loaded or unloaded?

[Baylian]

When hunting, do you chamber a round in your rifle and put the safety on or do you leave the chamber empty with a full magazine?

Thanks, TJ

[gd357]

Depends, but under most circumstances, I keep one in the chamber. Too many quick shooting opportuities to go with an unloaded gun. Plus, here in Ohio, we're only allowed to have a total capacity of 3 shots, so only going with 2 in the magazine doesn't make much sense.;)

gd

[Nulle]

Loaded

[Rapier]

If I am hunting with any rifle other than the Martini, loaded, safety on. The Martini has no safety so, unloaded. I carry a round in my right hand, with the Martini, nickel brass.
Ed

[Mil Dot]

Chambered, Safety on.

[Andy L]

Hard to kill anything without one in the tube. Actually, I carry my guns loaded just about all the time, even in the truck. Just crack the bolt, and leave it on safety of course.

I cant remember the last time my ccw gun was unloaded, other than shooting it.

Loaded. Always.

Andy

[M.T. Pockets]

Loaded when I'm hunting with myself. With a guide, they will usually require that you hunt with an empty chamber until you put the final stalk on something.

In Minnesota we're required to keep firearms completely unloaded and cased when in a vehicle or motorized watercraft, so mine have to be unloaded til I'm in the field & ready to hunt.

[fabsroman]

I don't do much stalking, so mine are usually loaded with the safety off when I am in a tree stand. On the way down the tree, they are unloaded, and on the walk back they are loaded with the safety on.

When I am wingshooting, I always have the gun loaded and the safety off unless the dog is in the blind with me. When we start messing with the decoys, I pull the round out of the chamber. When I take a break, I pull the round out of the chamber. That is one thing I like about Benellis and Berettas, you don't have to unload the entire gun to make sure the chamber is empty.

Like MT, Maryland law requires that guns not have ammo in the chamber or the magazine when being transported, so my guns are always unloaded when they are in the car.

[toxic111]

Loaded with safety on except when in the truck, or crossing a fence etc.

[GoodOlBoy]

Don't do you much good if it ain't loaded.

GoodOlBoy

[muledeer]

Loaded w/safety on.
muledeer

[Adam Helmer]

Baylian,

When I walk out the backdoor, the chamber is loaded and the safety is on. "Cranking" the bolt afield will give you distant white flags to ponder! They make thin soup.

Loading the chamber and putting on the safety is fine, BUT watch the muzzle. Stay aware of where the muzzle is pointing and you have no problems.

Adam

[skeet]

Quoting SuicidJky

but I hold the trigger down while closing the bolt so its not cocked. a round is just opening and closing the bolt away.

With some rifles that is a very unsafe way to carry. The firing pin on quite a few rifles will be resting on the primer of the round. If dropped it could easily fire the round. I HAVE seen this happen! With some rifles I have had the firing pin actually protrudes PAST the face of the bolt.

[Baylian]

Thanks for all the replies! A guy I went hunting with years ago kept the magazine full but the chamber empty. He said it was for safety's sake. I can see how you would want a round in the chamber if you were on a stalk.

Good hunting! TJ

[fabsroman]

Second best safety is muzzle control. I hate it when people point guns at me and when I say something they tell me the safety is on. I have had a bunch of friends tell me that and I always want to smack them on the side of the head.

Another thing I hate is when we get out of our layout blinds to fix decoys and nobody unloads their guns, which are pointed over the very field we are moving the decoys around in. I rarely, if ever, rely on a safety.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by fabsroman
Second best safety is muzzle control. I hate it when people point guns at me and when I say something they tell me the safety is on. I have had a bunch of friends tell me that and I always want to smack them on the side of the head.

Another thing I hate is when we get out of our layout blinds to fix decoys and nobody unloads their guns, which are pointed over the very field we are moving the decoys around in. I rarely, if ever, rely on a safety.

Fabs

When my Grandfather was teaching me how to handle firearms and hunting etiquette he told me "Son if I EVER look over at you and look down the bore of your gun something bads going to happen". I think he was refering to something about how I better remove the front sight.

Don't gotta tell me twice. Yes sir, Yes sir.

And like you, I "never" rely on a safety, they are a mechical device and can fail at the most critical times. I also don't like people who wave guns around and especially the ones that always have their damned finger in the trigger guard. I tell them once, if they do it again I make it a point not to hunt with them again. Period. I'm too old to die while I'm supposed to be enjoying myself and sharing friendship.

Just in case I don't get back on a puter Merry Christmas to you, the wife and the youngin'. Have a good one. I always got a charge out of my youngins at Christmas time. Especially when they were little. Seems like they had more fun with the paper and boxes than they did the presents. I told the wife one year we should just go to the market get some boxes, wrap them up all fancy like and save a bunch of money. She kicked me in the shin. Sometimes she didn't have a sense of humor.:rolleyes:

[Riposte1]

In the imortal words of Rooster Cogburn: "Well, a gun that's cocked and not loaded aint good for much." :-)

Riposte

[Skinny Shooter]

for deer: pan is primed, hammer at full cock with hammer stall in place.
for groundhogs: when young kids are along, full magazine with bolt open slung muzzle down while walking. They sometimes forget to stay away from the side where the gun is. Also helps to cool the barrel between shots. By myself, locked and loaded.

[moneychanger]

on the way in in the morning unloaded till on stand, then loaded with one in chamber safety on. on the way out loaded til reach truck then unloaaded and cased for ride to camp.

[wrenchman]

becouse in most cases i am heading to my blind bofore legal lite
the gun is emty but if is legal the gun is loaded and on safty.