Assume that the checkering was well done (see Mark Penrod, etc.), is there any advantage other than beauty on a hunting rifle? It would seem to be a torn hand waiting to happen while reloading in a hurry. What is the opinion of those who have and have not? Sound advice is needed (and this is a double posting in Big Bores, sorry)! Thank you for sharing, Arthur Olds

With my fingers it is necessary to work the bolt quickly.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by ArthurOlds:
Assume that the checkering was well done (see Mark Penrod, etc.), is there any advantage other than beauty on a hunting rifle? It would seem to be a torn hand waiting to happen while reloading in a hurry. What is the opinion of those who have and have not? Sound advice is needed (and this is a double posting in Big Bores, sorry)! Thank you for sharing, Arthur Olds

I think it depends on whether you are a bolt "slapper" or a bolt "grabber"/"palmer". If you slap the bolt up and back then you might prefer checkering to keep the hand from sliding off. If you grasp the bolt knob or palm it, you may prefer smooth so it slides easily in your finger tips/palm as it goes thru rotation. You can compromise and do a two panel checker of the top and bottom of the knob with a smooth band around the middle, like a Rem 700.

edit: I noticed your other post referred to a DGR. You may also consider a little longer handle and larger grasping ball in that application. I would go with smooth in a DGR. My preference is to palm the bolt open, push it straight back with my middle and ring finger, then catch the ball between my thumb and fore finger to close it, hooking my thumb over it for the final closing movement.

The Highpower shooters I know mostly use the slamming-palm technique in both directions and so do I. If you work the bolt slowly it doesn't matter for me but a checkered bolt knob, for me, is a torn palm waiting to happen. I would suspect that a little SERIOUS practice would show the same result for most anyone.

AAMOF the smaller knobs as on the 1903 Springfield are quite attractive but, for me, they are a bruised palm waiting to happen 'cause they're TOO small. Guess it depends upon how hard the shooter slams the bolt handle and how well the action has been lapped for faster movement. My last NM 1903 Springfield left a NICE(!) bruise.

On a plains rifle I like the checkered knobs but for a truly fast repeat shot IMO the larger smooth knob will prove to be kinder to the hand and, as a result, maybe a little faster.

I personally have never seen a USING DGR or Highpower with a checkered knob, but then again actual USING DGRs are kinda rare. Lotsa wannabes but few get more than one or two safaris with little serious practice beforehand or in between.
Regards, Joe

Having packing a few USING DGRs and, thankfully, never had to use one for many years, I gotta agree with JDS, the idea of checkering on my bolt knob gives me the "vapours" as "old .270" used to say.

My main reason for my preference for P-64 Mod. 70s as working rifles is because of the easy to manipulate bolt...and five shots in a 20" tubed .375H&H that you can carry all day in one hand.

So, while I admire well done metal checkering, none of the 35 rifles currently in my safes or the 100+ others that I have had sported checkered bolt knobs. Each to his own, but, that's how I like my rifles.

For practical use, I prefer a smooth knob. As usual J.D. has beaten me to the keyboard, but he said exactly what I would have tried to say, though he did it with much more skill than I.

When it comes to target rifles, I even prefer a large round plastic knob about the size of a ping-pong ball. Sort of beauty follows function, I guess.

One added point...Personally I don't even like the look of a checkered bolt handle knob. If I was going to deviate from a throughly practical knob for the purpose of beauty, nothing looks better to me than a nicely swept back tear-drop style knob with a 220 grit polish and a thin rust blue.

Just personal preference but there it is, warts and all.