When do you chamber a round while hunting?

[ophious]

Even muzzle first? Muzzle first you are driving the firing pin into the cartridge. Buttstock down, you are driving the cartridge into the firing pin.

Dropping muzzle first will transfer the KE into the firing pin and spring driving the firing pin away from the primer. It would provide KE loss and not be as great as dropping it butt first. Keep in mind the firing pin is only held against the primer with the spring pressure. Dropping the rifle muzzle first only puts the energy of the weight of the firing pin multiplied by the dropping force. You can't take into consideration the weight of the rifle because it's not attached to the firing pin which puts pressure on the primer. Also having a projectile in the cartridge would make zero difference in the KE supplied to the primer from the firing pin.

 

[Blackwater Red]

I developed the habit of hunting with sporterized military surplus rifles. I was taught to chamber a round, but not close the bolt until ready to shoot. Hard habit to break. With reliable modern rifles, I would chamber the round, close the bolt, then engage the safety when I am I in a position to hunt.

 

[cynicrit]

Round in chamber as soon as I walk out the door.

 

[Orange Dust]

Even muzzle first? Muzzle first you are driving the firing pin into the cartridge. Buttstock down, you are driving the cartridge into the firing pin.

I can see where a bullet and the weight of the powder would make a difference, especially if the cartridge was sized so it could move in the chamber. Really, I think the biggest danger is in lowering the bolt very easy with cold fingers. The rifle could fire if the bolt slipped out of your fingers. I have done this, but to be honest, there are safer ways to carry a loaded gun, and my rifles are all somewhat noisy to cock. The noise is the deal killer for me. Not much different from chambering a round from an empty chamber. AND my opinion is worth at least what you all paid for it.

 

[Orange Dust]

I developed the habit of hunting with sporterized military surplus rifles. I was taught to chamber a round, but not close the bolt until ready to shoot. Hard habit to break. With reliable modern rifles, I would chamber the round, close the bolt, then engage the safety when I am I in a position to hunt.

I would trust a 700 with a factory trigger even less!!

 

[ophious]

I can see where a bullet and the weight of the powder would make a difference, especially if the cartridge was sized so it could move in the chamber. Really, I think the biggest danger is in lowering the bolt very easy with cold fingers. The rifle could fire if the bolt slipped out of your fingers. I have done this, but to be honest, there are safer ways to carry a loaded gun, and my rifles are all somewhat noisy to cock. The noise is the deal killer for me. Not much different from chambering a round from an empty chamber. AND my opinion is worth at least what you all paid for it.

You're looking at it all wrong. Once the Cartridge is locked into the bolt it isn't going anywhere. No matter how much "expansion" room there is in the chamber. The Base of the cartridge is designed in all applications to be completely seated against the bolt face always. This is why the bolt locks to transfer the energy out of the muzzle not towards the bolt unless it's a semi auto firearm non direct impingement/gas.

 

[FIGJAM]

I can see where a bullet and the weight of the powder would make a difference, especially if the cartridge was sized so it could move in the chamber. Really, I think the biggest danger is in lowering the bolt very easy with cold fingers. The rifle could fire if the bolt slipped out of your fingers. I have done this, but to be honest, there are safer ways to carry a loaded gun, and my rifles are all somewhat noisy to cock. The noise is the deal killer for me. Not much different from chambering a round from an empty chamber. AND my opinion is worth at least what you all paid for it.

I don't think I have been overly slow at closing the bolt when I disengage the firing pin. I have always been careful where my muzzle pointed when I did this, but I have never gone ultra slow...I have probably done it hundreds of time with all the coyote hunting I have done - as soon as I take the rifle out of the truck, a round goes in the chamber and the gun is decocked while I am hiking to the stand. When I get to the stand I pull the bolt up and push it down to cock the firing pin and then put it on safety. When I am done calling, the gun is decocked again for the walk back to the truck. Once at the truck, the round is unchambered and put back in the magazine before being put back into the truck. I do a lot of coyote hunting, you can see how I have used options C a lot this way just the last couple years....

 

[pony doctor]

Just curious what everybody's thoughts are on hunting with a round in the chamber? C only applies to bolts, but I think I tend to favor C; although I have my 11 year old hunting without a round in the chamber until we are ready to shoot something. How do you prefer to hunt - when do you chamber the round?

In my opinion, proper safety protocol is to chamber a round only when you intend to shoot. Any other option can and does lead to discharge sooner or later! The most dangerous firearm is an unloaded one. The second most dangerous firearm is handling one for any other reason than shooting a round is a loaded firearm with the safety on!

 

[bigngreen]

That makes zero sense

Dropping muzzle first will transfer the KE into the firing pin and spring driving the firing pin away from the primer. It would provide KE loss and not be as great as dropping it butt first. Keep in mind the firing pin is only held against the primer with the spring pressure. Dropping the rifle muzzle first only puts the energy of the weight of the firing pin multiplied by the dropping force. You can't take into consideration the weight of the rifle because it's not attached to the firing pin which puts pressure on the primer. Also having a projectile in the cartridge would make zero difference in the KE supplied to the primer from the firing pin.

We don't know the mechanism by which we get a primer to fire, you have two objects with mass able to move until you can rule out the case movement actually initiating the fire you have to test in the state. Many of our rounds are actually heavier than a firing pin and since the spring pressure is the same it could.be the case slamming down or the pin slamming forward?

 

[Orange Dust]

I don't think I have been overly slow at closing the bolt when I disengage the firing pin. I have always been careful where my muzzle pointed when I did this, but I have never gone ultra slow...I have probably done it hundreds of time with all the coyote hunting I have done - as soon as I take the rifle out of the truck, a round goes in the chamber and the gun is decocked while I am hiking to the stand. When I get to the stand I pull the bolt up and push it down to cock the firing pin and then put it on safety. When I am done calling, the gun is decocked again for the walk back to the truck. Once at the truck, the round is unchambered and put back in the magazine before being put back into the truck. I do a lot of coyote hunting, you can see how I have used options C a lot this way just the last couple years....

Like I said. My biggest gripe about option C is it is noisy, and not much faster than starting with an empty chamber. Most modern guns are pretty safe to carry hot with the safety on. I only use what I'm calling option D when with someone, or where I might trip, I will raise the bolt. This is really more for the piece of mind of my companion, and to plant a safety seed in his mind for my own piece of mind. This is important to me especially if I haven't hunted with him or her allot.

 

[therifleman556]

I'll put this conversation to rest. Now accepting donations to purchase a cheap Remington 700 for drop testing performing option "C". Obviously I'd use a cartridge without a projectile, but am willing to test this theory.

Make sure it's one of them "out of spec" rifles like everyone else's got. Of course it won't fire if the pin doesn't reach beyond the bolt face

 

[Akhunting]

Never "C"! I carried a .22LR and my .300WM like that years ago, it made sense to a kid with little formal training. I stopped when I noticed dimples on the primers and rim when I unloaded! I tested with the .22 and was able to get a couple to go off, no more of that! I now realize and believe it is stupid and unsafe to have a tensioned firing pin resting on a primer, regardless of what someone says physics tells them or what an experiment shows; there are flaws in both, namely the sheer variability of firearms, primers, circumstances, and many other variables.

I chose "B" and will qualify that to say only when I am hunting on my own or leading in an area I am likely to jump something. Typically in group hunts I will go "A" most of the time. With few exceptions, people behind me carry in "A". As an aside, when hunting with nothing in the chamber I have made it a point for years to leave the safety off to gauge the likely hood of catching the trigger inadvertently; I had it happen for the first time in over 20 years of hunting mountains and coastal brush this fall. I would say a solid 30% of my animals have come in scenarios where I would have spooked game or not had time to rack one in and shoot. I also spent a lot of time in brown bear country.

No way for me on the Eberlestock or similar scabarded packs, about the worst thing ever invented IMO. Only time not to carry your rifle in your hand is when you need two hands. A sling is also a waste in most situations IMO, though all my rifles carry one in case it is needed.

 

[bigngreen]

You're looking at it all wrong. Once the Cartridge is locked into the bolt it isn't going anywhere. No matter how much "expansion" room there is in the chamber. The Base of the cartridge is designed in all applications to be completely seated against the bolt face always. This is why the bolt locks to transfer the energy out of the muzzle not towards the bolt unless it's a semi auto firearm non direct impingement/gas.

The cases are held forward in the chamber anywhere from zero to .010, they can move.

 

[ophious]

We don't know the mechanism by which we get a primer to fire, you have two objects with mass able to move until you can rule out the case movement actually initiating the fire you have to test in the state. Many of our rounds are actually heavier than a firing pin and since the spring pressure is the same it could.be the case slamming down or the pin slamming forward?

We do know the mechanism by which we get a primer to fire. To the exact kenetic energy. There is no relation to the mass of the firing pin and the kg needed as the acceleration and stored mass in the spring is the factor in igniting the primer. Your statement of a cartridge moving within the bolt doesn't make any sense. The tolerances of a firing pin protrusion is very tight. If your guns had a loose spec between the base of the cartridge and face of the bolt, it could lead to problems. The spec between the rim of the cartridge and the base of the cartridge is pretty uniform.