ANSWER:
Bolt-action firearms have earned a reputation for being more accurate and reliable than any semi-automatic rifle. For this reason, they are still the choice of many target shooters and snipers. This is true because of the way that bolt action rifles close the chamber. When a bullet fires inside the chamber, the force from the charge is completely directed at propelling the bullet down the barrel (In an autoloader, part of the energy is used to cycle the action). Also, a bolt action's only moving parts when firing are the pin and spring. Since it has fewer moving parts and a short lock time, it has less of a chance of being thrown off target and less of a chance to malfunction. Finally, since the spent cartridge has to be manually removed instead of automatically ejected, it helps a sniper remain better hidden, since not only is the cartridge not flung into the air and to the ground, possibly giving away the sniper's position, but the cartridge can be removed when most prudent, allowing the sniper to remain still until reloading is tactically feasible. Bolt actions are also easier to operate from a prone position than other manually repeating mechanisms and work well with box magazines which are easier to fill and maintain than tubular magazines.
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