Walking with cocked gun

[antlercarver]

Was watching Global news this morning about STARS saving a hunters life. In the interview he said he was walking with his rifle and a branch caught the strap and the rifle fell to the ground. The rifle discharged shooting himself in the back.
I also see on TV hunting shows where the first thing they do is chamber a round into the barrel, or after a shot, chamber a round , put on the safety and set the gun down in the boat or where ever. It is a wonder there is not more gun accidents. I chamber a round if I am about to shoot, the amount of time saved by having a gun cocked on safe and having to take the safety off saves maybe 2-3 seconds rather than chambering a round when needed. After saving
3 seconds by having a load in the barrel, they then stare thru the scope for 20 or more seconds. What do I know, just been using different guns for 60 years.

[bat119]

There's a movie on Netflix called walking out, famous last words "okay now chamber a round and put the safety on"

Things didn't go well after that

[HoytCRX32]

It depends on the situation and the weapon. There are times the movement/sound of chambering a round will kill your chance at a shot. I'm comfortable hunting with a round in the chamber and the safety on...have been hunting that way my whole life...but the weapon is in my hands and you'll never catch me with the barrel pointed at anything but the ground.
Some people will have accidents/kill themselves in the weirdest/silliest ways, many without any weapon at all.

[fordtruckin]

I generally hunt with a round chambered. When I'm walking out to the truck I'll clear it. While accidents will happen, I DO watch where I step and make sure it will hold my weight before I put my full weight on a foot. I also carry a pistol with a round loaded. I get a kick out of movies where they show a cop pull his side arm, chamber a round and then go. I don't own a pistol with a physical safety.

[calgarychef]

In a stand I'll have one down the pipe although even then I prefer not to have the bolt closed. Like others I consider a gun loaded or not loaded, I'll never rely on a safety while walking. In fact any of my rifles would suit me just as well with no safety as I never use them. I'd never let someone walk behind me with a firearm on safe and come to think of it I don't have any buddies who rely on safeties.

[Groundhogger]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

In a stand I'll have one down the pipe although even then I prefer not to have the bolt closed. Like others I consider a gun loaded or not loaded, I'll never rely on a safety while walking. In fact any of my rifles would suit me just as well with no safety as I never use them. I'd never let someone walk behind me with a firearm on safe and come to think of it I don't have any buddies who rely on safeties.

^this, 110%+++. In the interest of transparency, I don't hunt big game..nor do I ever find myself in a situation where complete silence is required. While I have lost shot opportunities on skittish grouse because of the time it took to chamber a round in a pump gun, I take that in stride. Poor gun handling habits have been a dividing line between me and at least one guy I used to hunt with, but I watch anyone I shoot with to make sure their sensibilities jive with my own. Anyone wishing to trust their lives with a $9 piece of stamped steel~go for it. I'm not one of those people, and I do reject the notion that safe gun handling/muzzle control justifies leaving a round chambered while you ramble around in the bush, on a trail, etc. There is no such thing as a "good" gun accident, and just because you've never had one..it doesn't mean you never will. The first may very well be the last.

In case anyone is curious, the issues I've seen with guys that don't cut it with me..but I've seen countless times;

1. Having a live round in the chamber, safety on (presumably?) and walking behind me, gun in the ready position

2. Having a live round in the chamber, safety on (presumably?) and sling-carrying in front of me

3. Taking a shot while hunting, and not clearing the round. (then walking with a closed bolt)

4. Taking a shot while hunting, clearly making a solid hit, then instinctually...clearing the empty, chambering another (for what?) and engaging the safety. (Or not..I always ask)

Maybe I'm a "stick in the mud"/over-cautious...but I do allot of shooting, and have given lots of instruction to new shooters. I believe there is no room for errors with firearms, and relying on a mechanical safety adds an element of risk that I honestly think is not required. Not judging anyone who feels differently, just throwing in my 2 cents. The guys I like shooting with most are like me~very safety minded, lots of communication about being unloaded/mag out/bolt open, etc. After reading the comments in this thread, I bet some people here would laugh if they overheard the way we do things...but so be it.

[6.5swedeforelk]

Originally Posted by Groundhogger

In the interest of transparency, I don't hunt big game...

...4. Taking a shot while hunting, clearly making a solid hit, then instinctually...clearing the empty, chambering another (for what?) and engaging the safety...

It's not necessary for you to state that you do not hunt big game.

No seasoned elk, moose, or bear hunter would agree with
unloading your gun just because you made a hit .

I recall in my first posting to the net where a guy dropped a bull,
unloaded, and was hi-fiving his buddies.
The elk got up, staggered away, and was not found.

[buckbrush]

My self I don't understand this. Lots of guys I have hunted with carry a round in the chamber with the safety on. When I was young I was told that a gun is either loaded or not. I've carried this on and I never use the safety on my gun. I can chamber a round pretty quick and have never regretted not having a round chambered.
I do sometimes load the gun on the tail end of a stalk if I think loading it is going to get me busted but otherwise its unloaded. (no round in the chamber)

[buckbrush]

Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with people having a round in the pipe with safety on. I just feel better not having one in the chamber.

In the end muzzle control is the main concern any time.

[zabbo]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

My self I don't understand this. Lots of guys I have hunted with carry a round in the chamber with the safety on. When I was young I was told that a gun is either loaded or not. I've carried this on and I never use the safety on my gun. I can chamber a round pretty quick and have never regretted not having a round chambered.
I do sometimes load the gun on the tail end of a stalk if I think loading it is going to get me busted but otherwise its unloaded. (no round in the chamber)

I was always taught, "Treat every gun is if it is loaded." When hunting I pretty much always have a round chambered, safety on and muzzle control at all times. Just the way I was taught.

[Gary K]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

My self I don't understand this. Lots of guys I have hunted with carry a round in the chamber with the safety on. When I was young I was told that a gun is either loaded or not. I've carried this on and I never use the safety on my gun. I can chamber a round pretty quick and have never regretted not having a round chambered.
I do sometimes load the gun on the tail end of a stalk if I think loading it is going to get me busted but otherwise its unloaded. (no round in the chamber)

when i was young, i was taught a gun is always loaded. you shoulda been taught that in your PAL/Rpal course and hunting safety as well.

[CaberTosser]

The action of cycling a bolt can be enough to scare off game that’s close, and be enough of a delay to allow the animal to escape. I trust my safety because I know how it physically works. Many police and CCW citizens in the USA walk around with cocked and locked 1911’s daily, have you heard of an epidemic of accidents from that? Sound to me like the guy that fell and got shot in his back forgot about keeping his muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Sounds weird anyways, if he had the rifle slung how the heck could the muzzle be pointed at his back? Did he not have the rifle slung and he let go if it’s while falling? If so that’s on him, one should never let go of their firearm when falling and they should keep their muzzle pointed in a safe direction. An untrained reflex is just as much to blame in the given example. I have fallen with a rifle in my arms and I’ve never let go of it. Knowing how to fall helps, martial arts training helps in that regard. Sure if you’re traversing some particularly difficult terrain then it might be a good idea to clear the chamber, but I don’t see it as being necessary for normal hiking. To me this is a personal preference issue rather than something written in stone such as muzzle direction, proving clear when handing someone a firearm, etc.

[DiabeticKripple]

I walk with one in the chamber and safety on, muzzle control is a must.

When I set the rifle down for any reason, I unload it.

[Sooner]

Loaded and safety on if I am walking or sitting and watching by myself. Unloaded if I am with someone and I make sure they are too.

[airbornedeerhunter]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Loaded and safety on if I am walking or sitting and watching by myself. Unloaded if I am with someone and I make sure they are too.

Just curious how that goes over with hunting partners? Are they like minded? I think if I went hunting with someone else and they asked me to keep my rifle unloaded while walking or while with them I would decline and then never take them with me again.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by airbornedeerhunter

Just curious how that goes over with hunting partners? Are they like minded? I think if I went hunting with someone else and they asked me to keep my rifle unloaded while walking or while with them I would decline and then never take them with me again.

They are better off hunting without you.

[YYC338]

For me, muzzle control trumps the round in, round out argument by a wide margin. I've had people in the hunting party be a little cavalier with muzzle pointing and when I call them out on it the response is: Don't worry it's not loaded.
Sorry but I'm not letting your faulty memory control my safety.

I'd be guessing, but I would think there are more gun accidents from poor handling and muzzle control of an "empty" gun than from a loaded rifle with 100% muzzle control and proper handling.

The chance of a slip and fall, and having the gun go off with the safety on and having it also hit someone would likely be less than the "empty" gun issues out there, although I don't know this to be fact.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by airbornedeerhunter

Just curious how that goes over with hunting partners? Are they like minded? I think if I went hunting with someone else and they asked me to keep my rifle unloaded while walking or while with them I would decline and then never take them with me again.

Hunt with my son mostly. He listens

Couple friends feel the same way. Just being safe when we walk to a area together, then split up.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Loaded and safety on if I am walking or sitting and watching by myself. Unloaded if I am with someone and I make sure they are too.

2x

[Zip]

I go with the round NOT chambered until I need to shoot, it's way more safe than worrying about an accidental discharge, plus I don't really need the meat shud I scare the critter off that I was hunting, you learn to be a touch bit more quiet this way as well.
I've seen guns go off that shouldn't have, and guns not go off that shud have..ill keep taking my chances with no round in chamber until ready to shoot..
Zip

[longshot270]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb5quj6ZhJM

[Scott N]

I usually have one in the chamber and safety on. I can see both sides of the fence on this one, but as others have mentioned, muzzle control is key.

[CNP]

Bird hunting?
Boar hunting?
Bear hunting?

Any of those is sufficient to have a round in the chamber.

Even if I'm on the prairie.....always loaded.

If you don't trust yourself or your equipment do otherwise.

[bat119]

Depends on the gun and situation
Upland game, 2 in the pipes safety on muzzle in a safe direction, walking with no game around, two in the pipes action open over my arm.
Geese in a blind, shell in the chamber pump action half open, trigger safety on
Most big game, one in the pipe safety on, muzzle safe direction unloaded when crossing a fence or other places where I might get tripped up.
Gopher shooting walking around pasture, chambered round safety on muzzle safe.

[Ruby76]

I had my hunting partners rifle go off unexpectedly right behind me as we were walking together, caught it on a branch. I didn't know he chambered a round at the start of our walk, and I could have very easily died that day.

I have no problem saying that I believe the only time a round should be chambered is just before you were going to shoot something. Anyone can try and justify it or say they do it safely, or muzzle control, don't want to scare an animal blah blah. Accidents do happen, but can only happen if a round is in the chamber.....period.

[Masterchief]

I used to hunt with the safety on, until I came across a deer, shouldered my rifle, squeezed and nothing happened because the safety was on. I was never really comfortable walking around with a round in the chamber anyway. I also found it cumbersome to unload everytime I came across sketchy terrain. I like to be consistent so the is less chance for error if I load everytime I intend to shoot.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[guywiththemule]

I have never used the safety on any gun. Loaded (ready to fire) or unloaded(will not fire).

[58thecat]

My safety is my finger, I don't chamber a round unless it is go time, immediate action...spot and stalk is different but again I have spotted, chambered the round and now it's go time.....I watch that gator show and man they shoot, chamber a round, safety on and lay it down drives me nuts....not in my boat

Been with some people that as soon as they are out of the vehicle, off the vehicle they chamber a round and put the safety on shoulder the gun, lay it against a tree etc and the next thing I tell them is unload the rifle, gun cuz we are humping up a hill, crashing through the bush etc no need for a potential discharge.....or I go on and hunt by myself....real easy.