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
The gun, an 8mm bolt-action rifle, was obtained legally by the suspect in August, Rothrock said.
—
Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Rothrock described the gun used in the attack as an 8mm bolt-action rifle that Jahn legally purchased in August.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
The gunman used a bolt-action rifle, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
—Jamie Stengle, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
The gun is a bolt-action rifle, which requires users to manually reload between shots.
—Andrew Blankstein, NBC news, 20 Sep. 2025
Robinson’s father also recognized the weapon from news coverage as the same bolt-action rifle his son had inherited from his grandfather, according to court filings.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recovered evidence includes a bolt-action rifle and forensic impressions lifted from the rooftop, including palm and forearm imprints and footwear marks.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Here's a look at how bolt-action rifles work and their legality in Indiana.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 12 Sep. 2025
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
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Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Rothrock described the gun used in the attack as an 8mm bolt-action rifle that Jahn legally purchased in August.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
The gunman used a bolt-action rifle, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
—Jamie Stengle, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
The gun is a bolt-action rifle, which requires users to manually reload between shots.
—Andrew Blankstein, NBC news, 20 Sep. 2025
Robinson’s father also recognized the weapon from news coverage as the same bolt-action rifle his son had inherited from his grandfather, according to court filings.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recovered evidence includes a bolt-action rifle and forensic impressions lifted from the rooftop, including palm and forearm imprints and footwear marks.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Here's a look at how bolt-action rifles work and their legality in Indiana.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 12 Sep. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Bolt-action.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolt-action. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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