When do you chamber a round while hunting?

When do you chamber a round while hunting?

  • A. No round in the chamber until you are ready to take a shot.

    Votes: 111 27.9%
  • B. Round chambered, safety on while hunting.

    Votes: 275 69.1%
  • C. Round chambered firing pin disengaged. If you hold the trigger down while chambering a round

    Votes: 12 3.0%

  • Total voters
    398
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FIGJAM

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Sep 1, 2013
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1,560
Location
Southeast, Idaho
Just curious what everybody's thoughts are on hunting with a round in the chamber? C only applies to bolts, but I think I tend to favor C; although I have my 11 year old hunting without a round in the chamber until we are ready to shoot something. How do you prefer to hunt - when do you chamber the round?
 
Depends in the situation, normally empty chamber especially with my daughter, she's not going to just pull up and whack something for a few more years so no need for a chambered round. If I'm in the timber working it I'll have one in the chamber on safe. I won't ever, ever let the firing pin rest on the primer!!!
 
I sure would'nt do C. To me that's asking for trouble having the pin resting on the primer.
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?
 
I sure would'nt do C. To me that's asking for trouble having the pin resting on the primer.

Totally agree! My thoughts are if in "C" and the rifle is dropped it is very likely to go off. There are too many variables that would lead to an accidental discharge when a rifle is in battery like this. There are many handgun manufacturers who installed a transfer bar system to prevent accidental discharges due to a firing pin resting against a primer.
 
I don't load the gun till I get to the hunting land, but then I load before heading to the stand, and proceed with option "C". Load one in the chamber, and disengage the firing pin by slowly decocking the rifle and holding the trigger down.
 
Depends in the situation, normally empty chamber especially with my daughter, she's not going to just pull up and whack something for a few more years so no need for a chambered round. If I'm in the timber working it I'll have one in the chamber on safe. I won't ever, ever let the firing pin rest on the primer!!!


Why?
 
Totally agree! My thoughts are if in "C" and the rifle is dropped it is very likely to go off. There are too many variables that would lead to an accidental discharge when a rifle is in battery like this. There are many handgun manufacturers who installed a transfer bar system to prevent accidental discharges due to a firing pin resting against a primer.

How can it go off? The firing pin doesn't magically re-engage when it gets bumped.
 
Depends on hunting style, as you stated. On my high country hunts here in Wyoming, on a hillside glassing for elk/deer, or open plain pronghorn hunts, empty chamber with magazine in/loaded, however my 44 revolver or 10mm glock sidearm is always ready to go if I hunt in bear/wolf country, anywhere in the mountains. Pretty much if I am moving in the mountains with my rifle in my hands, chamber is loaded saftey on, again, I'm often in bear/wolf country, and I would rather have one shot from my rifle to try to stop one than maybe two or three from my handgun. If I'm packing in, rifle strapped on my back, of course empty chamber, but I always have a loaded sidearm. If I have new youth hunters with me, I generally have them do the same that I do, and I'm just always conscious of trigger finger and mizzle orientation with newer hunters. The reason I have them loaded, again, is not to make a quick shot on a game animal, but to protect themself from a ****ed off bear.
 
How can it go off? The firing pin doesn't magically re-engage when it gets bumped.

Right. But imagine for a second that your rifle in such a position were to drop from a stand and strike the back of the bolt on a branch or foot peg...

Unlikely? Maybe, but when working with firearms we're all taught to leave nothing to chance.
 
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