I generally leave the chamber empty anytime the rifle is not in my hands, whether SS or repeater. The exception is my Merkel .308, which has one of those "cocking" tang safeties, so it simply cannot go off with round in the chamber unless the tang button is shoved (not clicked) forward. I have carried that slung over my back wiith a round in the chamber in rough country, mostly because it was too rough to have it in my hands with 75 pounds of caribou on my back--and I did not want to unload it in grizzly country.
But that's the exception.
JB
