The bottom line is one of the ten commandants of gun safety.
Treat EVERY gun as if it were loaded - no matter if you just unloaded it with an sweeping someone with a muzzle is absolutely the worst thing , whether a person thinks the gun is unloaded or not!

A bad safety, slipped trigger finger , no dafety, tripping whatever , as long as the muzzle is in a safe direction no one will get hurt in the end .
Cat

Perfectly stated.

X2

They don't let you shoot game either. Not really sure what your point is. Ranges have rules that apply to the range, and not hunting.
Also FWIW, I have shot on many ranges that were run hot, all guns holstered were loaded throughout the day.

I know of several ranges that do not care if game or varmints are taken on the range
Cat

:party0052:

Page 8?

It's not dead yet..

Page 6 was definately the best part.

What's even "funnier" is that I've seen clowns at the range that shouldn't be walking around with a firearm, loaded or unloaded. Some rules are made to take into account the lowest common denominator.

A lot of people of various skill sets and levels in a relatively confined area with firearms. Not a bad rule in that instance, just doesn't need to be applied everywhere for every circumstance.

Bingo again.

Key word ( As long as the muzzle is pointed in the right direction ) BIG IF !

As one of the new hunters/shooters in question I have really enjoyed this thread and all the back-and-forth.

What I have taken from all this is that like with every other activity I have done there are folks who have a different levels of aversion to risk. One needs a certain amount of experience to understand the risks, but piling on years of experience does not equal safer. I think this is true for hunting as it is for the carpenters that remove saw guards that a DIYer would keep on or the skiier pushing their limits in avalanche forecasting. We all walk our path and as long as everyone in the hunting party is OK with it - great!

For myself as a newb... though I am extremely comfortable not tripping in the backcountry and not nervous around my firearm, I will continue to walk with it unloaded because at this point I realize that I do not even know what I don't know and I generally am pretty risk adverse though I enjoy outdoor activities/sports that have potential for injury.

Matt

Good approach, Matt.

I'm in a close enough situation. I'm not that new to guns and comfortable enough that I walk loaded at times when hunting, and I expressed that. But I am very careful in where I do that. I'm also very sure-footed. And when I don't see a clear reason to walk with one in the chamber (even in hunting situations I often enough would have enough distance [=noise] to load and shoot, I feel), then I definitely do the empty chamber.

If with others I'm happy to do what's safest or most comfortable for the group, as long as nothing too odd and definitely not unsafe. ... Oh, and also this subject is always hot when discussed!

Cheers to everyone and happy, safe shooting!

Now that made me laugh! Thanks:)

Well it seems there's just a few comments and opinions on the matter. I've definitely added to my list of things I won't do. As many have stated, muzzle control is always #1. It should go without saying. Whether you want to carry with one chambered or not, there's the possibility of human error that you thought it was empty, or mechanical failure of the safety. Muzzle muzzle muzzle should go without saying.

For my own purposes, alone I would generally be chambered, with any other amount of people, unloaded while moving. But, even if I checked myself that your rifle isn't not loaded and even if you've removed the bolt, control the $&@!&%# muzzle.

This whole thread reaffirms my decision to be very selective who I chose to shoot and hunt with.