Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Poll: Do you hunt with a round in the chamber?

Here is a good example:




I think the above points to the problem that many have. I'm safe. Notice the bold, no real danger because safe gun handling was being practiced.

Just how the [bleep] is A) Giving a kid a gun without checking that it's loaded B) Handing over a rifle without the action open C)Having the kid verify all considered safe gun practicing.

Course lots of folks said 'Good reminder'. If nothing else, agreeing with JO should give folks pause, but I'm sure lots of you ALWAYS practice safe gun handling.

Hot, from the minute I'm out of my Polaris Ranger until I'm back in the Ranger.....unloaded when traveling.

I keep gas in my truck when not in use. And, I don't smoke.

I like fried chicken, women and brown whiskey......

If your hunting game that stands there and lets you clank a round into the chamber, you must be on a farm....

If you'd stop missing they wouldn't learn what the "clanking" and thunking was all about. Somebody must be educating all these animals which flee at the mere hint of an ill-intentioned thought.

I've changed my view on the hot/cold carry over the past several years. I don't think I was ever "unsafe", but a bullet can never be called back.

In the truck, on the atv, I don't even have one in the mag.

Walking in/out/still hunting I've got the mag loaded but empty chamber. Once I'm in the stand one goes in the chamber. If I'm on the ground, once I spot game, one goes in the chamber.

Safety is always on until I'm set to send a bullet on the way.

Muzzle control/safe handling should be a given, but I know I've only got control over so many things....

Last year a friend and I were going to call 'yotes. My rifle was unloaded (mag and chamber). We were still at the truck, getting our "stuff" out. Just as I moved my rifle from one side of my body to the other with the muzzle pointed up and away from him (and anything else except blue sky) he stepped up and across passing the side of his head right in front of the muzzle. The rifle was unloaded and I did all I could to safely handle the rifle, but it still bothers me that my rifle was pointed at someone for a split second. He didn't even notice but was very appreciative of my apology....

The more things I see, the more I'm aware of how little control I have at times, and the more seriously I take the things I do have control over.

JCM

I'm just happy for all the posters who obviously have never fallen flat on their face on top of their muzzle, or seen their whole rifle go in a direction that was completely unplanned, due the crap they were walking on shifting or breaking. I've taken some nasty falls just to keep my rifle sighted in...if you get my drift.

I had to smile when I read the part about the guy in this or another thread who always carries his rifle at port arms and has his hands and fingers just so. Good for him that he doesn't hunt in anything thicker than he does. Personally, I have to use my hands to keep from getting my eyes poked out, or to keep myself upright by hanging onto things. A rifle safety doesn't know if it's your finger or a stick pushing it off.

Good post Klik. If I may, I'd like to add to it.

Statistically, the chances of an accidental discharge or a negligent discharge (which IMO a lot of ADs really are) are low. The problem is that if or when it occurs, the consequences are too great.

If one were so inclined to reread this entire mess, there is at least one poster that actually, and unbelievably claims to NEVER have slipped, tripped, or fallen in 50 some years of combat and hunting.
Not freakin once!

So, it's possible........










or not.

Over 20 years of hunting Colorado big game carrying both hot and cold, never lost an animal I can think of because the chamber was empty and never hunted anything but free-ranging, wild animals.

Comments like yours show a definite lack of experience.

Would a constitutional ammendment to never carry hot make you cold carriers feel better/safer?

Run it by your dim leader......

The first time this topic came up years ago I went out and practiced dry firing on some deer. I could get off sometimes dozons of fake shots on bucks or does before they would walk or run off. These where all public land blacktail and mule deer. And I've killed plenty of big game on the run while packing a hot chamber.

If you want to live dangerously be the lead guy on a raid into a building. You're as likely to get shot by the "professional" behind you as the bad guy shooting at you front.

Having a ND on family or friends is not something I want to experience in my life.

Not everybody hunts by charging through the woods taking ass shots at whatever jumps up...

I'm sure none of the cold chamber gents carry a revolver...right?
Bill

Can't speak for the others, but on occasion I carry a revolver. I sometimes carry an autoloader, too, although concealed and not hunting. In both cases my preferred method is with an empty chamber. In the revolver that means the one under the hammer.

Of course when I carry concealed with an empty chamber I'm not going into places where I'm likely to be in harm's way. I try to stay away from places like that.

If you are referring to Obama, he is the President pro tem, but he is not my �leader�. I actually don�t know of any of his stated opinions I agree with.

And no, neither a Constitutional Amendment nor any other law would make me feel better or safer. I carry both ways depending on circumstances and don�t relish the idea of more government intrusion.

Carry the way you like, I�ll carry the way I like, when I like.

I think most of the cold carry people feel the same way. Further I think we are all amused at the way some hot carry proponents obviously feel threatened that some folks come to a different conclusion than they do regarding method of carry. We regularly get accused of being too stupid to handle a firearm safely when cold carry is undeniably the SAFEST way to carry when it comes to Accidental Discharges.

I could care less how anyone carries their rifle when hunting if they are alone.....I find it hilarious that we've become such a nanny state that some feel the need to press upon their comrades in arms how a rifle should be handled while hunting.


Get over yourselves. Frankly, those that protest the most probably shouldn't risk ever loading a rifle, handle an auto loader, or drink a beer and drive within 2 hours.

It's OK to swim after you've eaten, it's only an old wives tale that you'll drown if you swim within 30 minutes of eating.

When I entered a building I wanted the guys behind me to be loaded hot and the safety off. I trust the men behind me alot more than what may be on the otherside of the door I'm kicking in. I see you have a military avatar that mentions sniper. How many doors does a sniper kick open a day compared the a regular infanrtyman on patrol.

Thank you for your service!!

First of all to JeffO: Thanks for starting this thread 2 years ago, because the response from people that I know who have considerable experience have caused me to rethink how I go about this. For 51 years I carried with one in the chamber and thought that was the way it was done. The comments of some I have come to respect on the fire has changed the way I do things. Even when I carried hot, I hunted as safely as I could and often reminded myself an animal-big or little-is not worth the regret I would have if something went wrong.

A while back I related an incident I had crossing a stream that was no more than 2 feet wide. I made one jump and with hands wet from rain the shotgun slipped and hit the ground. I caught the barrels pointing at my chest. Said that was dumb and went on. In my mind I kept hearing this sound and the longer I went I knew it was the hammers falling. Opened the action and out ejected 2 shotgun shells. Bill Ruger saved my life with his hammer blocks on the Ruger O/U. Stupid on my part, but I've hunted with many safe hunters that would have taken that same two foot level leap without unloading.

I have taken many other falls with both shotgun and rifle. If you hunt you can guarantee it will happen sometime/somewhere, level ground or difficult, it's just a matter of time. Usually you will get away with it, but again it's just a matter of time until you don't.

Cold from now on with a rifle and action open with a shotgun. Admittedly shells in the chamber with action open in an 0/U or laying on the lifter if a pump. Safety on at all times.

Again thanks Jeff and thanks to those who explained why I should change.

Thank you.