I was just on ]www.blackhawkindustries.com[url/] looking at the shooting mats/cases and noticed the Hathcock Sniper Pack Mat. I saw in the description that there is a place for carrying a bolt. Is this common practice for snipers to carry an extra bolt or the bolt out of the gun?

Carry an extra bolt? no way. The problems of headspacing two bolts is too much. That and getting used to how your rig shoots with one bolt is hard enough, switch bolts and you have created a second rifle to learn... thats why most decent rifles have bolts mated/serialed to the reciever...

For my nicer rifles, when I put them into a drag bag for range day I tend to remove the bolt and store it in its own hard case... (when my baby gets stored in its pelican case the bolt stays in) that way the bolt handle doesn't get jostled around at all when the rifle is in the case... maybe I'm just anal but thats how I was taught... Same way I only load one round at a time into my rifle when I'm shooting match ammo.

For tacitcal use, the bolt would be in the gun at all times, for me for transport when there is a chance the rifle could get knocked.. the bolt is out.

Thanks, I was wondering if anyone was going to answer this one

I've got one of those drag bags. I like it a lot, but I rarely take the bolt out of my rifle when using it. A good way to lose the bolt. You can use it for a small tool set, screw drivers, allen wrenches, etc for your rifle though.