How do you carry your rifle?

Just wondering how everyone carries their rifle?

Bullet up the chamber bolt half cocked?
Bullet up the chamber, bolt down. safety on?
Empty chamber with the bolt closed?
Dead bolt on live round (cringe)

Personally i use the half cock method, but maybe it isn't suitable. If everyone walks around with half cock it seems that the mindset is to be prepared for a quick reflex shot, maybe without identifying your target fully. Maybe it should be mandatory to carry all firearms on an empty chamber when hunting which could result in a few extra seconds to identify the target better. Just an idea and not implying that half cock is the reason why people are getting shot.

An empty chamber means that the hunter takes his eye from the game to make sure that a round is going in the chamber...time and eye better spent on identification. When I hunt with lever gun I have one up the spout and hammer forward. With my bolt action I have one up the spout and bolt closed, safety on. I never trigger test safety when loaded. I never put finger inside guard or release safety until I have identified target animal.

Loaded, safety on

Bush= generally chamber empty until i find fresh sign or know im coming up on a nice spot then il chamber a round close the bolt and open it fully(not half closed) then go into creeping Jesus mode, carrying like this with your hand around the bolt(to stop it sliding back and dropping the round) Is for me comfortable and natural, quick and silent to close.
If I have to go threw a thick bit or round a bluff ect that round goes back in the mag check empty on closing and close with finger on trigger(so the bolt is harder to lift if caught on shit)
I'm not saying dont use your pre tested safety its just how I was taught and is natural for me.
Open country =empty camber until ready to fire.

I carry a blaser so I have one chambered all the time while carrying it at the ready, it is totally safe until it is cocked manually. If it is sleeved on my back it is unloaded.

short answer .....with my hands.:P but seriously, dead bolt with unloaded

Normally its hanging on my left shoulder ,muzzle pointing down unloaded.
Just a matter of rotating it across my body inside my out line & up to opposite shoulder.
If you start moving it round out side your body line the movement is more easily seen .

When semi-ready either half bolt or half cocked depending on weather lever or bolt action ,
dog generally lets me know when some thing handy .

My quad carries mine,when walking with it unloaded.

If I'm by myself and actively hunting, rifle will be chambered, safety on.
If I'm with another chamber will be empty.
I don't do 1/2 bolt, alone or with anybody else.

I only chamber a round when in the hunt zone. At all other times the chamber is empty. Once chambered the safety is on right up to the time I line up to take the shot.

Bolt closed on an empty chamber. And I check the chamber every so often.

I reckon it's better to carry it fail safe.

I took a tumble once in a slippery creek and while trying to make sure I didn't break my neck or arm as I was going over, my thumb hit the trigger. That empty chamber saved me having a negligent discharge...

Just a question for all you shooting gurus and gun experts out there. As I am definetly not one! But isnt the safety just a mechinism (spring) ,please correct me if I am wrong. So with anything mechanical if you check it before you go hunting theres is a good chance it will work when you need it too but not a 100 % gurantee. I dont think I would be happy putting the safety of myself or others in a spring.

Walking around with a chambered round closed bolt and safety on.....

I walk with my rifle with a empty chamber, once in the hunting area I will chamber a round on a half cocked bolt.

I am of the undersatnding that is the safest way ? Apart from the obvious of a unchambered round?

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Originally Posted by Mohawk660

Just a question for all you shooting gurus and gun experts out there. As I am definetly not one! But isnt the safety just a mechinism (spring) ,please correct me if I am wrong. So with anything mechanical if you check it before you go hunting theres is a good chance it will work when you need it too but not a 100 % gurantee. I dont think I would be happy putting the safety of myself or others in a spring.

Walking around with a chambered round closed bolt and safety on.....

I walk with my rifle with a empty chamber, once in the hunting area I will chamber a round on a half cocked bolt.

I am of the undersatnding that is the safest way ? Apart from the obvious of a unchambered round?

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Half cock is not really a thing any more as most rifles these days cock on opening. therefore your half open bolt is fully cocked and could fire just by pulling the trigger on some rifles.
open bolt or closed on tested safety if you must carry a round in the chamber

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Originally Posted by Mohawk660

Just a question for all you shooting gurus and gun experts out there. As I am definetly not one! But isnt the safety just a mechinism (spring) ,please correct me if I am wrong. So with anything mechanical if you check it before you go hunting theres is a good chance it will work when you need it too but not a 100 % gurantee. I dont think I would be happy putting the safety of myself or others in a spring.

Walking around with a chambered round closed bolt and safety on.....

I walk with my rifle with a empty chamber, once in the hunting area I will chamber a round on a half cocked bolt.

I am of the undersatnding that is the safest way ? Apart from the obvious of a unchambered round?

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I think you will find this the law, also it is illegal to have even a detachable mag loaded in your pack until you reach the hunting area!

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Half cock is not really a thing any more as most rifles these days cock on opening. therefore your half open bolt is fully cocked and could fire just by pulling the trigger on some rifles.
open bolt or closed on tested safety if you must carry a round in the chamber

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Thanks VC for the info, I have an older style rifle. But will test it tonight to make sure. Cheers.

Pretty much if its not a old 303(cock on closing) half cock as its called(but isnt) is not a safe option.

hunting in pairs not on point rifle accross my back no round in the chamber,in front or by myself round in chamber safty on.every 20m or so i check safty is on with the digit.A mate had his rifle (sako) on half cock going thru some leather wood got to a slip no bolt.He could have done it wrong but hes got a rifle sitting in his safe for a long time.

empty on closed bolt, safety on

If hunting short distance to a animal, chambered with safety on

Empty - closed bolt, safety on.

Find some sign chamber a round, safety back on

Need to get some work done on the rifle though, Tikka T3 have a crap half cock (well pretty much none at all) as i dont like to have a round up the spout with the safety on.

I always try and have a quick safety run through with people I hunt with - new or experienced. Not all rifles are the same (like i dont have a reasnoble half cock) and I feel happier knowing they understand what I am handing them is in a 'safe' state

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Originally Posted by faregame

empty on closed bolt, safety on

If hunting short distance to a animal, chambered with safety on

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+1

With safety on the bolt handle can't be lifted. Very low change of bolt going west.

If on my own or in front, 1 up the spout and safety on.
If behind mate, empty.
Sling in the day bag until needed

Half cock when on my own, sub conciously always checking bolt.

Loaded, Safety on, But only while hunting. Never on tracks ETC or within 200m of huts. Have lost some deer that way but beta safe than sorry.

OH And I check my safety at least every 1/2 hour by pointing in safe direction and giving trigger a squeeze, Even if it scars all the deer away I would rather know I have an unsafe gun than have a twig let it off.

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Originally Posted by irgnz

OH And I check my safety at least every 1/2 hour by pointing in safe direction and giving trigger a squeeze, Even if it scars all the deer away I would rather know I have an unsafe gun than have a twig let it off.

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May I suggest if you want to check your safety by pulling the trigger you do it on an empty chamber!

On a modern well maintained gun pulling the trigger every half hour to see if it will go off is unnecessary, foolish & a poor habit. If you are that concerned about the safety then carry it empty!

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Originally Posted by Tussock

The savage F-Class James has says "close bolt gently to avoid slam fire" on it.

If you closed the bolt quickly it would go off.

I wonder how many rifles, if the bolt got dropped or fallen on in half bolt, and closed violently, would go off?

I think this is why they won't sell target accutrigger parts. Be interesting to test out.

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Interesting that they give that warning, from every account I've read what actually happens with the target accutrigger is not firing on fast bolt closing, it disengages the trigger so you have to raise and lower bolt again before it will fire.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Half cock is not really a thing any more as most rifles these days cock on opening. therefore your half open bolt is fully cocked and could fire just by pulling the trigger on some rifles.

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Tested all of mine at various times (Ruger and Savages) and none ever fired from pulled trigger on half cock - they all dropped the bolt closed and I had to raise and lower bolt before it would fire. Any idea which guns actually do fire from half cock?

Personally my status varies with increasing closeness to animal as follows:

Bolt closed and locked+safe on empty chamber.
Round chambered, bolt locked+safe in open or halfcock position.
Safety off, half cock.
Bolt goes down just before taking the shot.

I make the halfcock the last stage rather than the safety as closing the bolt is quieter than the safety.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

It's not that bad. It does sound a bit extreme but if your selecting a safe firing zone, it's a safe discharge in an area where it's fine to fire a rifle.

No harm done. If your routine was to do it regularly, when hunting, I think your more likely to do it that way, than all the racket and rigmarole of unloading to check. Unloading to check your safety is something you would put off in the rain, when an action full of water might be what causes the trouble.

I approve. After all, the safety will work, and an actual discharge would be a rarity. The issue is, as always where you point it.

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Tussock you have just opened up a firearm safety section and your advocating its a safe & acceptable practise to wander around in the bush squeezing the trigger ever half hour (in a safe direction) so see if your safety actually works? The issue is that habits like that become learned behaviour & one day when he's tired, dehydrated, etc the safety will actually be off.

If you want to check your safety, do it before a hunt on an empty chamber.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Bush= generally chamber empty until i find fresh sign or know im coming up on a nice spot then il chamber a round close the bolt and open it fully(not half closed) then go into creeping Jesus mode, carrying like this with your hand around the bolt(to stop it sliding back and dropping the round) Is for me comfortable and natural, quick and silent to close.If I have to go threw a thick bit or round a bluff ect that round goes back in the mag check empty on closing and close with finger on trigger(so the bolt is harder to lift if caught on shit)I'm not saying dont use your pre tested safety its just how I was taught and is natural for me.Open country =empty camber until ready to fire.

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+1 I'm exactly the same . Not saying our method is the best or safest but i am surprised how many people rely on safety .

Well I'm going to buck the trend, I have always carried a live round with a dead bolt. I think it is safer than having a cocked firing pin behind a live round like with the "half cock" method. The amount of shock needed to make the firing pin retract in the bolt and slam forward and initiate the primer would be huge. I have never had a problem and I think alot of people just have it in their head it is unsafe, I would think it is safer than half cock especially when rifle is dropped.

Or I carry actioned with safety on, as I believe the manufactures know how to make a safety better than us.

However if I am behind anyone I always have my rifle in the loaded state, not actioned.

If you observe the first rules of firearm safety and "treat every firearm as loaded" and "always point your firearm in a safe direction" then using the safety is no problem. Obviously rifle should be unloaded whenever negotiating an obstacle.
Having said that I have seen some terrible gun manners (even from one of the hosts of our outdoor tv shows!), could these be due to some of the safety tips taught that they believe their rifles are unloaded and thus "safe" and ok to wave their muzzle around? Just a thought!

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Originally Posted by Savage1

Well I'm going to buck the trend, I have always carried a live round with a dead bolt. I think it is safer than having a cocked firing pin behind a live round like with the "half cock" method. The amount of shock needed to make the firing pin retract in the bolt and slam forward and initiate the primer would be huge. I have never had a problem and I think alot of people just have it in their head it is unsafe, I would think it is safer than half cock especially when rifle is dropped.

Or I carry actioned with safety on, as I believe the manufactures know how to make a safety better than us.

However if I am behind anyone I always have my rifle in the loaded state, not actioned.

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I know on my 300wsm (tikka) when i do a dead bolt on a live round the firing pin makes a slight indent in the primer (i will try to upload a photo) my mates vanguard 308 does the exact same thing, seems pretty dodgy to me.... But each to their own, your rifle will obviously be completely different.

Attachment 3070
Pic of fired round, round closed on dead bolt and live round

I use.the dead bolt.way aswell for as long as i can remember never had an issue. I sometimes use half cock but find in the bush it allways gets pulled open chucking my round out into the leaf litter

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

Attachment 3070
Pic of fired round, round closed on dead bolt and live round

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Yeah I see how you could be worried, but it takes a fair whack to set it off. On an M4 I have used it left alot bigger dent than that on any round chambered, because of the floating firing pin. But never had one fire unexpectedly when cycling.

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Originally Posted by GravelBen

Interesting that they give that warning, from every account I've read what actually happens with the target accutrigger is not firing on fast bolt closing, it disengages the trigger so you have to raise and lower bolt again before it will fire.

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If it doesn't catch the sear and you close it as fast as possible(for whatever reason?) the firing pin approaches the primer pretty rapidly and "could" cause a slam fire

[QUOTE=GravelBen;41010]Tested all of mine at various times (Ruger and Savages) and none ever fired from pulled trigger on half cock - they all dropped the bolt closed and I had to raise and lower bolt before it would fire. Any idea which guns actually do fire from half cock?

Note I said "could" I have never tested if my rifles that drop the bolt will actually fire(not that game)

I will load a primer only and test this tho.... even if it doesnt go off im still using a open bolt . No louder/slower to drop it from open or half.

Just out of general interest, have you ever had a round go off??

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Originally Posted by irgnz

Loaded, Safety on, But only while hunting. Never on tracks ETC or within 200m of huts. Have lost some deer that way but beta safe than sorry.

OH And I check my safety at least every 1/2 hour by pointing in safe direction and giving trigger a squeeze, Even if it scars all the deer away I would rather know I have an unsafe gun than have a twig let it off.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

The savage F-Class James has says "close bolt gently to avoid slam fire" on it.

If you closed the bolt quickly it would go off.

I wonder how many rifles, if the bolt got dropped or fallen on in half bolt, and closed violently, would go off?

I think this is why they won't sell target accutrigger parts. Be interesting to test out.

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I have experienced the slam fire issue on more then one occasion in my F-Class rifle when I have been racing through, it has cost me matches and scared the hell out of me.

As for hunting, its always Bolt closed on an empty chamber.

I walk with my rifle with a empty chamber, once in the hunting area I will chamber a round .

With a semi, loaded, safety on.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

I just don't get it? How could what he describes ever result in an accident?

Beyond a disturbingly loud noise.

If their was any risk in pulling the trigger on live rounds we wouldn't have guns at all.

I'm of the opinion when these things become unrealistic, they become self defeating.

I think it's fairly pointless, but it's not dangerous, and at least he's making an effort.

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I never said it was dangerous, I said it was unnecessary, foolish & a poor habit ( = pointless )

If you want to check your safety, why wouldn't you take "any risk" out of it by doing it on an empty chamber? as Norway said "an empty gun never shot anyone"