To chamber, or not to chamber? That is the question.

[Fire_9]

Are you kidding me? I've have first hand seen a dumbass college buddy accidentally discharge his gun by doing this. Don't do that.

Discharged while decocking or while carrying?

 

[HighDesertSage]

Decocking.

 

[Fire_9]

I could see it happening while decocking but not so much while carrying. I’ve been wrong before though...

 

[Firedude]

I've personally seen 2 people who were shot while moving to get a better shot. They weren't stupid people or people bad with firearms. Both where culminations of bad luck after one misstep. One of them tripped while moving 10 feet to get a better shot and let go of his gun with his right hand to catch himself. It's instinct to try to catch yourself if your face is heading for brush. The butt of the gun swung out and hit the ground after going through some brush kicking the safety off. BOOM! He now has no left shoulder. Another being a son taking his mother on a moose hunt. She chambered to shoot, moose moved, they moved a few feet and it caught a branch and pulled it out of her hand slightly. BOOM! Through the hip. Yet again, not dumb people. Just a serious chain of unfortunate circumstances. So the answer is No, I don't carry one in the chamber while hunting and I'm pretty selective about when I chamber. I will sometimes when still hunting but that's about it. I've never not been able to shoot because of the 1 second it takes to cycle the bolt. I hunt in Idaho.

 

[maxx]

It depends like most on here.

I know watching Randy he said they never allow walking with a chamber round. To the guys that are a 100% no on this do you only big game hunt?

What about pheasant hunting or jump shooting ducks. In those cases it is always a yes. Normally you have a dog evolved and multiple hunters. We can all agree people do that and do it a lot and it is safe as long as guys are safe.

With that why would you think it is extraordinarily more dangerous walking with a rifle chamber. Guns are suppose to always be treated as loaded anyway.

 

[Zach]

Why is there a common disclaimer about "hunting alone"? You can shoot yourself just as well as shooting someone else?

 

[dcreiss]

1. It depends on what type of hunting I am doing. In SD where I live I always carry loaded while bird hunting and much of the time while rifle deer hunting. When elk, antelope, or mountain hunting deer I do not as I carry in a pack scabbard.
2. SD, WY, CO

 

[The Hedgehog]

I also don't have an arrow nocked while bowhunting.

 

[cheeser]

Yes, that what the safety is for.

I live in Upper Michigan hunt for whitetails, in Michigan, Wisconsin, elk in WY and MT.

If I am in the field I am hunting I am also typically by myself as well. Shot half my deer walking and most I would not have got one had I had to chamber a round.

 

[Stubaby]

Can’t believe I’m agreeing with greenhorn but I am. There’s only one way to guarantee you don’t have a catastrophic event. Out of the chamber. Until ready to shoot.

I went coyote hunting once with a buddy. He went to shoot a Prarie dog on the way back to the truck. He had an AR15 and clicked the safety off and shot.

I asked him if he had just left the round in the chamber since the last stand and he said he’d had the gun chambered since he left the house that morning. I haven’t hunted with him since.



Ask the guy who shot his buddy in the leg with a rifle on accident near Cody and had to watch him die in the dirt next to the truck if there are any good times to have a rifle chambered out in the “field”.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Yes-as soon as it is legal to load the gun I have it fully loaded with one in the chamber and on safety.
Northeast/southeast

 

[The Hedgehog]

Can’t believe I’m agreeing with greenhorn but I am.

Common sense is hard not to agree with.

 

[brownbear932008]

Yes once on stand in tight cover here in VA. We wouldn't kill but a small portion of deer if we had to load then shoot 95% of the deer in a few of my stands are within 20 yards and you may first see them at 20.

Out west I normally carry empty chambered unless I'm in grizzly country. Then I'm loaded.

 

[VikingsGuy]

What about pheasant hunting or jump shooting ducks. In those cases it is always a yes. Normally you have a dog evolved and multiple hunters. We can all agree people do that and do it a lot and it is safe as long as guys are safe.

With that why would you think it is extraordinarily more dangerous walking with a rifle chamber. Guns are suppose to always be treated as loaded anyway.

Not saying I have the answers, but here are my reasons:

- There really is no other way to hunt upland so I take additional risk to participate in that sport, but I view it as unnecessary risk when rifle hunting so why take it
- Where we pheasant and grouse hunt the terrain is a flatter and more stable/friendly than broken up western rocky terrain
- I find upland hunting less distracting with fewer gadgets - no binos, no spotters, no big backpacks, all of that make it easier to focus on muzzle awareness
- Also, I find myself more focused on where my gun is when I upland hunt as it is relevant to getting a good swing, whereas when walking with a rifle I tend to focus more down range and footing
- Beyond 10-15 yards, shotgun blast with bird shot is not a deadly as rifle round so safer for those around me

 

[2rocky]

This post needs a Poll

Yes
N. California but hunt all the West

 

[huntin24/7]

No. I grew up hunting with a round chambered but quit doing that about 10 years ago. I haven't had an instance yet where it cost me a shot that I wanted.

 

[huntin24/7]

MT by the way.

 

[Tradewind]

Why is there a common disclaimer about "hunting alone"? You can shoot yourself just as well as shooting someone else?

I trust myself not to shot myself, I don't trust you :hump:

 

[Deleted member 28227]

No
Co/WY/MT

 

[VikingsGuy]

I trust myself not to shot myself, I don't trust you :hump:

And I thought it was because you were fine shooting yourself, but wouldn't want to put me at risk