Chambered or unchambered?

[WeaselBeard]

Just wondering if others hunt in a round chambered or unchambered? I have been with others who have done both. Do you chose differently depending on game, or on whether with partner(s), or weapon? Like to know thoughts on this.

[alacringa]

Originally Posted by WeaselBeard

Just wondering if others hunt in a round chambered or unchambered? I have been with others who have done both. Do you chose differently depending on game, or on whether with partner(s), or weapon? Like to know thoughts on this.

I chamber a round when I'm getting ready to shoot. It only takes a fraction of a second to slide the bolt forward, or to pop a couple of shells in and close. The only exception would be the semi-auto on waterfowl, and then it's not loaded until I'm in position. I would have thought this to be standard practice, but maybe I'm too careful?

[Dick284]

Depends:

Still hunting the ugly creek bottoms, where things happen real quick, and fast, you’d never stoke one up the spout in time, so yes it’s run with one up the spout.

Hiking ridges and places where the shots are longer and more deliberate, it don’t matter.

[last minute]

Un chambered all the way it dosent take much to chamber a round . Easy math

[Positrac]

Depends on the circumstance.

I grew up timber hunting and always walk around with one in the chamber. There was a time when I kept the chamber empty but after several times spotting a mature Blacktail the same time he spotted me, actioning the bolt was all it took to get the deer running thus preventing a clean shot. It’s just not that easy loading a cartridge and being quiet when a good buck steps out at 30 feet.

I don’t hike around with a partner and I always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. If I’m going through a particularly nasty spot then I would keep the chamber empty as an added precaution but then load it once again when I’m clear.

If I was hiking with a partner I’d keep the chamber empty just to be safe.

[JTRED]

Depends somewhat on how I'm hunting but generally I have a round chambered when I'm on my own. My preferred methods of still hunting and spot and stalk (in the mountains) mean that I have to be able to react quite quickly(especially whitetail). If the gun isn't in hand with a round in the chamber I'm not likely to get the shot. If I'm climbing up or down steep slopes, the gun is unloaded, same for crossing logs over creeks or anywhere I might take a fall. If I'm sitting and just glassing I don't usually unload. In my backcountry camps or while I'm taking care of an animal I have a round chambered and the magazine full, everywhere I hunt is grizzly/cougar/black bear country.
If I'm grouse hunting with my .410 I have a shell in the chamber but the hammer is not cocked. My semi-auto .22lr is never loaded because it has kind of a hokey safety. When I'm turkey hunting with my 12g I have a round chambered because once a turkey is coming in any movement is likely to spook the bird.
Generally I have a round in the chamber but safety on. 95% of the time I'm solo as well.
When my daughter is hunting with me neither of us have a round chambered, mainly because she is a new hunter and although she is very safe and proficient with her rifle it is not yet second nature to her. I don't have a round chambered when I'm with her because when we hunt together she is always the shooter.

[ceedub]

I mostly still hunt the timber, solo. I always have one in the chamber. Nothing alerts an animal up close more than running the bolt.

Craig

Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk

[Jim]

Always have a round chambered. When you only get out 4 times a year to hunt, there is no room for screwing around cycling the bolt while the deer runs away.

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by WeaselBeard

Just wondering if others hunt in a round chambered or unchambered? I have been with others who have done both. Do you chose differently depending on game, or on whether with partner(s), or weapon? Like to know thoughts on this.

Discussed many times on this forum. Search the archives and you'll likely see many more responses and opinions than you'll get on this thread.

[Positrac]

Here’s a poll on the subject.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=186436

[WeaselBeard]

Originally Posted by YYC338

Discussed many times on this forum. Search the archives and you'll likely see many more responses and opinions than you'll get on this thread.

I did a few searches, but I guess not enough proper keywords. Thanks YYC338

[WeaselBeard]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Here’s a poll on the subject.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=186436

I was looking to do a poll, but did not understand how it worked. Now I can see. Lots of responses there. Very helpful Positrac! Thanks a bunch.

[270person]

Always one in the chamber but to be safe I keep the barrel pointed out the window.

[shooter12]

Chambered , safety on, works for me pretty good.

S12

[crosman177]

Chambered. Hammer down on a single shot, until in the hot grouse or pheasant zone. Safety on in the rifle country.

If I’m camping in bear country just have the tube on the pump loaded up.

[32-40win]

Bolt actions I walk empty, SXS shotguns broken open or sometimes safety on, I have singleshots that don't cock on closing and a SXS that cocks on closing, but has a decocker, which I walk with loaded, falling blocks are usually empty. There are times and places where I will load and use a safety, have to have spotted something worth possibly shooting at though. If I am sitting and watching, it will often be loaded.

[RZR]

Wow! There's alot of azzclowns out there that I'd never hunt with. You guys that have the "I keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction" are fools, all it takes is to trip or stumble and I can guarantee that the barrel isn't pointed in a safe direction.

[trophybook]

Originally Posted by RZR

Wow! There's alot of azzclowns out there that I'd never hunt with. You guys that have the "I keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction" are fools, all it takes is to trip or stumble and I can guarantee that the barrel isn't pointed in a safe direction.

And I bet there's alot of people that would hunt with you.
2 hand ready carry, slings are for shmucks

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by RZR

Wow! There's alot of azzclowns out there that I'd never hunt with. You guys that have the "I keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction" are fools, all it takes is to trip or stumble and I can guarantee that the barrel isn't pointed in a safe direction.

If you look close you’ll notice all firearms are equipped with what is commonly referred to as a “safety” with the acception of some that require the hammer to be cocked back manually. When this feature is engaged it’s desigend to restrict the firearms ability to release the firing pin and in turn rendering the firearm “safe”, hence the use of the term “safety” used by firearm manufacturers. Of course as in life there are no guarantees, that’s why the men and women who use this feature for the most part, have the common sense to still treat the firearm as if it’s in the “ready” position and are aware of the muzzle position.

If you choose not to hunt with those of use who are aware of, and use the safety function which firearms manufacturers have specifically designed for this purpose, I’m sure I speak for many when I say, oh darn.

[Pathfinder76]

Unchambered.

[JDK71]

Chambered safety on

[raw outdoors]

To many different scenarios sometimes chambered sometimes unchambered. 90% of the time if I have something chambered I rack in a round close the bolt then open the bolt handle up the extractor holds the shell chambers and bolt body closed all I have to do is close the handle down. For some reason I have never trusted safeties. I have never had one fail but still get eery when I am relaying on one. With the bolt handle open there is no way it could fire.

[nast70]

I guess to each there own.
I am pretty happy with my Mauser. In my stand, I can have one chambered, and close the bolt without cocking it. When I am ready to shoot, just up and down with the bolt and I'm good to go.
Just safe practice to keep it empty until you are in your stand. I haven't had a situation where I would lose an animal due to chambering a round, but I haven't been doing this as long as some of you guys.
Typically it's see an animal, glass it for legal (elk), then prepare to shoot. Having something in the chamber isn't going to speed things up. But that's my opinion.

[honda610]

I personally drive around grazing leases in my black dodge dually with a pink pool noodle on the driver window and a round chambered with the barrel out the window. I only pop the saftey on when I lean the gun against a tree so I can pi$$ in front of a trail camera.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by nast70

I guess to each there own.
I am pretty happy with my Mauser. In my stand, I can have one chambered, and close the bolt without cocking it. When I am ready to shoot, just up and down with the bolt and I'm good to go.

You do realize that this is extremely dangerous. You have a round in the chamber with the firing pin behind all that spring tension resting on the primer.

[urban rednek]

Originally Posted by raw outdoors

I rack in a round close the bolt then open the bolt handle up the extractor holds the shell chambers and bolt body closed all I have to do is close the handle down. With the bolt handle open there is no way it could fire.

Originally Posted by nast70

I guess to each there own.
I am pretty happy with my Mauser. In my stand, I can have one chambered, and close the bolt without cocking it. When I am ready to shoot, just up and down with the bolt and I'm good to go.

What rifles are you guys using?
Depending on the model, bolt action rifles either cock on opening, or cock on closing. They do not magically de-cock in open battery or by cycling the bolt handle an extra time while in closed battery.
You are carrying loaded and cocked rifles while bypassing the manufacturers safety equipment, these are 2 of the most unsafe carry practices I have ever read.

Myself? I carry with a round chambered.

[Dubious]

Depends on what’s going on. Sometimes one is chambered sometimes not if I’m just getting somewhere then nothing in the chamber for sure if I’m sweeping the bush on a final stock looking for something to jump up really fast one in for sure. I think this is one of those skill level things. I know guys who check to see if there safety is on by pulling the trigger I also I know another guy that dialed down there trigger trying to make a stock factory trigger into a match trigger that may now fire when the safety is flicked off. Both of these people have had multiple accidental discharges. There was another guy who had a hand me down rifle from his granddad it had a broken safety what wouldn’t actually work he put a 308 round between his feet one day when he dropped a chocolate bar and his hand hit the trigger trying to catch it as it dropped. After that he still refused to not put a round in the chamber or get the safety fixed.

I do a lot of solo hunting these days. What you do out there one in or not try to think about not just your self or that big buck jumping up really fast some of your partners may not want to be included in an accident.

[Masterchief]

I usually hunt unchambered until there is something confimred to shoot at.
I used the safety while walking on easy trails for a bit, but then in the heat of the moment I once shouldered the rifle and squeezed the trigger only to realize the safety was on, and the deer bounced away. So now, for consistency I always leave it unchambered so if I ever see something to shoot at, it is just reflex to feed one into the chamber.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by alacringa

I chamber a round when I'm getting ready to shoot. It only takes a fraction of a second to slide the bolt forward, or to pop a couple of shells in and close. The only exception would be the semi-auto on waterfowl, and then it's not loaded until I'm in position. I would have thought this to be standard practice, but maybe I'm too careful?

Not sure were fire arms are concerned you can be too careful.In a tree stand,I keep a bullet in the chamber,at point blank,the deer, or bear,will for the most part bolt,when you work the bolt----One rifles safety had an annoying click when released,those crafty white tails have amazeing hearing.

[Pioneer2]

Loaded ...safety on.....no good empty.