Chamber Empty or Loaded

[dranrab]

Lots of talk about "the" safety in this thread. Unless I missed it, not much talk of muzzle discipline. Different hunting situations call for different methods of carry. All hunting situations call for absolute, unfailing, muzzle discipline. It is a safety that won't fail.

 

[geetar]

Typically if I’m in a tree stand or set up on a likely area to shoot one I’ve got one in the chamber. If I’m packing in or out or just walking to or from a hunt area I don’t have one in the chamber. Next week I will be solo hunting some thick cover where a buck is likely to be close range when I spot them. I will have one in the chamber with safety on once I get to a likely area.

 

[slatebuilder]

I don’t carry hot thankfully. In October while hunting elk I had to wade across a river. Ten steps after getting out of the river and putting my shoes and pack and stuff back on I heard a very recognizable click. Somehow in all that I managed to flick the safety off and snag the trigger on something. With a kifaru gun bearer the barrel is basically right in your face, that would have been bad had there been one in the chamber. First time I have ever had something like that happen in 30 plus year of hunting and shooting.

 

[TheTone]

Hunted this fall with empty chamber. Worked out just fine as it was pretty easy to get it loaded and shoot a bedded deer that was watching me at 50 yards.

 

[Don Fischer]

I’ve gotten in the practice of loading 4 rounds in my 5-shooter revolver when hunting so the first trigger pull is no fire. With DOA (internal hammer) and 6.5 lb trigger pull its highly unlikely to fire when I don’t expect it to…but on a chest harness it’s still possible to catch the trigger on a branch or a strap and shoot through my pelvis.

The practice of carrying an mty chamber was because the older revolver's didn't have a hammer block and could be fired by a good bump on back of the trigger. Today that is no longer the problem but I still carry an mty chamber under the hammer. Old habit's die hard.

 

[MLaird]

I carry my rifle with an empty chamber. I could see the benefits of carrying loaded if someone hunted in heavily timbered/brushy areas and needed a quick shot but those aren't generally places that I hunt. I can't remember a time when I missed an opportunity because I had the extra step of loading a round.

I bird hunt a good bit so I'm accustomed to carrying a gun(shotgun) loaded. The most important thing for me, and the thing I make a big deal with my boys, is treating every gun like it's loaded and always keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

 

[richmondrat]

I usually hunt solo so I like to keep a round in the chamber unless the terrain looks difficult. I'm constantly clearing my chamber, moving over obstacles, and putting another round in the chamber as I go over large logs, slippery mud, or up loose gravel.
If I'm hunting with another person or a group, there's almost never a round in the chamber. Call me paranoid but I read too many stories of people shooting themselves or other group members when they're moving over an obstacle.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I don’t carry hot thankfully. In October while hunting elk I had to wade across a river. Ten steps after getting out of the river and putting my shoes and pack and stuff back on I heard a very recognizable click. Somehow in all that I managed to flick the safety off and snag the trigger on something. With a kifaru gun bearer the barrel is basically right in your face, that would have been bad had there been one in the chamber. First time I have ever had something like that happen in 30 plus year of hunting and shooting.

I was unfamiliar with that gun bearer gizmo so had to check it out. Your rifle barrel must be mighty short if it was in danger of shooting you. Anyway, it would be pointless to carry a rifle hot if it's trapped in one of those. By the time the gun was disentangled and pack dumped, the extra time required to load the chamber wouldn't make much difference.

I carry my rifle shouldered. Not really a problem when wearing my daypack. Go with a skinny military style sling and it will usually stay put between the pack's shoulder pad and my neck. I have also contemplated sewing a patch of velcro on shoulder pad and sling to keep it in place. Seems like a helluva idea. I'm surprised no one has marketed it. That setup would sure be a lot easier to put a rifle into action than unloading it from gun bearer contraption.

I have always carried my rifle hot ... when I'm hunting alone ... which is always ... except in Africa. There I usually carry it with an empty chamber unless game has been sighted. My PHs are fine with me carrying hot all the time but I put myself in their place and leave the chamber empty. Being considerate. Also, my rifle's safety wasn't 100% reliable (maybe 99% - fiixed that last week when I replaced the striker).

 

[Don Fischer]

I usually hunt solo so I like to keep a round in the chamber unless the terrain looks difficult. I'm constantly clearing my chamber, moving over obstacles, and putting another round in the chamber as I go over large logs, slippery mud, or up loose gravel.
If I'm hunting with another person or a group, there's almost never a round in the chamber. Call me paranoid but I read too many stories of people shooting themselves or other group members when they're moving over an obstle

I don't carry a rifle or shotgun even mty over any object which might cause a problem. Always something on the other side I can lean it against, climb over and retrieve to weapon. With the shotgun it's usually a fence and then I go awat from where I'm going over or under and lean it against aa post, mty, on the other side or on the ground, mty, on the other side.

 

[buffybr]

I do most of my hunting byself and unless my rifle is in my pack or saddle scabbord, there is one in the chamber. If I am hunting with a guide or friend, the chamber is empty until the final stalk or setup.

When shotgun hunting, I usually start hunting when I get out of the vehicle and I carry one in the chamber(s).

When carrying a pistol I always have one in the chamber or in each hole in the cylinder.

 

[Ought Six]

I load one in the chamber as soon as I step out of the pick-up to begin hiking, rifle or shotgun. I also carry my conceal carry with one in the chamber.

I like to carry my muzzleloader unloaded though. Give them late season critters a head start before I let the smoke pole bark.

 

[CorkyM]

Always one in the chamber, nothing in it in the car.

 

[ploxwithblox]

Just last seasone my buddy had one chambered, gun on safe. Threw the sling over his shoulder and BANG! it's one of those one in a million where his safety got bumped and trigger got caught on what must have been pack straps. After that, I hesitate to chamber until I'm really hunting.

 

[TheTone]

I wonder what has saved more critters lives, someone that always carries a rifle on their shoulder with a sling or carrying on an empty chamber? I know I’d rather carry empty and with the gun always slung on my shoulder

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Makes me scratch my head at the number of people who carry one in the chamber.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I was unfamiliar with that gun bearer gizmo so had to check it out. Your rifle barrel must be mighty short if it was in danger of shooting you. Anyway, it would be pointless to carry a rifle hot if it's trapped in one of those. By the time the gun was disentangled and pack dumped, the extra time required to load the chamber wouldn't make much difference.

I carry my rifle shouldered. Not really a problem when wearing my daypack. Go with a skinny military style sling and it will usually stay put between the pack's shoulder pad and my neck. I have also contemplated sewing a patch of velcro on shoulder pad and sling to keep it in place. Seems like a helluva idea. I'm surprised no one has marketed it. That setup would sure be a lot easier to put a rifle into action than unloading it from gun bearer contraption.

I have always carried my rifle hot ... when I'm hunting alone ... which is always ... except in Africa. There I usually carry it with an empty chamber unless game has been sighted. My PHs are fine with me carrying hot all the time but I put myself in their place and leave the chamber empty. Being considerate. Also, my rifle's safety wasn't 100% reliable (maybe 99% - fiixed that last week when I replaced the striker).

Might want to try a gun bearer some time. I bet you could get it out and take a shot faster than you could with your rifle in a sling on your shoulder... at the very least darn close.

Under arm carry not strapped to the side of your pack... you can also trip and fall pretty hard without knocking your scope as it's protected by your arm... long list of benefits, though the assumption is you're carrying a pack.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Seems everyone growing up in the midwest had one chambered as soon as a rifle is out of the vehicle. Unchamber when crossing fences or climbing treestands than right back in. Never considered differently because that's just how it was.

Exposure to western hunting where you're less likely to happen upon something at close range and much more likely to take a spill changed my thought on it and I spend a lot more time without one in the chamber now.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

RE Handguns: Typically carry loaded in an appropriate holster. I thought a chest holster would be nice for the 10mm G40 until i got one. I don't understand how so many people are ok with flagging anyone who stands to their left whenever they are wearing one of those things. Good reminder, i should list that sucker in the classifieds.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Might want to try a gun bearer some time. I bet you could get it out and take a shot faster than you could with your rifle in a sling on your shoulder... at the very least darn close.

Under arm carry not strapped to the side of your pack... you can also trip and fall pretty hard without knocking your scope as it's protected by your arm... long list of benefits, though the assumption is you're carrying a pack.

How do you figure? The butt is stuck in a pocket and the fore end is secured to the pack with an adjustable strap. As I see it the quickest way to remove the rifle is lifting it out of the butt pocket and then dropping it down until the muzzle can slip around the fore end noose. Other option is to unbuckle the fore end strap. Certainly appears to be a two-handed job (or three-handed?). Anything but expedient. Is there something I'm not seeing in the factory illustration that makes it quicker? To get my rifle off my shoulder when it's slung requires simply sliding it off with the hand on that side.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

How do you figure? The butt is stuck in a pocket and the fore end is secured to the pack with an adjustable strap. As I see it the quickest way to remove the rifle is lifting it out of the butt pocket and then dropping it down until the muzzle can slip around the fore end noose. Other option is to unbuckle the fore end strap. Certainly appears to be a two-handed job (or three-handed?). Anything but expedient. Is there something I'm not seeing in the factory illustration that makes it quicker? To get my rifle off my shoulder when it's slung requires simply sliding it off with the hand on that side.View attachment 256586

I'm not a 5 generation Montanan but I believe that's what they call slick'r 'n cow shit on linoleum