gelandangan wrote:

Further to this topic, Do you guys carry your guns (pistol or rifle) when hunting, with a loaded chamber? It could be loaded and locked etc but there is a live round in the chamber.. I usually carry it with empty chamber until I am close enough to begin my stalk.

Most of my hunting is on private property with the same small group of hunters where we have ladder stands or Built tree stands. Our rule is no shooting unless your in the stand ( Elevated ) so we carry "empty chambers "
Joe

"Safeties are mechanical devices made by man, designed to fail"...Having said that... I hunt with a loaded ("hot") chamber. I rely on my training to prevent ND's and the fact that I never point a firearm toward anything I do not wish to destroy. I follow the 4 main saftey rules of firearms and make constant inquiries as to the position of my mechanical safety...

I carry my rifle with a round in the chamber, like Bushy, relying on muzzle control to avert disaster in the case of a discharge. I simply can not imagine still hunting with an empty chamber. I cant imagine sneaking up on a whitetail and then having to chamber a round, seems ridiculous. When hunting from a boat I leave the chamber empty, but as soon as I set foot on land I chamber a round.

ALL my guns are loaded. Whether they have a cartridge in the chamber or magazine or not. That's the way I raised my kids and that's the way I live. There are a few guns that are ready to fire - 12 ga, 357, 45 Colt to name three. The first thing that I always do is check the gun - clear it if necessary and then handle it. When putting the cartridges back in, I call out loud, "Going Loaded" to let everyone know that the gun is no longer empty. That also reminds me!
Years ago, (my first year of owning my pistol) I was dry firing at a target on the inside of the garage door. The phone rang and as I went to answer it I loaded my gun. After the call I went back down to the garage and took another shot at dry firing.......... What is that smell? Did I hear something? I don't believe it! Well my garage faced a cliff - no homes or play areas nearby - I was lucky. So after that I started Yelling it out. Hasn't happend again since.
I just hope that if you have an accident - and I hope you never do - But IF you do that it is a cheap lesson like mine.

If I'm hunting, my weapon is loaded. My concealed carry weapon is loaded. My pistol on my night stand is loaded. My 25-06, sitting by the back door (used to shoot coyotes, deer, or whatever out the back door), is loaded, and I won't apologize for doing so.

When I have grandchildren come over, I put them up.

I have always treated any weapon as loaded and ready to kill, even if they're not. Respect your weapons. Never let your guard down; make a point to never be careless.

I was raised by a hunting father, in a gun culture, and I've hunted and handled weapons my whole life (including my military life). I handle guns every day. I carry a rifle in my truck, on the ranch.

If you bring your weapons out only for a couple of weeks during hunting season, you will never be an experienced gun handler; I don't care how good you think you are.

You're right, an empty chamber won't kill, but an experience gun handler won't either.

Please be careful.

Cary

Thanks Cary...I too, have weapons in the house that are loaded, but put up out of reach when youngens are in the house. I also carry CCW. My 9mm X 19 is based on the 1911 and is carried loaded, cocked and locked. I am also a still hunter and find it very dificult to sneak up on a deer and have to chamber a round without spookin' the deer. Just the one single "click" of the hammer (.30-30 Win) coming back to full cock or the safety coming off (.30-06 Brng) can be heard by a deer many yards away. Yes I know how to silently bring the hammer back and the safety can be moved slowly to reduce the "click". The chamber will be loaded...I've been handling weapons for 50 years now with only one bad incident. The weapon was pointed in a safe direction and had a safety malfunction.

Whether you carry with the chamber empty or loaded is and will be a personal preference. Mostly dependent on your style of hunting. If you are a long range hunter, maybe an empty chamber will work. If you are a still hunter or stalker and work with close ranges. A loaded chamber is the only way you will get a kill.

I spent most of my life hunting the Great Northwest, up in PaulS' territory and when you are looking at 35 yards or less on a moving deer (I've taken a deer at a 4 yard jump shot) you can't hunt with an empty chamber. It must be loaded.

Like I said..."An airplane could land on me tomorrow" I am a fatalist. If it's going to happen it will happen even in a padded room...And yes I read it...Tragic...But part of life. Odds on that he had his "booger hook" on the trigger when it happened.

The deer in "Paradise" are deaf...

I hunt with a loaded chamber, and obviously any self/home defense guns in use are loaded also. Whitetail deer at 10 to 50 yards aren't likely to stand around while you operate the action. If I cross an obstacle while hunting I either put the gun down or unload. When hunting I sometimes keep a digit on the safety to make sure its SAFE or check it frequently. Obviously muzzle control, finger OFF trigger, etc are also observed.

Comparing actively hunting to being at the range or transporting a gun seems kinda silly. Totally different circumstances. I can't ever recall having to take a quick shot at a paper target or while walking between the car and the house.

Bushy,

I, like you, will always have a loaded weapon, just like I said before. I'll stick by my (guns) safety practices and be extremely proficient with my weapons. In the military, you get so good at it, that you can take them apart and clean them in the dark; and, operate them in the dark.

While hunting, I've dropped a running buck as he crossed a 3 or 4 foot clearing between two bushes, at less than 50 yards (24 inch spread). He wouldn't be hanging on my wall if the chamber didn't have a live round in it. I've also shot a rattle snake and a mad javilina sow off my leg, a time or two. In these cases, you are thankful that your pistol was loaded and that you are very proficient at using it.

Cary

Pumpkinslinger...I guess we can throw rocks. OK? Never mind...I'll need those rocks to build a rock wall to bang my head against... He just doesn't get...

Cary...That one I mentioned that I took at 4 yards was a running jump shot and a head shot with that "ol' jack handle" .30-30...Again...With an empty chamber I just as well have waved "goodby" to him...A nice 4X4 Blacktail.

On a lighter note...Didn't Andy make Barney keep his one bullet in his pocket for safety reasons.

Cary

Well...Yeah...But ...Look at the intelegence displayed by Barney...

Its a personal choice. While still hunting I would carry a HOT Chamber. Around here the propertys I hunt are small sections 70 -100 acre wood lots you can see houses and barns, roads ect. so we don't shoot from the ground for saftey reasons so I don't carry HOT in these instances. If I was hunting in some of the country you guys are in "bigger woods" where I had the acerage to still hunt with a firearm it would be with a hot chamber. It's just personal preferance. As a couple of you guys stated I would rely on my training and safe handling practices.
Joe

I was thinking you might be worth saving on this web site...I don't anymore. You just can't resist insulting people (bet you have lots of friends). You just seem to be unable to stop your mouth drivel...You really don't understand civility. You are not worth my time...