Rimfire Research’s front locking rimfire rifle
An Australian company called Rimfire Research are developing a range of front locking rimfire rifles.
Two rifle actions are being developed. The short action will be built around the .22 LR cartridge and the long action around the .22 Magnum. The bolts will be the minimum size needed to accommodate these cartridges. They will feature three front locking lugs, mechanical ejection and controlled round feed.
Apparently many years ago Mauser produced a front locking .22 rifle, as did a Russian firm, although neither produced them in much quantity.
[ Many thanks to Mehul for emailing me the link. ]
If I’m not mistaken, the Winchester 121s, 131s, and 141s of the late-60s and early-70s were front-locking like the Mauser.
@Mehul
Why not just get a cricket .22? (http://www.crickett.com/)
what I was going to post before my ADD kicked in:
Why only front locking or rear locking? If your gonna do over kill, do it all the way! make a Total locking bolt action, with front mid and rear locks! Hmm, that is actually a pretty good Idea for a ‘Super magnum’ sniper…. One second I have to call Ron Barrett.
Steve,
My pleasure. The rifle promises to be extremely light when it comes out. Would be a lovely beginners’ gun for my little girl – all of the 22s that I have would be heavy for her as they are “man sized.” This one promises to be very light and accurate thanks to the front locking lugs.
1) Buy Anschutz
2) Avoid pointless foreign vaporware
3) Shoot well
4) ????
5) Profit!
Be a stiffer or tighter action all things being equal. That could very well increase accuracy in a very measurable amount. No way to tell until one lands on these shores..
“Isn’t the Ruger 77/22 front locking as well?”
The 77/22 has sort of a mid-locking bolt; it might help to visualize a very short standard front locking rifle bolt with a 10/22 bolt somehow hooked into its’ extractor; the “10/22 bolt” is equivalent to the front half of the 77/22 bolt and the other bolt is the rear half.
The front section of the bolt (pretty much the entirety of what is visible in the action opening when closed) doesn’t turn at all, while the back portion (that does turn) locks at ITS’ front end.
As Hojo said a front locking bolt provides more stability by locking the action right at the chamber, it’s one of the reason the Mauser action is so beloved today. With a rimfire I can’t imagine a good reason for a plinker to look into it however for a competition shooter it may improve a 100yd group by a few thousandths.
I would imagine that front locking produces a more consistent chambering by locking the breech near the casing, minimizing the effect of lateral motion of the bolt. totally pulled that out of my A$$…
I figured out the meaning of front locking on my own but I still have questions. I know that front vs. rear locking is a strength issue in centerfire cartridges, but what is the advantage for a rimfire? More precise lockup for accuracy?
Isn’t the Ruger 77/22 front locking as well?
Is it just me or is this a solution looking for a problem to solve?
Why does front locking matter?
‘scuse my ignorance, but what is “front locking”?
Freiheit, sorry, I should have explained. If you look at an AR-15 bolt, or a variety of bolt action rifles, you will see that the locking lugs are at the front of the bolt, hence front locking. Other bolt actions are rear locking. The locking lugs are actually at the the rear of the bolt.