When do you chamber a round while hunting?

FIGJAM said:

Why? I am asking, I have heard both arguments. I know several people who have hunted like this for years and claim it is safer than having the gun on safety. I just learned about it a couple years ago...Doesn't it take quite a bit of force set off the primer? I have seen rifles banged around, dropped out of trees etc without an accidental discharge.

Is it the idea of the firing pin resting on the primer or has anybody actually seen an accidental discharge with a disengaged firing pin?

Click to expand...

Easy to test. Just load your

Nope, I'm not even going to explain it.

It all comes down to wether you trust your safety or not.
And trust that the safety lever will stay in the safe position.
I pretty much exclusively hunt with Ruger M77 Mk2 or Hawkeye actions. Or military 98 Mauser
Put them on full safe and they are safe. Then observe all the normal safety precautions . Don't let the muzzle point at anything you don't want to kill, Keep fingers ect OUTSIDE the trigger guard ect.

I've always used "C" and mind muzzle direction, but after watching the video, I think option "A" will be my new way........ that or archery. Lol

0-tolerance said:

I've always used "C" and mind muzzle direction, but after watching the video, I think option "A" will be my new way........ that or archery. Lol

Click to expand...

I agree - thought the exact same thing after I saw that video. I just showed it to my wife and kids too.

Texinoz said:

Yep - close it. Useless.

Click to expand...

You should watch that facebook video before they close it down. If nothing else comes out of this thread it is worth it.

FIGJAM said:

You should watch that facebook video before they close it down. If nothing else comes out of this thread it is worth it.

Click to expand...

Good news is you can close a thread but still search for it, read it, and reference it.

I have been chasing the end of this thread, I felt like I needed to read every post!
I am an A type, I don't chamber a round normally until I am also ready to pull the trigger. Rarely use the safety. Never do C but not for any reason until I looked at 5 of my rifles and every one had some part of the firing pin that stuck out beyond the bolt shroud, some only very little (WBY Mk5) some alot (Mauser 98). I measured the amount of movement with an empty chamber and with a cartridge that had a fired primer in it. The movement ranged from .042" to .072". I have no doubt that a hit on the exposed part would cause the primer to go off. Not too likely to happen accidently, but then .......there are alot of things that happen that that don't seem likely.

Cold Trigger Finger said:

Easy to test. Just load your

Nope, I'm not even going to explain it.

It all comes down to wether you trust your safety or not.
And trust that the safety lever will stay in the safe position.
I pretty much exclusively hunt with Ruger M77 Mk2 or Hawkeye actions. Or military 98 Mauser
Put them on full safe and they are safe. Then observe all the normal safety precautions . Don't let the muzzle point at anything you don't want to kill, Keep fingers ect OUTSIDE the trigger guard ect.

Click to expand...

exactly. Option B, round chambered on safe, as designed. Or even A if absolutely necessary. Because here's what option C looks like on a 98 mauser:

I am firmly in the option A camp. my reasoning is simple

chances of a mechanical failure and unplanned disharge using option B are very very minimal

chances of unplanned discharge using option A .....ZERO!

In 30 years of hunting, I can't ever recall losing an opportunity at an animal because I had to take the time to chamber a round. Do whatever makes ya comfortable....option A makes me comfortable!

I always hunt with a round chambered and on full safe.
I've found its the safest way to keep my rifle.
But, that is for where and how I hunt in Alaska. And the rifles I hunt with.

One of the neat things about the lowly Savage Accutrigger is the trigger blade serves a secondary safety. It offers an extra layer of protection in case the main safety on a rifle, with a round in the chamber, accidentally has the main safety disabled for some reason.

I have measured pin fall on a rifle that fired with .150 of pin fall, I know another smith who had one in that range and with a light spring and it fired a lot of rounds but consistency drops of at some point .230+ is the accepted point where reliable consistent ignition happens. I don't know of anyone who has found that point where you don't have enough to light the primer, I would also bet it will depend on the strength of the primer as well.

Plinker147 said:

Option A for me. I can't believe how many chose option B. I never even heard of anyone doing option C.

I can understand different types of hunting allow to have a round chambered, sitting in blind or tree stand. Or with a shotgun for bird hunting.

But for my style of hunting western big game walking up and down mountainsI never have a round in the chamber until I'm Fixing to shoot, Not even by myself, way to easy for something to go wrong.

Click to expand...

If you ever get the chance to hunt dangerous game options A and C are out of the question. There just isn't enough time to do A or C let alone aim in many instances.

I'm sure all of us spend the bulk of our time unchambered.
When I'm living in the brush I found after years of having my rifle with me everyday that the safest way for me and my situation was chambered and on full safe.
Now that I live a more rural as opposed to "wilderness" life.
I chamber and safe up when I leave the road.
I know guys that hunt with an empty chamber and never could get so they were at peace with being chambered and safe. However for situations in the bear protection dept they carry chambered and on safe. They don't like it but much prefer it to the alternative. That being ending up under a bear.
It doesn't bother me they are unchambered when we hunt together and likewise they aren't bothered by me being chambered and safed. Muzzle control is something we all take VERY Seriously. As I think everyone should.
Shame this thread turned into a scuffle over this issue.
I would never hunt with someone that chose option C.
Enough bad things can happen without that.
One of the easiest things a person can do is fall down. When that happens not if that happens I think it's best to have as many things in your favor as possible.

I will say that with my AR , as it's new to me and I've never hunted with an AR. I'm studying how things go with the safety staying in the safe position. Tho I qualified with and shot M16s in the service. That was a long time ago. It wouldn't surprise me if I carry it chamber empty. But then I'm not using it for bear protection.

You know what's funny is I wonder how many "hunters" carry a sidearm locked and cocked but refuse to walk around with a loaded rifle.
Better yet I wonder how many people condition 3 a pistol for appendix carry on here in general...