Empty Chamber?

[Guy Miner]

ET commented below that wonderful video of hunting in Scotland, that it's common to hunt with the bolt closed on an empty chamber, but with the magazine loaded.

Just wondering how others here may hunt? Round chambered, or not?

With me, "it depends."

When I am hiking into my hunting area for deer, antelope, even elk or black bear, my rifle's chamber is typically empty, with the magazine loaded, as described by ET. I'll load a cartridge into the chamber once I've decided to shoot a particular animal, and that time is getting close. Then, after shooting and dropping my animal, I chamber a second round, make sure that the safety is "on" and walk up carefully, prepared to take a follow-up shot if necessary.

That's my normal routine.

Now... If I'm in the thick stuff, after deer, elk, bear, where there may be but a moment to see the animal and bring the sights on target... I'll carry that rifle with a round in the chamber!

Even on my grizzly hunt, none of the four of us had a round in the chamber, until we were actually closing in on the big bears. It's just safer on the sometimes hectic and fast-moving stalk over rough terrain, to move with an empty chamber in the rifle.

I clearly remember when we got in the thick willows though, Joey turning to me and saying "I don't know where he is..." My reply was "I don't either" and then I slid a cartridge into the chamber, applied the safety, and checked once again that my scope was dialed down to 2x... :grin: Things had changed. And within a few minutes of that, I was shooting my grizzly, at less than 50 yards.

How 'bout you?

Thanks, Guy

 

[Thebear_78]

Empty chamber, loaded magazine until ready to shoot. I’ve never not had time to chamber a round. None of my hunting buddies carry chambered round either.

Only time I run a loaded chamber is when sitting on stand over bear bait or final approach on an animal I know is legal.

I also prefer a safety that locks the bolt closed on safe when possible.

Odly I always carry a chambered round while upland bird hunting, and holstered handguns are always chambered.


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[ShadeTree]

I'm most often either slowly sneak hunting with intervals of standing or sitting, hunting from the ground in tight quarters in the woods where an animal and shot could present itself at any moment, or at times from a stand where the same applies.

99% of the time there is a round in the chamber. I can only think of a handful of deer I've shot where I probably could've racked a round and still got off the same shot, or any shot at all.

Walking behind someone on the way to a spot.....most definitely not a round in the chamber, and most times none in the magazine.

 

[Europe]

Like Guy and Bear, for me "it depends"

For the most part, empty chamber, loaded magazine until ready to shoot, with exceptions.

i.e.: our hunt on the coast of Alaska, hunting Grizzly, one was in the chamber,--- when using a double rifle in Africa, I sometimes kept it loaded, but sometimes not. Shotguns always had one in the chamber, and revolvers were loaded with the hammer on an empty, and automatic handguns did not have one in the chamber, but the magazine was loaded.

Some can load a double rifle extremely fast, and even shoot 4 shots faster than one can shoot 4 shots from a bolt. I could not.

 

[hunter24605]

I keep an empty chamber anytime I'm on the move or climbing into or down from a stand..If I make a stand on the ground, usually I'll go ahead and chamber a round once I get settled in..In a ladder stand I keep the chamber empty....Guess it goes back to when I first started squirrel hunting and dad gave me the "Barney Fife" treatment and made me keep my .410 shell in a shirt pocket..It only makes sense to me, seems like at some point every year myself or one of my buddies will trip and fall or slip down a bank...Luckily I haven't dropped my rifle from a ladder stand, but anything can happen. Going back to dad for a second, when I graduated from the .410 dad let me use his Rem Model 48 20 gauge..Being a semi-auto, he'd still only allow me one shell in it, until he was 100% confident that I'd remember it was "ready to go again" after a shot.

 

[mjcmichigan]

If in a stand, chamber loaded safe position.

If walking empty chamber.

As others, for birds, chambered safe.

If using a lift, empty chamber up and down.


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[truck driver]

Around here we can't have a loaded rifle or pistol before legal hunting time in the AM or after in the PM so the firearm is empty till I get to my designated stand. Things happen fast around here and hunting when stalking the rifle is loaded and always on safe. When small game hunting when there was small game in my area the shot gun would be loaded and carried with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction with the safety on at all times when hunting with a partner but for the most part I always hunted alone and still prefer to hunt alone but any more I shouldn't do it.
Most shots are 100yds or less unless you are hunting crop or pasture fields and would alert the game when trying to load the chamber working the action and result in a lost opportunity.

 

[Richracer1]

Here's what I do. While in camp, a round is in the chamber, but the bolt is lifted so it can't fire, but I can quickly close the bolt as animals can and have either walked right through camp or very close to camp. I'll close the bolt when as I leave camp. Of course the safety is always on till I start to shoulder the rifle.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I typically run 1lb or lighter triggers on my rifles and normally don't run a round in the chamber unless I know I'm close to an animal or I think I might need a quick shot. Shotguns and pistols almost always have a round loaded.

 

[Anonymous]

I almost never chamber a round until I'm ready to fire. Too many bad things can happen with a chambered gun climbing in the mountains, in and out of vehicles, boats, and planes. Stalking tends to be pretty deliberate over open terrain with ample time. Following up in the brush is chambered with the safety on...but that's rare (and nerve wracking).

Shotguns are chambered in the blind or walking the field, empty with a full mag other places.

Handguns are always chambered.

 

[69gto]

Absolutly never a round in chamber in a vehicle, legal in OR to have the magazine loaded not in Utah, Colorado and Wash. unless it's been changed, don't know about other states. Years ago in Wash. a game cop was accidentally shot by some guys in a jeep trying to unload before he could check them. When walking if there is a chance of a shot I have a round chambered if by myself, if anyone is walking in front of me then empty chamber.

 

[ethmoid1999]

I usually hunt alone. Then it's a chambered round. If walking with others, it's unchambered.

 

[Thebear_78]

I can’t ever remember missing out on a shot opportunity from carrying an empty chamber. I’ve even been able to get a rifle up and rack a shell in while getting charged by a bear.

It’s rare that you have to make a snap shot on moose, generally there is quite a bit of scrutiny as to its legality. Counting brow points or estimating width. A snap shot can cost you a lot of money. My buddies BIL just had to turn over a 3x3 brow 47” bull, in a 4 brow 50” area. Loss of tag, meat and horns along with a $500 ticket.


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[ShadeTree]

I can’t ever remember missing out on a shot opportunity from carrying an empty chamber. I’ve even been able to get a rifle up and rack a shell in while getting charged by a bear.

It’s rare that you have to make a snap shot on moose, generally there is quite a bit of scrutiny as to its legality. Counting brow points or estimating width. A snap shot can cost you a lot of money. My buddies BIL just had to turn over a 3x3 brow 47” bull, in a 4 brow 50” area. Loss of tag, meat and horns along with a $500 ticket.


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Depends where you live I guess. Not that way here. I can say with 100% certainty there is no way I would've got a shot at the 2016 buck, or last yrs buck, having to chamber a round. Unless both of them were completely blind and deaf. Pretty typical here. My success count would be 10% of what it is if I'd of spent my hunting life with an empty chamber.

 

[diverdown]

When I'm still hunting for deer in Maine carrying a rifle with an empty chamber would be foolish. Same with Elk in Colorado. If I'm sitting then it would be a different story. Climbing into a tree stand, of course an empty chamber makes a "lot" of sense. But once in the stand, No.

 

[salmonchaser]

Terrain and circumstances dictate whether or not there is a round in the chamber when hunting with a rifle.
Birds, fully loaded with the exception of fence crossings etc.
Pistols I carry are loaded.
I am not a fan of hunting upland game with a double gun broken open. If the bird holds for the point, its fine. Quail are good for this, pheasant not so much. If on the final approach to the dog the bird flushes the shooters eyes start tracking the body starts turning and if he or she is good the feet move. Instead of keeping the barrel pointed down range, in their haste, most bring the gun across their body to snap it closed. I often see those barrels pointed at everything but the bird as they lock up, not a fan.


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[Guy Miner]

Well reasoned responses. Thanks!

I'm sure that there is no single "right" answer for every situation.

Also, I'd started this thinking "rifles" but some answers included handguns and shotguns. My son hunts upland game with me, using a 20 gauge double. He thinks it's "cool" and I think it's very safe, that he carries that gun broken open, either empty, or sometimes with two shells in it, but the action wide open.

We've gotten very confident in our dog letting us know when there's a bird nearby, giving us time to close our doubles before flushing the birds.

It's all very civilized. I should probably be typing this with a British accent, and wearing tweed. :mrgreen:

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Handguns? Always loaded, including one in the chamber of a semi-auto. Condition One. Ready to go, with the safety on.

With a revolver, every chamber in the cylinder is loaded. Not worried about that at all. Perhaps if I was carrying an older revolver, I'd carry with the hammer down on an empty chamber.

 

[salmonchaser]

It boils down to training, or the lack there of. I've no doubt your son would handle the surprise bird safely. (Y)


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[ShadeTree]

When I'm still hunting for deer in Maine carrying a rifle with an empty chamber would be foolish. Same with Elk in Colorado. If I'm sitting then it would be a different story. Climbing into a tree stand, of course an empty chamber makes a "lot" of sense. But once in the stand, No.

Same here. Climbing up or down from a stand, it's empty. When actually hunting a round is chambered whether stand hunting, still hunting, or sitting on the ground. Where I hunt things often happen fast, and even when it doesn't happen fast all too often game suddenly appears tight and close, requiring slow deliberate movements to get the shot off.

It's all a difference of typical terrain and hunting situations where people hunt, I know. But around here if I advocated woods hunting with an empty chamber to anybody but unsuspecting kids, I would be laughed at and worried friends might possibly call mental services on me. :grin: