Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Livewire322
I don’t carry my rifle loaded, regardless of being alone or with others.
I don’t carry a shotgun loaded while bird hunting either.
I would far sooner miss an opportunity on an animal than take the risk of sending a bullet somewhere I didn’t intend to.
I’m assuming you mean with one in the chamber? “Not loaded” means nothing inchamber OR magazine. If you hunt birds this way, other than grouse, you’ll probably never get one. Chukar are especially fast. Once they flush, it’s usually over in less than 2 seconds.
My bolt and semi I don’t chamber a round until I’m in “close”, but I do most of my hunting with my leverguns so they can be carried with the hammer at 1/2 cock with safety on for the Marlins and decocked for the Henrys.
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Redthies
I’m assuming you mean with one in the chamber? “Not loaded” means nothing inchamber OR magazine. If you hunt birds this way, other than grouse, you’ll probably never get one. Chukar are especially fast. Once they flush, it’s usually over in less than 2 seconds.
My bolt and semi I don’t chamber a round until I’m in “close”, but I do most of my hunting with my leverguns so they can be carried with the hammer at 1/2 cock with safety on for the Marlins and decocked for the Henrys.
Sure, if you want to go with the legal definition in some jurisdictions vs the functional and logical definition, then having a loaded magazine inserted into a firearm would be considered loaded.
As others in this thread have put it - a safety is a mechanical device and mechanical devices fail.
I don’t carry a firearm with a round in the chamber, and wouldn’t want to be around others doing so either.
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
what about my way...///When gun is in my hand,,chambered is full,,,but bolt is never down..,,works at least on my tikkas.. never lost any bolt/// on my books,,that is safety way to hunt.even if i drop my gun..it wont go off...just this year my buddy had A D because he was trusting his ..safety on...system..suprised both of us..still i hunt with him,,,he never gonna do it again..now he is carrying his gun ..my way..
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
The safeties on some rifles are more dangerous than other....My Kimbers 3postion and rugers 3 position have on occasion, magically moved from full safe bolt lock to ready to fire by themselves. These rifles will be empty chamber if I'm hunting with anyone else.
However I do prefer to hunt solo...camping with a group is ok but when hunting why would I want club foot joe to be following me?
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
[QUOTE=hawk-i;2130357]The safeties on some rifles are more dangerous than other..///.. yep,,this is correct...
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Never forget a hunt in the late 60s.
LT (308 LOVER) & I were moose hunting north of Fort St James.
We met at a shack near the road by a swampy area after a day’s hunt. I forgot to unload my 308 norma bolt action & when abruptly placing the rifle on the floor near the table the gun accidentally went off, the bullet hitting the tin roof.
Nowadays the chamber is always empty when rifle is slung over the shoulder.
Will chamber the rifle when alone in bushy areas & will have total control by holding the rifle in my hands. When area looks promising or there are fresh bear signs will immediately put a round in the chamber.
Any human presence or walking through rough terrain the rifle is empty.
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Mag is full, chamber is empty. I have a lever action Henry 45-70 and can load up fast in an emergency, maybe not as fast as a charging bear, but faster than I could unload it if I slipped and fell with my rifle pointing in an unsafe direction. I don't walk with any of my bolt actions chambered.
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
steel_ram
I usually keep mine unloaded and locked in a hard case until I'm ready to shoot. A bit of a bugger in thick brush but best to be safe than sorry.
Do you bring a separate case or just pack around the Kolpin from your quad? I figure that’s why they now make them easy to remove from the quad mount.
I agree you can never be too safe...
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fuzzybiscuit
Do you bring a separate case or just pack around the Kolpin from your quad? I figure that’s why they now make them easy to remove from the quad mount.
I agree you can never be too safe...
I don't have a quad. I was being facetious.
Re: Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?
Much of it depends on the circumstances. I often carry one in the chamber with safety on, but some circumstances dictate an empty chamber. There are a few friends that I feel comfortable next to with loaded chambers. If I do t know someone well I prefer empty chambers. I use firearms more days than I don’t so I am pretty comfortable with gun handling.