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also bolt action

adj. (of a gun) having a breech that is opened by turning a bolt and sliding it back.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

 
 

Type of breech mechanism that was key to developing an effective repeating rifle. It combines the firing pin, a spring, and an extractor, all housed in or attached to the bolt. A projecting handle with a round knob moves the bolt back and forth. As the bolt is thrust forward, it pushes a cartridge into the chamber and cocks the piece. The trigger releases the spring-driven firing pin inside the bolt. After firing, the extractor on the head of the bolt removes the spent cartridge and ejects it. The bolt then moves a new cartridge from the magazine.

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US Military Dictionary. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more

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