When do you chamber a round while hunting?

[MudRunner2005]

No it's not my writing, I've tried every way to explain how a bolt action works, others have show picture and you a Mud can't wrap you pumpkins around it!!

Oh, I wouldn't be dragging me into this again Rhian... This is between y'all. You're not going to change my opinion regardless. But I think we already knew that.

 

[MudRunner2005]

This is purely speculative and for debate purposes only. God help us never prove one another right.

I agree completely. Nobody wants to see anyone hurt. But I would love to see one proven right or wrong in a true controlled environment where this can be safely tested.

 

[FIGJAM]

History proves it, every one and their dog knows you don't carry an older rifle with the hammer resting on the pin which in turn rest on the primer it cap. If it was absalutely safer every rifle maker known would recommend it. Even a 200 year old Flint lock is packed in half cock and not with the hammer resting on the frizzen. Rifle ignition design has never relied on the firing mechanism resting on the case for safety.

I get it - its unconventional, but doesn't mean it isnt safe. Safety's get knocked off - thats a fact. Maybe it has never happened to you, but it happens, or people take it off and forget to put it back on. I'll take my chances with a decocked rifle.

 

[Plinker147]

Option A for me. I can't believe how many chose option B. I never even heard of anyone doing option C.

I can understand different types of hunting allow to have a round chambered, sitting in blind or tree stand. Or with a shotgun for bird hunting.

But for my style of hunting western big game walking up and down mountainsI never have a round in the chamber until I'm Fixing to shoot, Not even by myself, way to easy for something to go wrong.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I can't believe anyone shoots guns! They are so gosh darn dangerous!

Also, the guys who like options c are also the same guy who enjoy kissing their cousins and shooting the 6.5 creedmoor.

 

[Ndfarmer]

It's mostly option A for me unless stalking. then I will have one in the chamber with the bolt open and pulled back a little bit. I then carry it with my one hand, my thumb on the bolt and rest of my hand gripping the rifle.

 

[NEMTHunter]

I voted "C" Before the thread got longer then three pages. After reading both side and taking the bolts out of there respective rifle's and releasing the Firing pin (the same thing when you pull the trigger and lower the bolt) on them, I am not sure I now feel 100% comfortable with that method. Not saying it does not work. This is how I have done it almost from the start of hunting. I have never really trusted a safety. LOL I or anyone I have hunted with has never had a problem with it. I do treat my gun like it glass, Unless I am testing a modded trigger then I fear for the stock and the scope!!


With that said. I would rather have no round in the chamber then have a loaded one in with the safety on. Hence I have used the "C" method. Unless the situation calls for it, Like hunting in thick timber or brush were a quick shot is needed OR in bear or wolf country. Am I going to stop using the "C" method? Maybe and maybe not. A lot of time I hunt by myself and the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction. I just do not feel as good about as I did in the past now since this thread.

So it might go like this. Chamber stays Empty till ready to shoot UNLESS I am in a place were its better to have around in with safety on. After all the name of ANY game is Safety First.

AS a side not. IMHO I feel Ruger M77 Mark 2 Three position Safety is the best one on the market. Why?? In the last position the safety lever goes all the way back and locks the anvil (if I can call it that) part of the firing pin so even if the trigger was managed to be pulled. It still could not fire because it locked in place. AND its almost flush with the Anvil part and would take some work from brush to unlock it. Unlike my Winchester 670 or the Remington Safety. As you can tell I feel good about my safety. Just do not like that practice.

Sorry If that got long winded. There's lots more that could be said. With that said its now Method "A"

 

[FIGJAM]

I can't believe anyone shoots guns! They are so gosh darn dangerous!

Also, the guys who like options c are also the same guy who enjoy kissing their cousins and shooting the 6.5 creedmoor.

For the record it was marrying a first cousin...and I compared that to scouting for game in an airplane - never done either, but I stand by my comparison in that thread! Lol.

 

[codyadams]

I understand what you are saying - it doesn't prove option C is unsafe or any less safe than B.

You were asking if anyone has had it happen.....I already stated that I saw it happen with a revolver dropping muzzle first onto concrete. So there is that......You said that bigngreens only argument was that it didn't seem safe, which is untrue. He stated (and it has been visually proven in this thread) that the fireing pin in a bolt action rifle IS resting on the primer with a certain (but relatively small, depending on the firing pin spring) amount of pressure, just like an old style revolver. The weight of the fireing pin/hammers of an old style fixed firing pin revolver and a modern bolt rifle probably aren't much different. I saw it happen with a revolver, and the same mechanics are involved with a bolt rifle in state C. It CAN happen under the right circumstances.

You stated if it dropped muzzle first that would likely be a safe direction for it. Well yes, if it is on soft dirt. But do you want to have a 140 grain going 37,000 fps out of a Creedmoore (there, I said it!!!) fragmenting onto a rock or richocheting within feet of yourself or someone else? I don't.

As far as what it takes for a negligent discharge to happen in C vs B, or numbers of occurrences, of course there will be more in state B because there are about 14 times (according to THIS poll) more people that choose to carry in option B vs C, so of course you won't hear about as many, which we don't hear about many in the first place.

Can a rifle in option B be dropped, bumped off saftey, then have the trigger pulled by a branch or be bumped hard enough to set it off? Yes. Can a rifle in option C be dropped and have enough inertia to set it off? Yes. I'm not going to try to change your or anyone else's mind, I doubt some random guy on the internet you don't know will ever change the way you manage firearm saftey, and that is fine. I have had one negligent discharge in my life, with a lever action rifle trying to de-cock the hammer, and it slipped off my thumb and sent a 190 grain hornady into the dirt. I was by myself, and following all other saftey rules thank goodness, nothing living nor any property was damaged, accept maybe my boxers, which may or may not have been soiled ha ha. I will never forget it, as someone that takes pride in my firearms discipline that was a hard hit to my ego. Everyone can make mistakes. I'm just saying, don't get a false confidence in method C. It is not any better than method B. Accidents can still happen.

 

[Pdvdh]

No it's not my writing, I've tried every way to explain how a bolt action works, others have show picture and you and Mud can't wrap you pumpkins around it!!

Another example of Mud helping out the membership. More factual error. Help requires understanding.

Mud also thinks semi-autos are safer with bumpstocks. A bumpstock with an AR for Christmas. Great fun for the little ones. Oh, I forgot! Bumpstocks are now illegal! Bummer... Let me know when you're again able to legally purchase one in this country Captain Mud. If you post another 100 times in the bumpstocks banned thread, maybe it'll make all the difference.

 

[FIGJAM]

I voted "C" Before the thread got longer then three pages. After reading both side and taking the bolts out of there respective rifle's and releasing the Firing pin (the same thing when you pull the trigger and lower the bolt) on them, I am not sure I now feel 100% comfortable with that method. Not saying it does not work. This is how I have done it almost from the start of hunting. I have never really trusted a safety. LOL I or anyone I have hunted with has never had a problem with it. I do treat my gun like it glass, Unless I am testing a modded trigger then I fear for the stock and the scope!!


With that said. I would rather have no round in the chamber then have a loaded one in with the safety on. Hence I have used the "C" method. Unless the situation calls for it, Like hunting in thick timber or brush were a quick shot is needed OR in bear or wolf country. Am I going to stop using the "C" method? Maybe and maybe not. A lot of time I hunt by myself and the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction. I just do not feel as good about as I did in the past now since this thread.

So it might go like this. Chamber stays Empty till ready to shoot UNLESS I am in a place were its better to have around in with safety on. After all the name of ANY game is Safety First.

AS a side not. IMHO I feel Ruger M77 Mark 2 Three position Safety is the best one on the market. Why?? In the last position the safety lever goes all the way back and locks the anvil (if I can call it that) part of the firing pin so even if the trigger was managed to be pulled. It still could not fire because it locked in place. AND its almost flush with the Anvil part and would take some work from brush to unlock it. Unlike my Winchester 670 or the Remington Safety. As you can tell I feel good about my safety. Just do not like that practice.

Sorry If that got long winded. There's lots more that could be said. With that said its now Method "A"

Since I have started hunting with my son we don't put one in the chamber. He is 11, and I don't want to have to mess with it. If he or myself doesn't have time to rack a round in the chamber then we'll find another opportunity. It is definitely the safest way to go...

 

[shaughn]

First condition C violates a cardinal rule of gun handling......Keep your finger off the trigger unless you intend to shoot!...that would be enough to get kicked out of any hunt camp I can think of that I would associate with....as far as liability...if one has an ND....the family of the injured would own you lock stock and barrel...if you doubt me do like I said and call a liability lawyer....and don't be surprised at what he says...if in further doubt talk to the manufacturer of your rifle of choice...you won't like their answer anymore than ours...

 

[FIGJAM]

First condition C violates a cardinal rule of gun handling......Keep your finger off the trigger unless you intend to shoot!...that would be enough to get kicked out of any hunt camp I can think of that I would associate with....as far as liability...if one has an ND....the family of the injured would own you lock stock and barrel...if you doubt me do like I said and call a liability lawyer....and don't be surprised at what he says...if in further doubt talk to the manufacturer of your rifle of choice...you won't like their answer anymore than ours...

 

[FIGJAM]

You were asking if anyone has had it happen.....I already stated that I saw it happen with a revolver dropping muzzle first onto concrete. So there is that......You said that bigngreens only argument was that it didn't seem safe, which is untrue. He stated (and it has been visually proven in this thread) that the fireing pin in a bolt action rifle IS resting on the primer with a certain (but relatively small, depending on the firing pin spring) amount of pressure, just like an old style revolver. The weight of the fireing pin/hammers of an old style fixed firing pin revolver and a modern bolt rifle probably aren't much different. I saw it happen with a revolver, and the same mechanics are involved with a bolt rifle in state C. It CAN happen under the right circumstances.

You stated if it dropped muzzle first that would likely be a safe direction for it. Well yes, if it is on soft dirt. But do you want to have a 140 grain going 37,000 fps out of a Creedmoore (there, I said it!!!) fragmenting onto a rock or richocheting within feet of yourself or someone else? I don't.

As far as what it takes for a negligent discharge to happen in C vs B, or numbers of occurrences, of course there will be more in state B because there are about 14 times (according to THIS poll) more people that choose to carry in option B vs C, so of course you won't hear about as many, which we don't hear about many in the first place.

Can a rifle in option B be dropped, bumped off saftey, then have the trigger pulled by a branch or be bumped hard enough to set it off? Yes. Can a rifle in option C be dropped and have enough inertia to set it off? Yes. I'm not going to try to change your or anyone else's mind, I doubt some random guy on the internet you don't know will ever change the way you manage firearm saftey, and that is fine. I have had one negligent discharge in my life, with a lever action rifle trying to de-cock the hammer, and it slipped off my thumb and sent a 190 grain hornady into the dirt. I was by myself, and following all other saftey rules thank goodness, nothing living nor any property was damaged, accept maybe my boxers, which may or may not have been soiled ha ha. I will never forget it, as someone that takes pride in my firearms discipline that was a hard hit to my ego. Everyone can make mistakes. I'm just saying, don't get a false confidence in method C. It is not any better than method B. Accidents can still happen.

I don't feel like a revolver and a bolt action are the same thing. I get you are trying to draw a parallel there, but its different.