rifles.
Conclusion
The market has followed hunters affinity for bolt rifles.
The action shares the Remington 700s footprint.
The spiral-fluted, twin-lug bolt has dual cocking cams for an easy lift.
A TriggerTech trigger adjusts down to 212 lbs.
The two-position safety permits bolt manipulation when on.
Springfield shaved lock time to a lightning-quick 1.9 milliseconds.
Receiver, bottom metal, barrel shank and brake are Cerakoted.
The Waypoints carbon fiber stock is pillar-bedded and weighs less than 2 lbs.
A carbon fiber-wrapped barrel is also offered.
Such rifles still beat autoloaders for most hunting, when one hard, well-placed blow properly ends the drama.
When it doesnt, well, a bolt can be run in recoil.
But dont feel like youd be shortchanged if you choose to run a semi-auto!
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