Thread: Half cock or safety

“Load a firearm only when ready to fire”.

To me, “ready to fire” is when I’m in position to take the shot.

Bush hunting I like to have the bolt pushed forward enough to engage the round into the end of it, but the round is only half in the chamber.
Doing this, I can close the bolt quickly and silently, and can glance down and see the status of the rifle.

I was once camped with a guy who was using a lovely kimber Montana. He swore by hunting with rifle loaded and safety on.
Then one cold morning he went off up the road on his way out hunting for the day. BOOM.
Best we could work out is that his rifle had got wet previous day and the firing pin had somehow frozen open.

It costs me the odd deer but I do my half loaded thing AND engage the trigger safety if the footings a bit dickey.
Only take the safety back off when I’m sitting waiting or the footings reliable.