bolt-action
adjective
bolt-ac·tion
ˈbōlt-ˈak-shən 
of a firearm
: loaded by means of a manually operated bolt
Examples of bolt-action in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unlike semiautomatic firearms, bolt-action rifles require manual cycling between shots, limiting the rate of fire to one round at a time.
—
Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The switchgear has been reengineered with horological precision, from luminous-infill toggles that capture daylight and glow softly at night to a parking brake lever that feels like a bolt-action rifle.
—New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2025
The jury saw photographs of firearms agents seized from Combs' home, including a bolt-action Ruger rifle, Smith & Wesson M&P AR15-style semi-automatic rifles, a Glock pistol and a Mossberg pump-action shotgun.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 13 June 2025
Gunsite owner Buz Mills added combat tactics with AR-15 and bolt-action rifles.
—William La Jeunesse, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Most of his kills came slowly, a single shot from his bolt-action M40 after hours of waiting.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024
The two could hear the bolt-action rifle and the sizzling sound of lead ripping through the air.
—Danielle Bacher, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023
Fritz accomplished this goal by combining benchrest bolt-action rifle technology with a rifled shotgun barrel.
—Tony Hansen, Outdoor Life, 22 June 2023
During a search in April of the Dighton home Teixeira shared with his mother and stepfather, FBI agents found a gun locker about two feet from his bed containing handguns, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, an AK-style high-capacity weapon, and a gas mask, according to court filings.
—Shelley Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 2023
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Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The switchgear has been reengineered with horological precision, from luminous-infill toggles that capture daylight and glow softly at night to a parking brake lever that feels like a bolt-action rifle.
—New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2025
The jury saw photographs of firearms agents seized from Combs' home, including a bolt-action Ruger rifle, Smith & Wesson M&P AR15-style semi-automatic rifles, a Glock pistol and a Mossberg pump-action shotgun.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 13 June 2025
Gunsite owner Buz Mills added combat tactics with AR-15 and bolt-action rifles.
—William La Jeunesse, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Most of his kills came slowly, a single shot from his bolt-action M40 after hours of waiting.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024
The two could hear the bolt-action rifle and the sizzling sound of lead ripping through the air.
—Danielle Bacher, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023
Fritz accomplished this goal by combining benchrest bolt-action rifle technology with a rifled shotgun barrel.
—Tony Hansen, Outdoor Life, 22 June 2023
During a search in April of the Dighton home Teixeira shared with his mother and stepfather, FBI agents found a gun locker about two feet from his bed containing handguns, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, an AK-style high-capacity weapon, and a gas mask, according to court filings.
—Shelley Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Bolt-action.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolt-action. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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