Chamber Empty or Loaded

[HSi-ESi]

When stalking through the woods, I like to keep my hunting knife in my teeth like a pirate. That way when I do slay the elusive beast I am ready for bleeding it out as soon as possible.

 

[TheTone]

I can distinctly remember walking up to a guy when I was 15 or 16 and noticing that he was standing there with his safety off and the rifle cocked, I can’t say for certain a round was chambered but I assume one was. Rifle was a ruger m77 mark II so pretty easy rifle to tell both things. He was very open to the fact he missed a buck multiple times that morning, I had heard all his shooting. Made me super uncomfortable and after he told me which direction I promptly headed the opposite way

 

[S-3 Ranch]

If you are serious I would honestly find new hunting buddys. After a few thousand days in the field I have only ever seen one accidental discharge and that was a 12 year old letting the hammer down on a Winchester 30-30 model 94 after they shot and missed at a deer. Thank god the muzzle was pointed in a safe direction.

I was a licensed outfitter for 30+ years, 85% of hunters are 50% safe
in the field, guns usually AD when you remind someone to do a safety check/ make sure are they unloaded after a stalk

 

[TOGIE]

every time you load a round creates an opportunity for it to be forgotten it was ever loaded. even when your sighting up on an animal in range you intend to shoot.

"i didn't think it was loaded! oh my god!" ... how many good hearted people have screamed those words throughout history.

on nearly every animal i shot the last few years i didn't even load the rifle until i had stared at the animal through the scope for a good 10-30 seconds in shooting range and position.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

So it will shoot..

Still waiting

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Still waiting

And you'll keep waiting for it to shoot if you don't load it

 

[elkduds]

I was impressed the day a warden approaching me in the field asked me to lift the bolt handle. I gave up on carrying one in the chamber long ago, except bird hunting. My Ithaca 37 discharged while racking the pump to load one into the chamber when I was 15. Never forgot that, happily muzzle was pointed down and away from others. Now my o/u is open whenever not actively hunting.

 

[Wild Bill]

Legit question. How do I explain to my kid that it is okay to chukar/pheasant hunt with one in the chamber, but not big game hunt with one in the chamber? I'm more scared of a shotgun accident than a rifle accident.

I think a good place to start is explaining to your kid that while bird hunting (as well as any time handling a firearm), you are always caring your gun in a safe manner. Safe manner being two hands on your gun, barrel pointed in a safe direction, hands and fingers clear of obstacles (gloves, overhanging sleeves, etc.) and away from the safety and outside the trigger guard, knowing where your hunting partners may be, knowing your terrain, obstacles, and what is beyond your target. At any time if you are going to take both hands off your gun, whether to cross a fence, stop for a sip of water, cross a creek, grab a bird from the dog, etc. you safely unchamber the round. When you're ready to resume your hunt, you can reload and continue.
Also, a big pet peeve of mine is seeing those ass hats at the range shooting clays that stand around or carry their O/U or SxS broke open over their shoulder barrel forward. I don't enjoy having any barrel pointed in my direction, even if the action is open.

 

[WapitiBob]

what about when upland or waterfowl hunting? Big game > In grizz country? > Turkey?

I don't currently hunt any of those, and the topic was a chambered rifle, not shotguns nor pistols.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Legit question. How do I explain to my kid that it is okay to chukar/pheasant hunt with one in the chamber, but not big game hunt with one in the chamber? I'm more scared of a shotgun accident than a rifle accident.

Good question. I'm not totally convinced it is ok. I don't think there is anything wrong with learning to load a shell when a bird is flushed.

 

[Dakotakid]

I had an accidental discharge once. I borrowed my brothers BAR 30-06 and tagged along with some visiting hunters when I was 15.
I had the gun pointed in the air and I was away from everyone. Dropped the bolt on a round and it went off.
Combination of dumb kid and semi out, I don’t remember now which was more at fault but I have an aversion to the BAR and to carrying loaded.

 

[Wild Bill]

I don't think there is anything wrong with learning to load a shell when a bird is flushed.

You're correct and you will be safer than most, but at that point you may as well leave your shells at the truck and bring a pocket of rocks. As someone who upland hunts 50+ days a year, with others and alone, when handled properly and safely, carrying a shotgun with a round in the chamber is not an issue.

 

[Blue Rope]

So, I've got another question to add to this. For those of you who hunt with chamber empty, what is your firearms educational background? Any formal training? If so, what kind? I'm betting a person's training background makes a difference.

 

[MTLabrador]

So, I've got another question to add to this. For those of you who hunt with chamber empty, what is your firearms educational background? Any formal training? If so, what kind? I'm betting a person's training background makes a difference.

I carry and use firearms every day professionally and I don’t carry my rifles with a loaded chamber while hunting.

 

[Blue Rope]

I carry and use firearms every day professionally and I don’t carry my rifles with a loaded chamber while hunting.

What's your training background, if you don't mind saying?

 

[338BearHunter]

In a treestand or ground blind, chambered with safety on. On foot, unchambered rifles, chambered shotgun. Revolvers always fully loaded, i.e. no empty chambers.

 

[MTLabrador]

What's your training background, if you don't mind saying?

I’ve been shooting since I was old enough to hold a .22, I’ve shot competitively, and formal LE training.

 

[TOGIE]

i feel like some of the people with the most training have also witnessed first hand more than anyone what bullets do to human flesh.

i'd venture to guess the current/former LEOs and military types are pretty keen on by-the-books gun safety for hobby-type ventures.

 

[Islander]

I have a good bit of "gun fighting" training. It's only made me more cautious. Hunting is not combat and the consequences are exponentially less significant. I chamber a round when I'm in a deer stand. If moving, I don't chamber unless I am about to shoot. That includes a short stalk. I'll accept missing some surprise animals in exchange for the added safety. Just as I can't shoot 5000 yards, I accept the fact that for safety I prefer not to chamber a round and might miss some opportunities. Anyone hunting with me must do the same. Because I'm safer than anyone I have ever met, as we all are.

Handgun chambered and ready to shoot, but as others have said, it's in a safe holster.

 

[338BearHunter]

You're correct and you will be safer than most, but at that point you may as well leave your shells at the truck and bring a pocket of rocks. As someone who upland hunts 50+ days a year, with others and alone, when handled properly and safely, carrying a shotgun with a round in the chamber is not an issue.

I've always detested these sorts of comparisons. They usually appear in discussions about empty chamber carry for defensive handguns, often something like "If you carry with an empty chamber, you might as well carry a brick".

Well, no. I've never seen a brick that can be racked in less than a second and turned into a chambered handgun. I've also never seen a shotgun that can be chambered with a rock and made to fire at birds.

These "you may as well" statements aren't helpful, and they are completely inaccurate.