How do you carry your ammo?

[averagebrooutdoors]

I have one of those cartridge sleeves on my rifle stock that holds 8 or 9 shells. I put 4 of them in the magazine when I leave the truck/camp and I chamber a round if I'm still hunting or sitting and watching a spot. I carry the rest of the box of shells in my pack if I'll be out for more than a day or two.

 

[Callen]

I have always utilized the ammo pouches on the but stock of my rifles for extra ammo, the rest I leave in camp or at the truck. If I need more than that or even that many I shouldn't be hunting.

 

[MTorWY]

I carry 6 in the rifle (5 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber), I have a sleeve on my stock that holds another 9 (but only has 8 because 1 of the 9 is the round I chamber), and a clip in my pack that holds 8. 22 total rounds is a lot, but the weight doesn't bother me.

 

[texrope]

I don't recall when I started doing this but I keep a handful of cheap cotton work gloves in my hunting pack. I put a round in each finger and carry that in my pocket.

Have been doing same for over 40 yrs. Keeps them quiet & have extra gloves if needed. light weight as well.

 

[okie_hotrod]

This



It doesn't serve as much of a cheek pad because the pad is pretty thin but it's great for storing extra ammo and some extra essentials like a wind meter or wind checker.

 

[genesis273]

4 in the quiver.

 

[devon deer]

Same here.

In addition, one up the spout and I carry my (taped) rifle barrel down at all times.

Cheers

Richard

Three in the rifle and ten in a cartridge fold over case attached to my backpacks belt. Make your shots count and you shouldn't need more than the ones in your rifle.

 

[Fullquiver]

Having hunted in MI for more than 35 years, I don't know that I ever met anyone who carried in the field with an empty chamber and every weapon related injury that I know of locally has occurred because of poor judgement not related to carrying one in the tube...

However with that having been said I carry 1 in the tube and 3 in the mag and 4 in my pockets or in an extra mag depending which rifle I am.using.. I have never had to use anything other than what was in the rifle..

 

[TX_Eric]

I just got this from Triad Tactical. Seems pretty well built, comes with velcro strips to adjust the comb height and will hold 5 rounds of 300wsm, a long with a few extra things if needed.

 

[antelopedundee]

Whatever I can get into the magazine [usually 3] plus a few in my pocket. And I always pick up my brass and empty shells.

 

[charliebravo77]

I have a stock pack where I keep a spare loaded magazine. I recently picked up a couple Tuff QuickStrips for my new 7mm-08 and will keep one in my bino harness and one in my pack's lid as well. http://www.tuffproducts.com/7002-quickstrips-black-2-set/ That'll bring me to 18+1 capacity between a loaded rifle, spare mag and quick strips. If 18-19 rounds of 7mm-08 don't work then I should probably pack it in and head back to the truck.

 

[Carlin59]

I really like having the majority of my extra ammo attached to the gun for a few reasons. 1). Immediate availability if the need for extra ammo arises 2). The ability to "grab and go" a rifle, knowing I have "x" rounds available regardless of what pack/pants/shirt I happen to have on at the moment 3). If I'm going to carry the weight of extra ammo I prefer that it be carried on the rifle itself to help reduce recoil and aid in making the rifle more steady for the shot. Especially for point #3, I'm thinking of upgrading to something like the Triad with a zippered pocket. If I'm going to be carry a certain amount of essentials at all times anyway, I like the idea of the rifle bearing that load for recoil reduction and stability. I primarily use a Kifaru gun bearer, so the weight of the rifle is well distributed to the hip belt during carry.

 

[Northwoods Labs]

Nothing fancy for me, ammo kept in pockets and/or backpack. I also always carry with one in the chamber. I do a ton of grouse hunting and one would never harvest a bird if they weren't carrying with one in the chamber.......

 

[MJE2083]

4 in the rifle(yes I keep one in the chamber). Usually throw another 2-3 in my pocket.

 

[BackofBeyond]

I have a stock pack for 2 of my rifles, as some have mentioned before, it's nice to have the ammo always with the rifle. Grab and go is convenient, especially if I can sneak out of work early in the afternoon and get a quick hunt in before dark. I carry 3 in the magazine and as soon as I'm away from the truck I chamber a round. I'll usually have between 5 and 10 more rounds in the stock pack.

 

[Jape]

I have 3 in the mag and 4 more in the gun sling. Never been an issue but always looking for new ideas too.

 

[Phaseolus]

I carry one in the chamber when I am by myself, which is most often. 3 in the detachable magazine (tikka t3) one in the chamber, one full spare magazine in cargo pocket and a single round in each front pants pocket where they can’t ‘clink’ against each other.

 

[eric308]

Just received this:

https://www.beartooth-products.com/...eshell/products/sidecart-rifle-model-in-black

Fits well, I will fire a group this weekend to see if it affects accuracy.

 

[F250]

I have a new XBolt. I am now thinking 3 in the magazine, an extra magazine in an outside jacket or pants pocket, and ten in a carrier in my pack. It's been a long time since I had a hunting rifle with a detachable magazine !!

 

[Red84]

One of the safety tenants, treat the gun as if it is always loaded, has never been lost on me. I am a real prick when it comes to being painted by a muzzle, and all my hunting buddies know this. I don't even like gun cases pointed near me. Come to think of it the guys I hunt with are a small group, and none of them do this crap. I see a correlation!

I assume we are talking big game here. I vary my approach for the type of hunt. If it is upland (primary target for me) I have the gun loaded. A few extra shells in each front pocket, and shell loops in the vest full. When I have a small day pack with me, I dump the rest of the box in there. I'd never shoot a bird if the gun wasn't loaded. I barely do when it is loaded! Rabbits I would probably be 50/50 on. They seem to give you that short pause at times. When it comes to big game my experience is somewhat limited. I hunt almost exclusively with an inline muzzleloader, which is always primed during legal shooting hours. Hammer is down during this time. The gun is unprimed when crossing fences, climbing stands, etc. I carry a speedloader around my neck with three primers and two reloads. That extra primer on the loader saved me once, so there is stays. When I hunt with my .270 the gun is loaded. Where I have hunted with it (Florida and Michigan) there has always been pockets of thick brush and the high chance of something happening pretty quick. With the .270 I carry the gun at capacity with a shell holder on my belt holding 6. I also carry one round in a front pocket.

As a side note, I am hunting in open terrain next week in Wyoming and am going to try the empty chamber carry. It sound silly, but I guess it has never really hit me that it lessens the chances of an accident. It just isn't something I have learned before. I often see someone chambering a round on Randy's show right before the shot. I suppose it would be similar to knowing I am a safe driver, never having been in an accident, but wearing my seat belt anyways because SH. If there wasn't a seat belt law, I'd still wear it. In the end you can't take bullets back, so if whatever safety system works for you, continue to follow it 100%.