The Arisaka and the Carcano have the strongest actions ever fielded in bolt action battle rifles. Ironically, both types have an undeserved reputation for being weak and dangerous.
I agree with your rankings of bolt action rifles. IMHO, no bolt gun is quicker or has better balance and feel than an SMLE.
***The Arisaka and the Carcano have the strongest actions ever fielded in bolt action battle rifles.****
I have read that the reason for the bad rep is that the governments changed calibers during the war. As a result, people would often get a smaller caliber rifle, then try and force the larger caliber cartridge into the chamber, driving the bullet back into the case. When fired, the rifle would self destruct.
It is like some idiot who forced an 8MM Mauser cartridge into a 30-06 rifle, then wonders why the rifle exploded.
Yes, there some idiots that will do that. I had a working companion who blew up a muzzle loading rifle, split the stock, blackened his eyes from the recoil. He had no powder measure and just put several TABLESPOONS of powder in his rifle.
Then there was another idiot who was determined to fire a odd caliber military rifle and wanted a caliber cartridge to fit it. It did not matter if the case did not fit, HE WOULD MAKE IT FIT! I quietly took the clerk aside and told him not to sell this man anything as he was obviously a danger to himself and others.
Then another idiot who wanted to shoot a black powder revolver so he grabbed a can of smokeless rifle powder and wrong sized bullets. I stopped him before he blew himself up.
***a minority of them are highly unsafe ***
On the rifle I saw, all the tool marks were still there. The rear sight was a small piece of angle iron with a hole drilled through it and spot welded tot he top of the barrel.
I still would not fire it.