Walking with cocked gun
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. |
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 |
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. |
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) |
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. |
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.
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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. |
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.
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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:) |
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Hunting in close cover?
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. |
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.
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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. |
It's situational for me. When big game hunting, walking to the stand, it's unloaded. Once in the stand I chamber one safe on. Reverse when I leave. When grousing with a group, open bolt semi .22, and or, open single .410. When I'm by myself stalking the wily ruffie's I'll cruise around loaded safety on.
I do feel much more comfortable with my rifle slung across my shoulder, muzzle pointed down. This puts the trigger behind me (the bolt is in my back a bit, but oh well) and out of reach of stray branches with evil intent. |
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. |
I absolutely disagree. I always have a round in the chamber and the safety on from the moment I depart my vehicle to the moment I return to it. To each their own but in my opinion doing otherwise has nothing to do with safety and more to do with the user being unsure of themselves and a lack of confidence in their personal weapons handling. I can't imagine sitting while coyote calling and waiting until I have a dog come in on high alert to make the unnecessary movement and noise making that cycling the bolt would create, worse yet if it was a big deer. Chances are you would lose the opportunity.
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By myself- loaded. With someone else - empty.
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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. |
Had anybody every slipped , tripped and or fallen while hunting ? If they did I don't imagine they planned on doing it .
If the above story is true it is an example of don't rely on a safety. |
Accidents of any kind usually only occur when somebody or something did something wrong...all accidental shootings of any sort will only happen if there is a round in the chamber...period. If that round was still in the magazine there is not much chance of it hurting the wrong thing...but in saying all this, I believe that sometimes one in the chamber is okay, but I grew up learning from my dad who taught me to never put a round in the ready position until I was ready to use it...please don't bash me on how I do things as we are all different, so until you have a loud bang when you were not expecting it,maybe then that would scare a person enough to walk with empty chamber..
Just my own thoughts here so no ill intent intended... Zip:) |
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Couple friends feel the same way. Just being safe when we walk to a area together, then split up. |
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To each their own, if it makes someone else feel safe to walk around with an empty chamber have at it. Personally I have enough confidence in my weapons handling and knowing the state of my weapon to always have a round in the chamber in the bush. The only exception is when I am pulling my rifle up by my string after I have strapped into my tree stand or if I'm crossing a fence I open the bolt and clear the chamber or pull the action to the rear if it's a shotgun. I fail to see how having a round in the chamber is irresponsible, letting kids do it? Absolutely, letting a novice do it? Absolutely, both are asking for trouble. I on the other hand am quite comfortable. Just my opinion. |
I've always hunted with one in the chamber and the safety on. Never had any issues. If I had to cross a fence, I unloaded my gun, If I was bush waking and thought I might get in trouble, I emptied the chamber. If I was crossing a scree slope hunting sheep and there was a risk of sliding down a mountain side I unloaded the gun first. Everyone I hunted with had the same frame of mind.
BW |
I and fellow hunters that hunt together with always hunt with no shell in chamber and an uncocked bolt.I may end up perhaps losing a bolt but will not have an unplanned discharge.Even when calling coyotes, which I do a lot of, I will never chamber a shell till I see an animal.In my opinion you can never be too careful around guns be it alone or with others.A person I know fell and had his 300 Win mag blow open his stomach.Fortunately he survived.
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It only takes one time and once a bullet is launched there is no bring it back . No one plans accidents but can be prepared to minimize the reprocussions is one does have one . Wheter you an beginner , novice , or expert no plans to slip , fall , trip ,sling break
They way I look at it if I don't get a shot away because I don't have time to chamber a round is worth the trade off of possibly harming myself or someone if I have an accidental discharge |
Personally I carry my rifle on an empty chamber, particularly when it's slung. I don't chamber a round until I swing it down off my back or get into a shooting position.
I hunt birds with an over under, i usually carry it broke open over my shoulder or my arm with two shells in the pipes, when I pick the gun up into a shooting position it's locked shut and ready to go instantly. The one time a mechanical failure or the like concerns me is in the duck/goose blind. |
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