Author Topic: 3 position safety (Read 1764 times)

nodlenor · « **on:** February 01, 2008, 05:03:59 PM »

All my rifles have 2 position safeties and I have never had any problems with them. Would someone please explain the advantages of the three position safety.

Old English · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2008, 11:55:12 PM »

On a Savage the extra position allows you to cycle the bolt without the trigger operating. IE. Work the bolt but safety still operational. Most 2 positions don't allow the bolt to move when the safety is on.

nodlenor · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2008, 03:12:47 AM »

My rifles do not lock the bolt when the safety is on but this brand of rifle does offer a 3 position safety, so is there an advantage to locking the bolt? I'm not trying to make an issue of this I'm just trying to understand what the advantages and/or disadvantages are.

Zachary · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2008, 03:15:30 AM »

Sitting here next to my partial gun rack, I can say that, with regards to the 2 position safeties where the bolt won't cycle when on safe, that is true of my Tikkas, but not my Remingtons.

Zachary

Dave in WV · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:14:37 AM »

The only advantage IMHO is a three position safety allows you to lock the bolt with the safety on and have another safety position to allow the bolt to be opened and the safety still blocking the trigger or sear. The only two position safety I don't care for is one that has to be "off" to open the action. If you follow the 10 commandments of gun safety, unloading with the safety off should not be a real problem.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2008, 05:12:00 AM »

It is an extra level of safe that is especially useful if one is a novice or unfamilar with safe gun handling practices.

Cement Man · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2008, 05:15:03 AM »

The 3 position allows you to unlock and cycle the bolt to load and unload the gun with the safety on. A good idea - I think.

Safe gun handling should always prevail over the idea that the safety is your first and last line of defense against an accident.

Having said that, I always opt for the Ruger or "Model 70" safety (3 position on the bolt) for bolt rifles I will be using in a treestand because I regard them as the most positive should I ever drop my loaded rifle from a tree. (Never have, never intend to, but I feel better with one.) Some safeties are little more than trigger blocks, some interfere with other linkage, sear or trigger. The Ruger locks out the the trigger and the cocking piece. When I am in a tree - I appreciate the "extra" safety engineering, and think it is well worth having.

On foot, over a bench, I feel fine with most other safeties. Again, safe gun handling ALWAYS prevails.

Every once in a while I hear some decry the Model 70 style safety, or Ruger safety as slow to get into action. After over 50 years of using Model 70 safeties, and later Ruger safeties when the 77 MkII's came out I would have to disagree with that. Any rifle or shotgun I have ever used, the safety became second nature after familiarization. I like the positive indication, either by sight or by touch, that the 3 position bolt safety gives me as well.

BCB · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2008, 05:57:49 AM »

I have the Model 70's with the 3 position safeties...I like the full back position in that it locks the bolt in place. I have had the bolt come open when walking in extremely thick brush and it throws a live round out and the chamber is open. I do use all 3 positions on my Model 70's...BCB

mudstud · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2008, 07:42:41 AM »

To clarify one point (yeah, I'm a nitpicker!). The Ruger and M70 three-position safeties both block the firing pin while in the rearward most position. In the center safety position, the M70 still blocks the firing pin, the Ruger does not. Don't know about the Kimber.

nodlenor · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2008, 05:15:21 AM »

BCB, I can understand your point about getting the bolt accidentally opened in thick brush. Good point. I thought there might be more of a safety issue that I wasn't grasping.

jhm · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2008, 05:29:04 AM »

I dont like them PERIOD. No explanation required. JIM

jro45 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2008, 11:42:39 AM »

I have a three position safety on my CZ 458 Lott American Safari Rifle. It's hard to not have one after having this one.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2008, 07:28:55 AM »

Whichever kind you favor, I would imagine it would be hard (unsafe) to switch back and forth between them. A friend shot a hole in his truck (new) door doing that. 'Course if he'd not had his finger on the trigger it wouldn't have happened.

Cement Man · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2008, 09:42:50 AM »

I don't know Beeman....
One day I am shooting a tang safety over/under and the next day a Ruger or Model 70 on the bolt - seems to work all right for me. Once I "set my mind" on what I am shooting that day and get the "feel" dialed into the muscle memory, it seems to work pretty smooth.
On the other hand, I remember when I was younger and would switch from a pump to an auto for duck hunting or vice versa - I'd be trying to pump the auto or pulling the trigger twice on the pump without shucking it. One of my vehicles has a floor shift, one on the column - no telling how many times I reach for the wrong one when I change from one to another.
Guess that's why safe handling is more important than the safety.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2008, 09:49:03 AM »

I switch back and forth due to different guns being used in different counties .
a safety is a mechanical device , don't depend on it and you won't have accidents !

nodlenor · « **Reply #15 on:** March 06, 2008, 09:12:11 AM »

My new rifle has a 3 position safety. I still don't see a big advantage but maybe after I use it for a while I will.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #16 on:** March 06, 2008, 09:47:46 AM »

the location of the safety means as much as 3 vs. 2 position

corbanzo · « **Reply #17 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:19:11 AM »

Really it all comes down to what you are used to. I've never had a rifle with a three position safety, and don't plan to. I just like the two position. It is either safe, or not safe, PERIOD.

nodlenor · « **Reply #18 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:37:49 AM »

Shootall, I agree 100% on location. This is the first 3 position safety I've owned and I wouldn't have ordered it special but the rifle comes with it now or at least that is what I understand. It is a Howa 1500. I have two older ones that have the 2 position. I really don't see it to be any disadvantage because the middle position doesn't lock the bolt leaving one to use it as a 2 position.

Cement Man · « **Reply #19 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:43:35 AM »

To each his own...

billy · « **Reply #20 on:** March 06, 2008, 03:30:43 PM »

Both of my rifles have 3 position safety which is okay with me but so is a two position safety ,whatever you like.

lilabner · « **Reply #21 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:58:17 AM »

The big advantage of a 3 position safety is when the rifle does not have a hinged floorplate. My Savage does not have a floorplate but I can safely empty the magazine by setting the safety in the mid position ( Savage has a 3 position tang safety so the bolt can be worked but the rifle will not fire.) With a hinged floorplate, you can empty your magazine by just opening the floorplate and dropping the cartridges on something that won't ding up the bullet tips. However, the three position safety is safer when you want to remove the cartridge from the chamber. Set the safety in the mid position and work the bolt to kick out the chambered round. My Weatherby Vanguard came with a 2 position safety but I installed a Timney trigger which converted the safety to a 3 position safety. I have a Tikka with a detachable magazine. I wish it had a 3 position safety for removing the chambered cartridge.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #22 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:49:00 PM »

The advantage of a 3-position safety depends on what you are comparing it to. Consider my Rugers, for example, which have the following safeties:

1. Original slide safety - bolt won't open in 'Safe' position.
2. Newer slide safety - bolt opens in 'Safe' position.
3. 3-position safety.

The older slide safety always concerned me in that I had to take the rifle off 'Safe' to unload it. The newer slide safety concerns me because the bolt could open unintentionally while in the 'Safe' position. The 3-position safety on my newest Rugers offer the best of both worlds. In the full back position the hammer is blocked and the bolt is locked. In the middle position the bolt is unlocked and in the forward position the hammer is unblocked as well.

ssghelmick · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2008, 05:25:39 AM »

I you ever have to hike with a rifle in rough country you'll appreciate a safety that locks the bolt in place. With that said if the rifle has a blind magazine the second position is nice for safe unloading.

mike30-06 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 15, 2008, 04:19:07 PM »

Quote from: ssghelmick on March 09, 2008, 05:25:39 AM

I you ever have to hike with a rifle in rough country you'll appreciate a safety that locks the bolt in place. With that said if the rifle has a blind magazine the second position is nice for safe unloading.

I could not have said it any better.
I shoot a Beretta Mato in 30-06 with a 3 position safety.