Loaded or Unloaded

[Harvest the Land]

Just wondering if most people have their rifles loaded or unloaded when stalking for whitetails or mule deer or spike forks, or do you wait until you're ready to take a shot to load the chamber? Or do some of you simply keep the magazine loaded, chamber empty, and wait until you're ready to shoot to load the chamber? Or do some of you always have the magazine loaded with a bullet in the chamber and safety on at all times when walking through the woods?

Newbie hunter here just wondering what's the most appropriate thing to do. I was thinking of keeping the magazine loaded with the safety on and keeping the chamber empty until ready to shoot.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks folks!

[Everett]

Personally I always have my rifle loaded and it has saved my life but you have to do what is comfortable for you.

[Marlowethelazydog]

Honestly for me it depends on the type of safety on the rifle. I do waaay more upland than big game and there the shotgun is loaded with the safety on to catch the flushes. Deer hunting I usually wait to chamber once the habitat is right. I don't chamber for the walk in.

[Ozone]

Loaded, safety on, muzzle in safe direction.

[Gateholio]

I always tell new hunters and CORE students that keeping the chamber empty is the safest method possible. I think it's good practice until you are more comfortable with carrying firearms in the bush.

I personally use a combination of unloaded and loaded chamber, depending on circumstances. Regardless of what you do, muzzle control is paramount.

[electroman]

Defiantly a comfort thing. I've got one in the pipe when I'm walking.

[604ksmith]

It depends on the terrain or whether I'm in a stalk.

Line of sight ~ 100M: No round chambered
Line of sight <50M: Round chambered
Line of sight <10M: Rifle in pack, bear spray in hand

If I'm stalking an animal I try to chamber a round asap unless I think I can wait and have the sound muffled by something else later on.

[Salty]

When I'm checking out new areas or trails or traveling to a spot I'll often keep the chamber empty magazine loaded. When I'm hunting an area with sign or otherwise looks 'gamey' I have one in the chamber safety on. As Gatehouse says be anal about safe muzzle control. Always.

[604ksmith]

I'll be 3rd to jump on saying muzzle direction is the ultimate safety feature.

I recently had my rifle unexpectedly fire when I went to un-chamber a round as soon as I took off my safety. Thankfully my muzzle was pointed at a nearly vertical angle. Turns out a strap/small buckle from my backpack snagged on my trigger when I went to rest my buttstock on my thigh.

It definitely shook me up, and I was extremely embarrassed when it happened but looking back I'm glad keeping my muzzle in a safe direction has been engraved in my mind from day one.

[r106]

Depends on the terrain. If im by myself i usually have chamber loaded. With my hunting partner always chamber empty mag loaded.

[caddisguy]

Depends on the terrain. If I am somewhere with no major obstacles I keep it loaded with the safety on. If it's steep, uneven, slippy, frosty, rotten, all of the above then mag loaded but chamber empty. I fell with a loaded rifle once... controlled the muzzle like a champ at the expense of the rest of my body. Don't want to do that again. I think if you're moving around somewhere you could go for a tumble, best to keep the chamber empty... even better keep it shouldered so you can manage/recover from slips more easily and not get all banged up. Region 2 essentials 101!!

[Ronforca]

One in he chamber.

[Sharpish]

Locked and loaded. But it depends on the type of safety the gun has. My Mauser safety blocks the firing pin and lifts the release away from the sear, and it locks the bolt closed (nice not losing your bolt in the woods). Plus the safety itself is a little wing which snaps tight against my scope when engaged, so I think it's almost impossible to snag it and accidentally disengage the safety.

But I'm always a little bit twitchy when using the rifle as a walking stick to cross boulders or streams lol. I am acutely aware of not sweeping myself with the muzzle. Some guns don't have as good of a safety. I would not trust a cross bolt or half cock safety as much but that might be ignorance

[todbartell]

Usually nothing in the chamber, but sometimes I do. Especially if I am packing one of my Ruger no1 single shot rifles :mrgreen:

[scoutlt1]

I've moved around in the bush with one in the chamber. But I've always been alone, been close to game, or known there's a bear (predator) nearby.
My boys only have a few years of experience, and I insist they never have a round in the chamber until ready to shoot (and when with them, I do the same).
Nothing in the pipe is way safer than one in the chamber. Not even comparable actually. I've never, ever, trusted any safety.

Scares me that someone would use a rifle as a "walking stick" with a round in the chamber. Yikes!!

As correctly stated already. Muzzle control is everything!

[tomcat]

What Gatehouse said in post #5.

[scoutlt1]

What Gatehouse said in post #5.

Agreed for sure!!

[john.b]

I generally have a round chambered when on foot.

[markomoose]

One in the chamber when alone walking/hiking.If i'm with someone guy in the lead has one in the chamber and safety on and tells guy in the back.Ya I KNOW kinda sounds kinky eh?

[Foxton Gundogs]

What most everyone else said one in the chamber

[M.Dean]

I teach the Kid's with a bolt action rifle, breach load to put 3 rounds in the breach and close the bolt on a "Empty" chamber. Reason is for the one or 2 seconds it takes to load the weapon, it sure beats killing someone or your self! Same thing with a detachable magazine loading rifle, you can snap the mag in when you see a animal, but wait until your ready to fire before loading the weapon. And, the Semi Auto 10-22, put the Mag in, wait until your ready to shoot the grouse, fingers are "No Where" near the trigger trigger guard, there's the grouse, pull the slide, rifles loaded, take aim and bang, dead grouse! But, before the shooter even moves with the Semi Auto 10-22 after firing, the Mag is removed, the slide pulled back at least 4 or 5 times to make sure the weapon is Unloaded, all the while the muzzle is pointed away from everyone,then give Papa the rifle and go get your grouse! ( long write up for "Loaded or Unloaded question, eh?)

[ActionJackson017]

I never walk with one chambered. What M.Dean says.. bolt action rifle, I feel confident I can cycle in time to get a shot if need be. And I don't hunt solo, so even if I came across a bear I wasn't expecting, I'll take my chances that my partner will assist with a kill shot rather than risk an accident with an accidental misfire.

[250 sav]

Depends on the terrain. If im by myself i usually have chamber loaded. With my hunting partner always chamber empty mag loaded.
same unless lots of bear sign of if sitting and calling i'm locked and loaded saftey on

[Harvest the Land]

Ok thanks guys. For me I think it will be definitely chamber empty, magazine full, safety on, and muzzle always under control and pointed in safest direction or on shoulder. I've been practising holding my Tikka T3 .308 every single day since I went to the range in Mission 2.5 weeks ago, loading and unloading, using a bipod and monopod (not sure which one I like best yet, that's why I bought both). I feel very comfortable holding the rifle, just wasn't sure if guys had something in the chamber or not while walking through the woods - seems like a lot of guys do.

Cheers!

[epicZERO74]

I go mag in, no bullet in chamber. Chamber it when I see something.

[scoutlt1]

Ok thanks guys. For me I think it will be definitely chamber empty, magazine full, safety on, and muzzle always under control and pointed in safest direction or on shoulder. I've been practising holding my Tikka T3 .308 every single day since I went to the range in Mission 2.5 weeks ago, loading and unloading, using a bipod and monopod (not sure which one I like best yet, that's why I bought both). I feel very comfortable holding the rifle, just wasn't sure if guys had something in the chamber or not while walking through the woods - seems like a lot of guys do.

Cheers!

Oh hell!!! You didn't mention you shoot a .308!

No need to worry then. It's not a magnum so it's all good! :)

[pricedo]

Just wondering if most people have their rifles loaded or unloaded when stalking for whitetails or mule deer or spike forks, or do you wait until you're ready to take a shot to load the chamber? Or do some of you simply keep the magazine loaded, chamber empty, and wait until you're ready to shoot to load the chamber? Or do some of you always have the magazine loaded with a bullet in the chamber and safety on at all times when walking through the woods?

Newbie hunter here just wondering what's the most appropriate thing to do. I was thinking of keeping the magazine loaded with the safety on and keeping the chamber empty until ready to shoot.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks folks!

I'm not suggesting anything.
Just sayin what I do.

Magazine charged, one in the chamber, hammer at half cock, safety on.

Those pointy things on each side of a deer, elk or moose's head are ears.
Very, very good ears.

If you need to operate the action before taking the shot by the time your finger is on the trigger your scope cross hairs will focused on the brush over where an animal used to be.

Most gun actions are meant to be operated fast.
If you do it slow because you've spotted a close by deer and are trying to keep the noise down there is more chances of a jam.

[.325WSM]

Usually loaded, safety on, very aware of muzzle direction, as I'm usually walking in thick brush. No time to chamber a cartridge if I bounce a buck.

[Sofa King]

loaded, safety on, and always aware of where barrel is pointing.
harder to kill that deer with an empty chamber.
I'm hunting, not hiking.

[M.Dean]

Ok thanks guys. For me I think it will be definitely chamber empty, magazine full, safety on, and muzzle always under control and pointed in safest direction or on shoulder. I've been practising holding my Tikka T3 .308 every single day since I went to the range in Mission 2.5 weeks ago, loading and unloading, using a bipod and monopod (not sure which one I like best yet, that's why I bought both). I feel very comfortable holding the rifle, just wasn't sure if guys had something in the chamber or not while walking through the woods - seems like a lot of guys do.

Cheers! A bit off topic, but, when your practicing with your rifle, keep picking the rifle up, aim it at a target and see if you can find the target instantly. I find that's where most new hunters have problems, you can see the deer just great standing in the tree's with your binos, but when you lift your rifle up and look through the scope, it takes forever to find it. Practice makes you "Perfect"! Have a great hunting season!

[wideopenthrottle]

I go mag in, no bullet in chamber. Chamber it when I see something.

same for me but I will occasionally chamber one when I hear or sense one as well...also if I am sitting in a spot I might chamber one...I once got caught sitting with my back to a tree nothing in the chamber and a big whitetail less than 50 feet away .. I tried my best to chamber one as silently as possible but he was eye to eye with me the whole time and when I finally eased the bolt closed it made enough noise for the buck to bolt away...

[Glenny]

After my last brush with mr kitty kat at ten feet I will still always have one in the spout. Always did, always will.

[russm86]

Almost always have one chambered with muzzle under control in safe direction and safety on especially when walking/hiking is easy. I will empty the chamber if I encounter more challenging terrain/obstacles especially if I'm hunting with a partner but still always have some in the magazine.

[Downtown]

While hiking or still hunting in Grizzly Country, SOP Magazine Full - no Shell in Chamber - Safety off.

If you have your safety on you may not get a Shell in the Chamber when the SHTF.

Cheers.

[300rum700]

If you have to ask loaded or unloaded you should probably be unloaded until your more comfortable with a rifle.

[REMINGTON JIM]

If you have to ask loaded or unloaded you should probably be unloaded until your more comfortable with a rifle.

Very GOOD point ! Althought situations will dicktate to me if I need to be Chambered or Unchambered - RJ

[ACB]

It doesn't come any safer than an empty chamber. That said I generally have one in the tube when hunting by myself, especially when still hunting Mulies or Whitetails. Because most times you just don't have time to crank one up. Also it's got to be a comfort thing.

[TreeStandMan]

When I first started big game hunting I walked with one in the tube, but on one hunt while walking a seismic line I noticed that the safety had somehow moved to the off position, likely from catching on my pack or clothing. This was using my grandpa’s old BSA .270, which does not have a more effective modern safety, but since then, unless I think it’s likely I’ll need to take a shot, I walk with the mag full and one in the tube, but without the gun cocked.

That is, when I work the bolt closed with one in the tube, I keep the trigger pressed, with stops the pin from cocking. That way, I’ve got an extra round in the rifle just in case, and if I need to take a shot, I only have to work the bolt up and down, which is much faster than fully chambering a round.

This said, the points made above about muzzle control are essential.

[tigrr]

Depends on the terrain. If im by myself i usually have chamber loaded. With my hunting partner always chamber empty mag loaded.

This for me. Except if there is 7 grizzly's around.....

[Whonnock Boy]

Live round, dead trigger.

[Gateholio]

When I first started big game hunting I walked with one in the tube, but on one hunt while walking a seismic line I noticed that the safety had somehow moved to the off position, likely from catching on my pack or clothing. This was using my grandpa’s old BSA .270, which does not have a more effective modern safety, but since then, unless I think it’s likely I’ll need to take a shot, I walk with the mag full and one in the tube, but without the gun cocked.

That is, when I work the bolt closed with one in the tube, I keep the trigger pressed, with stops the pin from cocking. That way, I’ve got an extra round in the rifle just in case, and if I need to take a shot, I only have to work the bolt up and down, which is much faster than fully chambering a round.

This said, the points made above about muzzle control are essential.


This is a very dangerous practice and you should discontinue it immediately. Your firing pin is protruding from your bolt face and pressing against a live primer.

[wideopenthrottle]

When I first started big game hunting I walked with one in the tube, but on one hunt while walking a seismic line I noticed that the safety had somehow moved to the off position, likely from catching on my pack or clothing. This was using my grandpa’s old BSA .270, which does not have a more effective modern safety, but since then, unless I think it’s likely I’ll need to take a shot, I walk with the mag full and one in the tube, but without the gun cocked.

That is, when I work the bolt closed with one in the tube, I keep the trigger pressed, with stops the pin from cocking. That way, I’ve got an extra round in the rifle just in case, and if I need to take a shot, I only have to work the bolt up and down, which is much faster than fully chambering a round.

This said, the points made above about muzzle control are essential.

careful when doing that with some types of actions..i have seen an accidental shot happen when doing that.