Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Carrying rifle loaded or empty?

Good idea...that way snow and mud wont get in the muzzle....remember safety first.

Ouch! Dammit, just when the scab on my ankle had hardened up....

Chambering and shouldering at the same time if need be is no problem, seldom need to be that fast on big game, but I've done it. Pretty much like pumping a shotgun while wing shooting, comes natural without thought. That said the most dangerous situation is during chambering and unchambering. Almost found out the hard way when I took a guy out and we jumped a coues buck at 10 yds, it doubled back on the side I was standing and I could feel the barrel coming my way. The deer was already gone and as soon as he chambered his finger was in the trigger and it went off, not even up to his shoulder, right where my head was before I hit the dirt, I couldn't hear for 10 minutes.

Kent

Just cause some dude hunts with an empty chamber, doesnt make him necessarily safe.

You can pour gravy on your boots, but that dont make 'em bisquits.

This is, in my opinion, the Achilles heel of the "cold" argument. First- people needing to do a full action manipulation in the stress of the moment gives me the willies. Second, guys who think the gun is not chambered and get careless.

As an example of the second concern, there was a post on the Remington trigger thread a few weeks ago where a guy reported hunting with someone who was supposedly hunting cold, and being careless with his muzzle for that explicit reason. Turned out there was a round in the chamber after all.

Not saying carrying cold is a bad thing. Just that it's not as clearly safer than some would say.

I always carry with a round in the chamber, but then again I usually hunt by myself. Don't know how many good bucks would have gotten away if I'd had to jack around putting a round in the chamber. The bucks around here just aren't that cordial.

Same here, Orion.

Hunting cold would've cost me the monster dink I killed this year, for sure. Also would've cost me the 2nd deer I had a chance at. However to be fair I could've killed the deer I did kill with my 2nd tag if I'd been carrying cold.

I watch my butt around anyone, I would rather only worry about the few seconds of chambering than the entire time out. If I'm hunting with someone, I'm helping on their hunt and they are relying on me to find game, if I have to watch them I'm not putting 100% on finding animals. The habit of cracking the chamber everytime a weapon is setdown and picked up also becomes an unconsious habit most that hunt with me aquire without issue. I don't have a strict rule except that they will walk infront of me where I can watch them if they carry hot, never had anyone get upset or think they were missing out getting a shot off by carrying empty, never had anyone decide thay needed to carry hot.

Yes the most dangerous time is chambering and unchambering or if you carry hot, flipping the (trigger) opps, edit to say safety off, sometimes in the heat of the moment the diget is already pulling the trigger without knowing, I'm sure as heck watching, the rest of the time I want to be comfortable.

Kent

Exactly. My guess that most of those claiming to hunt with a cold chamber are being less than truthful. If I am wrong, you have my apology.

You are wrong.

I don't think SH is lying. Further, I thing he's probably a hell of a hunter, better than me, who can chamber rounds and kill the deer he hunts, where and how he hunts them, to his satisfaction.

But that doesn't put meat in MY freezer.

I know how my deer hunting plays out; it's usually unaware deer, quite close, with narrow shooting lanes (easy escape for the deer). Cycling the action would cost me deer, and for no good reason.

I carry my rifles disassembled in an attach� case like James Bond. In seconds I can assemble it and shoot. BTW, I use blue tape over the muzzle and wear a blaze orange ghillie suit.

If I'm next to someone the action is open.

By myself there is usually a round in the chamber with the bolt open to the up position and the safe on. The non bolt lock position on Model 70s and Kimbers. Relatively easy to drop the bolt and release the safety quickly if game is spotted. Have lost a round or two from the bolt catching on something and opening it without my realization, but that is minor. If you drop the rifle and it hits on the butt, the bolt will open completely and eject the round. If it hits barrel first the possibility exists that the bolt could close and the safety be released.

If sneaking into heavy cover with the possibility of a bedded deer or game is spotted, bolt is closed with safety on.

Just the way I do it, if some disagree, it's their right.

Nice touch!

Maybe I should start keeping my arrow in the quiver before I see a deer underneath me and then nock one up. That would give them a real sporting chance.

Oy vey! Not again, but here goes.

I would have lost a good nine point a week ago if I'd been hunting with an empty chamber. Matter of fact, I can't think of a good buck I've killed that I would have likely gotten if I'd been hunting empty, the deer where I hunt just aren't that tame to put up with standing around while a hunter fiddles with his rifle. To each his own, but to me the concept of sitting on a stand with an empty rifle is just dumb.

+1

I dunno... I haven't had popcorn for a while..

Now's a good time..

I grew up hunting pheasant, quail and rabbit without a dog. If I had carried cold it would have been hiking not hunting. I still bird hunt without a dog using an over under, it would be ridiculous to do so carrying cold. I CCW a Glock hot every day. I carry my rifle the same way. YMMV

Yeah, I wonder how many of these guys have CCW permits. You carry it hot or you might as not carry it at all.