Hot or Cold?

REDDOG · Oct 27, 2013

After some reading on the forum tonite I got to wondering about this.. How many of you hunt with one in the chamber?

I personally dont, and neither does anyone else I hunt with. I admit i'm not comfortable with others doing so,especially the dicks that think their scopes are binoculars.I cannot think of a single time i've lost a shot due to packing cold. This does not include final stalk or stand hunting scenarios.

I've also often said that my rifles may as well not even have a safety, I never use it..I've seen (and had a few of my own) more accidental discharges by failing safety's than all others combined.

All that said, its kind of a hypocritical topic, because I certainly dont bird hunt without one in the chamber.. Just wondering what others think.

sageadvice · Oct 27, 2013

I only hunted seven full days and a few evenings this Hunting season and i never did put a round in the chamber. That does not bode well for my freezer.

In the past, when off on my own and away from it all, yes, cartridge in the chamber with safety "on". I found though, a few times, like when i had jumped up a buck and had almost shot, later i'd see that i had forgotten to put my safety back on. So, now i generally don't put one in the tube until i'm ready to shoot. Much safer that way!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

deerslayer88 · Oct 27, 2013

I was taught that if you can't jack on in real fast and get a shot off (5 seconds or less) than you would have never gotten a shot at the animal. It is just logic really, because in essence I can put a bullet in and get a shot off very fast, it almost takes the same time as it does to take the safety off. I at one time and on one hunt (stand hunting) had on with the chamber with the safety on, and almost didn't get the shot because I couldn't go through my trained motions of jacking on in the chamber lol. So I stick with a bullet out of the chamber and put on in when I see a big game animal.

Shorty1 · Oct 27, 2013

Only when I'm in "tomahawk sneek mode" will I have one ready to go. Safety on. I have been in positions where I believe the sound of racking one in would have lost me the game...elk or deer. All other times in the action only. So let me ask a question......what do you do when hunting with a muzzleloader?

elkassassin · Oct 27, 2013

Hey DAWG?

You shoulda Asked if Packin one in the Barrel was ETHICAL or not?

Then Maybe You'd be getting Your Ass chewed too!

I don't see Packin one in the Pipe as a real Smart Idea!

I've always had Visions of slipping & Falling & who the Hell knows what all could happen once the Gun leaves your control!

You Guys remember the Gal that got out of her Jeep a couple years ago & Her Hand Gun fell off the seat,hit the Ground & went off? If I remember right she got hit?

I used to know of places worth Hiking in to for Elk & Deer!
Thanks to Illegal Bastards & the USFS not enforcing Rules you can Zing in to them Places on Wheelers now & not see a Damn thing!
But by GAWD it don't take long for them U-Tards to get there with all the Unethical BS and the New Technology!

mulecreek · Oct 28, 2013

I will only put a round in the chamber right before I am ready to pull the trigger when hunting with a rifle. I to have had times when this has cost me game but to me it is not worth it.

When bird hunting, except turkeys, I keep one in the chamber while walking. Any time I cannot keep the barrel pointed upwards the action gets opened. When turkey hunting the chamber gets filled when I sit to call.

mntman · Oct 28, 2013

I always have one in the chamber when hunting. Where I hunt elk, there is NO way you will get a shot off without one. You don't see the elk until you are easily within 100 yards, and most likely more like 50 yards before you first see them.
Wasting all that time trying to put one in the chamber plus the sound, you might as well walk around with a blow horn saying you are willing to take it up the azz from a big ole stinky... You'd have better luck that way.

Deer hunting in the same area, same thing. Where we hunted deer this year, I could see walking around without one. However, I do it so much that it is just the way I hunt and won't change it up for that area.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

eelgrass · Oct 28, 2013

It depends on the situation. If I'm jump shooting blacktails in the brush, I'm hot. Otherwise no. I only use my scope as a binocular if I KNOW it's a deer and need a better look. You have to be ready to take a quick shot sometimes or he's gone.

I've only had one accidental discharge (with a firearm

) in all my years of hunting. It was inside my old wooden boat with a shotgun. I blew a chunk out of one of the oak ribs. Turned out to be cosmetic only, and a good reminder.

Eel

liecabucks · Oct 28, 2013

Rarely do I not have one in the chamber. I do have OCD when it comes to checking the action and the safety however.

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

Roy · Oct 28, 2013

It depends on what I am hunting and what weapon I am using and what the situation is. In short, I like to maximize the carrying capacity of my weapon, within the legal limits of the unit I am hunting and the conditions in which I am hunting.

If I am hunting birds with a shotgun, then yes, I have one in the chamber as soon as I am in a legal hunting area. But I am sure that's not what your asking.

If I am out of the vehicle with a bolt action, yes I have one in the chamber 90% of the time. I don't rely on the safety either, but I am hyper-concious of where my barrel is pointed and where the trigger is. I usually use a two handed carry when going through ANY brush that could potentially get caught in the trigger guard, otherwise I carry the rifle over my shoulder using the sling.

Don't use the scope as primary means of identification, use the binos for that. I only point the rifle at something I am prepared to kill.

It all depends on how you have conditioned yourself. If you have conditioned yourself to rack in a round every time, then that is the way you need to do it. Otherwise, you will be racking a live round out every time you raise your rifle.

HOOK 'EM!
_______________________________________

Since I am frequently asked about my religion on this site and others, I have created a profile that explains my beliefs. If you are interested in finding out more about my faith, please visit the link below:

http://mormon.org/me/6RNQ/

elkassassin · Oct 28, 2013

I Think Maxxy here at MM Packs em Hot at all times!

Sorry Maxxy!

Couldn't resist!

I used to know of places worth Hiking in to for Elk & Deer!
Thanks to Illegal Bastards & the USFS not enforcing Rules you can Zing in to them Places on Wheelers now & not see a Damn thing!
But by GAWD it don't take long for them U-Tards to get there with all the Unethical BS and the New Technology!

Maxxy · Oct 28, 2013

>I Think Maxxy here at MM
>Packs em Hot at all
>times!

>
>Sorry Maxxy!
>
>Couldn't resist!

Haha, I was scrolling down reading each post waiting for my Name, So i guess it is deserved. Again, i don't ride on Wheelers Hot (yes, i made the mistake once, and never again)... But In the field, I will admit, i usually have one in the chamber UNLESS i am hunting with someone else. When my wife comes along and is trailing behind, its empty... Guess that says how much I care about myself...

The more I read on the subject the more I may change my habits...

Elk, no problems, I deserve the crap you all love to give...

Zeke · Oct 28, 2013

If the window is down I'm "hot"! JK

Sneak mode = HOT (gun is in my hands)
Hiking mode = empty chamber (gun is on my shoulder etc)
Following a hunting partner = empty
Leading a hunting partner while hunting = hot

I'm OCD when it comes to gun safety and I check mine and others guns all the time to make sure we get it right!
I ensure that other abide by these rules when around me.

I've never killed an animal with an empty chamber! I agree with mntman when he says that being close is good but having to jack the bolt it too much noise..... unless you really like shooting running elk in the aspens!

Zeke

huntin50 · Oct 28, 2013

Hiking up and down steep country and through brush empty chamber.

Hunting with others usually empty, depending on circumstances. Teaching a 12 and 14 year old the same guide lines.

Sneaking through the pines, gun off shoulder one in the chamber.

Sitting on a ridge watching game or near game, one in the chamber.

When near dark, close to camp, in a vehicle, chamber empty.

pookiebar · Oct 28, 2013

If I am hunting with someone along side me with a rifle it is usually empty. If I am by myself I have one in the chamber. I also carry binoculars at all times so I am not using my scope to look close at something.

Obviously always have the safety on, but that is a moot point because they fail all the time.

Funny/scary thing happened with my dad a few years when duck hunting. He had his gun up in the air after we shot at a flight. Of course he had one in the chamber, you always do while duck hunting. I was turned the other way and heard him shoot, when I turned to see what happened he just looked at me very surprised and said he didn't know what happened. So he jacked another shell in and went to put the gun on safety, and it went boom again.

Seems the safety had turned into a new fancy trigger as well!! So yeah I keep the safety on, but in no way do I rely on the dang thing.

elkassassin · Oct 28, 2013

>>I Think Maxxy here at MM
>>Packs em Hot at all
>>times!

>>
>>Sorry Maxxy!
>>
>>Couldn't resist!

>
>Haha, I was scrolling down reading
>each post waiting for my
>Name, So i guess it
>is deserved. Again, i don't
>ride on Wheelers Hot (yes,
>i made the mistake once,
>and never again)... But In
>the field, I will admit,
>i usually have one in
>the chamber UNLESS i am
>hunting with someone else. When
>my wife comes along and
>is trailing behind, its empty...
>Guess that says how much
>I care about myself...
>
>The more I read on the
>subject the more I may
>change my habits...
>
>Elk, no problems, I deserve the
>crap you all love to
>give...

Just RAZZIN Ya Maxxy!

You've been Man enough to go Public with your situation & even though I don't agree with Loaded Guns on Wheelers/In Vehicles & never have nor will I ever!

You've Took the MM Heat!

You were convicted on MM!

You've been Tried on MM!

You've basically been HUNG on MM!

Even though I'm gonna tell you that you were Dead WRONG!

I'm also gonna say you've CowBoyed Up,kept a Good Attitude,Admiited several times you were Wrong & you'll take what's coming to you and never made a whole bunch of Excuses!

For this I hope they don't Hammer you too hard!

And if a Lesson can be learned out of the Deal,You'll get a Thumbs Up from Me,you surely don't impress me as a Habitual Law Breaker!

Let us know how it goes!

I used to know of places worth Hiking in to for Elk & Deer!
Thanks to Illegal Bastards & the USFS not enforcing Rules you can Zing in to them Places on Wheelers now & not see a Damn thing!
But by GAWD it don't take long for them U-Tards to get there with all the Unethical BS and the New Technology!

Tomichi · Oct 29, 2013

Long guns (Cold) and dry fired.
Hand guns, (Hot)

sageadvice · Oct 29, 2013

Tomichi, Why dry fire? Thousands of live rounds went off by dry firing a "empty" chamber. The guy was sure the gun was empty and dry fired only to be extremely surprised and every one of them just knew that there was no round in there...

If that weapon had been pointed in the wrong direction(doesn't matter really what direction or location it is because it's empty right?) A guy could always claim that it was a accident.

I'm not picking on you! Years ago, I myself had a "empty rifle go "off" when ** dry firing after a hunt! So, i don't do it anymore. My rifle chamber is either empty or loaded, i know that by inspection, but i'm not automatically pulling the trigger to find out 100%!!

** crowded vehicle, two rifles on my side, my rifle pointed down with bolt open to full magazine but empty chamber. Somehow, could have been the very rough ranch roads, the bolt must have been pushed forward ever so slightly and dislodged a round from the magazine to fall down in the chamber. When i later dry fired that chamber that i just knew was empty, she went off and my partner and i about $hit out pants!! Lucky nobody or nothing was hurt!! My mistake, yes, i'm not perfect! I share here because i've been down many trails and learned a few things along the way.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"