One in the chamber...

[Bobbyboe]

Beendare, great examples of why to always have one in the pipe of a pistol. If I'm in bear country every firearm will have one chambered. In a stressful use of force situation you will not remember to chamber a round. You just won't.

 

[FlyGuy]

So for those that dont hike or carry one in the chamber of their bolt action rifle, what is the reason?

And I'm just naturally curious not knocking your view or trying to change your mind.

For me, its b/c it is just too easy for the safety to get accidentally knocked into the fire position without you realizing it when you are hiking around in the mountains with a rifle.

I have an old ruger m77 mark 2 with a solid 3 position safety that i feel "a little" better about leaving chambered b/c you have do be pretty dang deliberate to move it from locked to fire (but even that one I rarely leave loaded anymore). My CA ridgeline has 2 position that i just dont trust. I havent had it long, but ive already reached down too many times and realized the safety was off. The 1st time it happened to me was also the very 1st time i hunted with it (spring bear 2018). It was my 1st time in Grizzly country (outskirts) so I had one in the chamber and i felt myself turn white when i realized it. That was the end of it. So, for me, even in big bear country, my Rifle chamber stays empty, my pistol chamber stays loaded.


Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[ckleeves]

So for those that dont hike or carry one in the chamber of their bolt action rifle, what is the reason?

And I'm just naturally curious not knocking your view or trying to change your mind.

Ill sometimes do it if I’m still hunting timber, tracking in snow, etc and the rifle is in my hands (not slung). I always feel better doing it with solid 3 position safety’s, just personal preference.

Remington style 2 position safety’s and light triggers (which the majority of my guns have) I’m not really a fan of carrying one in the hole. Way to easy for the safety to come off from brush, rubbing on packs, etc. And that same brush can easily find its way into the trigger guard and trip a 1-2 lb trigger.

It literally takes 1-2 seconds to chamber a round in a rifle without a locking bolt. Unslung my rifle to find the safety off (no round in chamber) enough times to not really consider it even an option.

 

[lyle_destroys]

Sidearm: I feel VERY strongly about this one: you ALWAYS carry one in the chamber! The point of a sidearm is to have a weapon that you can get on target and fire quickly. Having to rack one into the chamber before it is able to do that defeats the purpose in my opinion. If you have a proper holster for your weapon and follow the basic laws of firearms safety you should have zero fear of an accidental discharge. When I was new to carrying sidearms it still made me nervous so I made sure I had a weapon with a manual safety and I drilled snapping that safety off as part of my draw cycle when training. Now that I have been carrying for a number of years I have no mental need for that safety so my current carry weapon doesn't haven't a manual safety of any kind.

Rifle: Depends on the style of hunting. If I'm still hunting through the woods I carry one in the chamber, safety on, and I'm religious about my barrel discipline. Any other type of hunting I do not keep one in the chamber until I'm on an animal.

I agree 100 percent. Ive seen many altercations where someone has needed to use a sidearm in self defense and couldnt becuase they only have 1 free hand. Trying to keep standoff or restrain the attacker with the other.

Sent from my LG-M327 using Tapatalk

 

[Zebra312]

Never one in the chamber for me while hunting with a rifle. It just doesn’t take that much time to rack a round in and if you are that rushed on an animal that you don’t have enough time to rack a round you probably shouldn’t be shooting. My partner used to like to hike with one chambered and I told him if he wanted to hunt together anymore he’d carry it unloaded from now on. With it unloaded you can 100% assure that nothing can go wrong. Remember a year or 2 ago a hunter in Montana was killed by hiking around with his rifle loaded. Randy Newberg mentioned it in a podcast. Sidearm I’m on the fence I guess, in big bear country I’m probably carrying one in the chamber

Had I been your partner...you would have been a partner short.

 

[Antarctica]

Never in my life have I had to, or felt the need to carry a gun for self defense. But if I ever do, and I suspect that I will, there will be one in the chamber. Can't see the point if there's not. All sorts of regular hunting situations call for one in the chamber (i.e., nearly all bird hunting), why wouldn't a self defense situation demand it?

Years ago, I was working in the Arctic and we had to do some bear safety training. Had to watch a video where they had captured a real-life grizz bluff charge. It left an impression on me that I won't forget. That bear covered about 20 yards in about 2 seconds. Probably made 3-4 strides to cover the distance. It was shocking.

I see people 'simulate' a charging bear for bear defense training with a paper target on a cable/pulley system, and its a joke. They need to speed it up about 4x if they're even going to come close to the charge captured in that video. The bear in the video's acceleration seemed almost instantaneous. In a short quarter situation like that, you'll be lucky to get one round off when its on top of you if the charge turns out not to be a bluff. If you don't have one in the chamber in that situation, you might as well have left it at home.

 

[bsnedeker]

Never in my life have I had to, or felt the need to carry a gun for self defense.

So you've never been to a walmart after 10 PM I take it?

 

[Tod osier]

A semi-auto pistol in a holster would always have one in the chamber. I'm absolutely fine with just about anyone in that situation.

I've really switched my practice with a rifle and carry on an empty chamber as much as I can. When not on a stand or immediately expecting game, I'm really liking an empty chamber in a rifle (especially in a slick and reliable feeding one). In bear country a rifle with an empty chamber can be deployed plenty fast for me to choose to carry that way.

I've seen three unintended discharges in my life and almost had one of my own. All three were shotguns. One was a duck blind discharge straight into the air - oops. One was walking back to the truck with a buddy after small game hunting when we busted a buck and he tracked it with his shotgun and BOOM - oops. The third was small game hunting walking down a trail with a buddy and BOOM - oops. The one I almost had was a transfer bar slug gun and I was playing with the hammer with my finger in the trigger (apparently) when walking and I dented the primer on a slug (in my defense, I was 16 or 17 and have been good since, but a dumbass move to learn from for sure).

I had a WAY more rifles than I'd prefer pointed at me.

 

[Cgeb]

Always have a round in the chamber, but I don't carry wheel guns or "hammer cocked" long guns. My EDC handgun has a round in the chamber and no manual safety. Most of my handguns don't have a manual safety. My hunting rifles are generally bolt action. I take the safety off when I see the animal I'm after. In the process of going from safe to fire (including moving the safety, aiming, pulling the trigger) I really don't remember much. I think the repetition of doing it it really almost becomes one motion.

 

[Antarctica]

So you've never been to a walmart after 10 PM I take it?

I haven't, but that would definitely be on my list of places to do so.... ;-)

 

[Beendare]

I'm not a rifle guy...I shoot coyotes is about it...and its easy to carry on an empty chamber. I dunno what Would do if I was rifle hunting in a Grizz bear area...probably carry the rifle with a round in the chamber...otherwise no.

I know of 2 incidents with rifle shotgun that we're fatal. My buddies inlay was duck hunting in those sunken 55gal drums blinds side by side with his buddy and he somehow slipped and when falling blew his best friends head off. Terrible

The guide we hunted with in Australia had a hunter that fell forward on top of his rifle while sneaking on a buffalo and the bullet went through his lower jaw out through the top of his head- died there before they could do anything, they were 5 hours from a hospital...but it wouldn't have mattered.

 

[Gobbler36]

I don’t hike with one because I e had numerous times where a friends weatherby saftery came off and even the bolt coming undone and popping a round out, just eye opening to me of how fast and unknowingly stuff can happen. In the woods and as hunters I like to make decisions in a scenario where I’m not rushed so if I don’t have enough time to rack a round and set up for a clean shot then I shouldn’t be shooting. This is just my guidelines for myself.

Now after watching those couple videos that beendare posted, really makes me reconsider carrying with one in the chamber when I feel like it’s time I need a concealed weapon.

 

[IdahoHntr]

Have any of you guys ever seen the meateater episode where Steven Rinella and Ryan Callaghan get false charged by a grizz with 3 cubs in british columbia? The false charge is on youtube if you haven't. They see that bear from a long ways away and know she is there as she works her way closer and have a lot of warning when she charges, but if it had been a real charge I still don't think Steven Rinella would have got a shot off because he had his gun on an empty chamber. Ryan Callaghan was a little quicker on the draw and does get a shot off in front of the grizz that helps turn her, but I can't help but think that if they didn't know that bear was there and got charged for real they'd both have been mauled right then and there. If I'm in grizz country, whatever firearm I am packing has one in the chamber without a doubt.

I have carried one in the chamber rifle hunting most of my hunting life and never once have I found my safety not in the on position unless I was taking it off. I hunt thick crap too, but I guess maybe I just watch my rifle more than some. Sometimes if I'm climbing something especially steep and slippery where I'm likely to fall I will put it on an empty chamber, but that's about it. I have shot two bucks that I jumped where I didn't expect to find them that I'm not sure I get if I have to take a second or two more to rack the bolt. If it makes you feel better to carry empty, go for it, but if you observe basic gun handling principles I don't think there is anything wrong with carrying one in the chamber. It also means one more bullet before you have to completely reload. Not that its always important, but anything that can avoid having to dig for shells is a plus.

 

[black dawg]

Have any of you guys ever seen the meateater episode where Steven Rinella and Ryan Callaghan get false charged by a grizz with 3 clubs in british columbia? The false charge is on youtube if you haven't. They see that bear from a long ways away and know she is there as she works her way closer and have a lot of warning when she charges, but if it had been a real charge I still don't think Steven Rinella would have got a shot off because he had his gun on an empty chamber. Ryan Callaghan was a little quicker on the draw and does get a shot off in front of the grizz that helps turn her, but I can't help but think that if they didn't know that bear was there and got charged for real they'd both have been mauled right then and there. If I'm in grizz country, whatever firearm I am packing has one in the chamber without a doubt.

I have carried one in the chamber rifle hunting most of my hunting life and never once have I found my safety not in the on position unless I was taking it off. I hunt thick crap too, but I guess maybe I just watch my rifle more than some. Sometimes if I'm climbing something especially steep and slippery where I'm likely to fall I will put it on an empty chamber, but that's about it. I have shot two bucks that I jumped where I didn't expect to find them that I'm not sure I get if I have to take a second or two more to rack the bolt. If it makes you feel better to carry empty, go for it, but if you observe basic gun handling principles I don't think there is anything wrong with carrying one in the chamber. It also means one more bullet before you have to completely reload. Not that its always important, but anything that can avoid having to dig for shells is a plus.

shows pretty good how quickly it can turn bad. I hope I could be as cool as ryan in that kind of situation. As soon as he realized the bear was going to be a problem, his eyes never left her, he could have shot her atleast twice after she came out of the brush. whole thing was over before Steve got himself ready to go.

 

[elkstabber]

Last week in the next county over a hunter was shot by his friend. His friend was walking behind and slipped. As he was falling he shot his friend in the head. Terrible.

 

[Beendare]

Last week in the next county over a hunter was shot by his friend. His friend was walking behind and slipped. As he was falling he shot his friend in the head. Terrible.

Terrible ^ Why would a hunter in Virginia need to carry with one in the chamber?

I dunno that there is any one perfect answer for all situations...as they are all different.

I started this thread because its worth taking the time to think about each situation...and its safety implications.

 

[COwineguy]

Self-defense and hunting are different for me. Self defense weapon ready to go. Hunting only gets chambered when the gun is in hand (ie still hunting or tracking) Seldom if ever carry for bear protection. Mainly because i don't hunt grizzly country. In fact I get nervous with some people carrying a sidearm for bears. The number of accidental deaths from accidental discharge of a firearm is higher than hunters being killed by predators while hunting. Like in Beendare's signature "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" I have a very short list of people I trust with a gun in a stressful situation.