bolt-action

adjective

bolt-ac·​tion ˈbōlt-ˈak-shən How to pronounce bolt-action (audio)
of a firearm
: loaded by means of a manually operated bolt

Examples of bolt-action in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The two could hear the bolt-action rifle and the sizzling sound of lead ripping through the air. Danielle Bacher, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023 That early bolt-action slug gun has since evolved into the 12 gauge Model 212 and 20 gauge Model 220. Tony Hansen, Outdoor Life, 22 June 2023 During a search in April of the home Teixeira shared with his mother and stepfather in Dighton, 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. Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 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 During a search last month of the Dighton home Teixeira shares 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. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 12 May 2023 This is an impressive debut for Daniel Defense, which is a newcomer to the high-end bolt-action rifle scene. John B. Snow, Field & Stream, 4 May 2023 Because of their manual nature, bolt-action guns are accurate but slow to fire. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 15 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bolt-action.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bolt-action was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near bolt-action

Cite this Entry

“Bolt-action.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolt-action. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

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