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bolt-action

American  
[bohlt-ak-shuhn] / ˈboʊltˌæk ʃən /

adjective

  1. (of a rifle) equipped with a manually operated sliding bolt.


Etymology

Origin of bolt-action

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He also said Mr Robinson's father had suspected the weapon matched a bolt-action rifle that had once belonged to the suspect's grandfather.

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2025

Basant Raj Thakur, a VDG from Jammu's Doda area, said that he supported the move to provide automatic weapons, replacing bolt-action rifles that some guards are currently armed with.

From Reuters • Jan. 12, 2023

At the time of the search, Bertino allegedly possessed two pistols, a shotgun, a bolt-action rifle and two semiautomatic AR-15-style rifles with scopes.

From Washington Post • Oct. 6, 2022

The State Police said on Saturday night that troopers had recovered eight firearms: three AR-15 rifles, two pistols, a bolt-action rifle, a shotgun and a short-barrel rifle.

From New York Times • Jul. 3, 2021

The other was a .22 like mine, only bolt-action, and mine is a pump.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien