Am I the only one who feels this way?

[OntarioHunter]

I don't chamber a round until I am ready to shoot. Many places it is illegal to chamber a round and carry it in your vehicle even with safety on. I have rounds in the magazine but none in the chamber if I am not ready to shoot.

In Ontario it is illegal to have ANY rounds in a gun if it is in a vehicle. Needless to say box magazine design is very popular here.

 

[WyoDoug]

In Ontario it is illegal to have ANY rounds in a gun if it is in a vehicle. Needless to say box magazine design is very popular here.

In Wyoming, any person who can legally possess a firearm is allowed to open carry a loaded handgun or rifle inside a vehicle as long as it is visible or in a case not intended to be concealed. However, it's a safety issue in my opinion and runs risk of accidental discharge if you keep a chambered firearm inside a vehicle.

I am in the process of modifying my rifles with detachable magazines and once I get those in and installed, I will not even have the magazines loaded in vehicles. That is unless I reach the point where I qualify for special permit to shoot from a vehicle.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

What O/U doesn't have a safety? Only shotguns I have seen without safeties are trap guns ... and only a few of them. Most modern O/Us have automatic safeties ... safety is automatically reset every time the gun is closed.

 

[EKYHunter]

Interesting topic for sure. I have a question for those who say they don’t chamber a round until they’re ready to shoot: do you follow that practice while turkey hunting?

 

[WyoDoug]

Interesting topic for sure. I have a question for those who say they don’t chamber a round until they’re ready to shoot: do you follow that practice while turkey hunting?

Depends. If I am sitting down with my back against a tree so I don't get shot from behind, my shotgun is ready to go with safety enabled. If I am walking, shells in magazine but not chambered.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Interesting topic for sure. I have a question for those who say they don’t chamber a round until they’re ready to shoot: do you follow that practice while turkey hunting?

Hunting uplands without a round in the chamber is pretty much an exercise in futility. As is stalking deer, elk, or moose. Seldom provides time to chamber a round when game is found. Or the noise will give you away.

 

[OntarioHunter]

View attachment 167021

An oddity for sure. Not a typical O/U. It doesn't have a half @#)(# safety?

 

[sharpshooter97]

Guns always loaded here while out and about, they won't go off by themselves. A negligent discharge is just that, negligent. I've never felt uncomfortable carrying a loaded gun but everyone should carry how they see fit.

 

[LaSportsman]

Grew up shooting a lever gun - did hate having to pull the trigger to get to quarter @#)(# from full @#)(#

Grew up with a gun in my hand and career military. Can quote laws of gun handling so well that I twitch when they are not verbatim. That said, I still see value in a 3 position safety or my preference the Browning bolt lock separate from the safety. Just because my muzzle is in a safe direction when unloading, I still like an extra measure of safety, no pun intended.

The deal breaker for me is no bolt lock of any form.

My next rifle may be a Tikka but it will likely be between an X-Bolt and Tikka. Tikka now has a medium contour barrel that is better for a can and they are 5/8-24 threads. That may trump my desire for Browning's safety and bolt lock.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

An oddity for sure. Not a typical O/U. It doesn't have a half @#)(# safety?

Nope two hammers, two triggers, no serial number. It’s a stevens .410 O/U, fun ptarmigan/small game gun.

I didn’t grow up with guns/shooting/hunting, its all been in the last 10 years. Ever gun I own or shoot has a different safety position/system, which is why I think muzzle control is the best safety.

A lot of hunters, I assume, shoot a number of different guns during the season... seems like the biggest safety issue is complacency and not paying attention.

 

[Jbotto]

Savage 110, 111, 10, Stevens 200.
All pre accutrigger.
2 have the round reciever in the rear.

Cool. I was genuinely asking as my rifle is the one and only Savage I own. I just figured they always had a 3 position safety.

None of my pre-accutrigger Savages have a two-position. All are three-positions including my Stevens 200’s and an old flat-back 110. Though slight, and not super easy to find when sliding forward from safe, there is a middle position that was mentioned from the owners manuals.

 

[std7mag]

I've had the triggers out along with the safety toggles.
There are only 2 positions.

 

[Don Fischer]

A gun that can't be loaded or unloaded with the safety on? Why would it matter? Loading with the safety off with most bolt rifle's, the bolt is always open and not much can go wrong. Unloading with a bolt rifle you never have to close the bolt and not much can go wrong! You can chamber a round with a bolt rifle but not close the bolt and you can't fire it! I have seen people unload a bolt by chambering a round and closing the bolt before ejecting the round and in theory the rifle can fire when the bolt close's. That is an absolutely ignorant thing to do!

 

[EKYHunter]

Guns always loaded here while out and about, they won't go off by themselves. A negligent discharge is just that, negligent. I've never felt uncomfortable carrying a loaded gun but everyone should carry how they see fit.

You speak for me as well.

 

[gundog308]

I guess I'll really stir the pot and ask how many that are concerned about a 2 position safety as not being "safe" have no problem carrying a Glock?

 

[WyoDoug]

First, firearms are only as safe as the nutcase carrying them. While I generally walk with rounds in the magazine but not chambered, if I am in a stalk, the round is chambered with the safety on until I am ready to shoot.

Bird hunting is a different tactic to clear that one up, shotgun is locked and loaded and ready to shoot period.

Safety devices alone do not work if the nutcase carrying the firearm does not practice gun safety.

 

[Don Fischer]

What pump gun can't be unloaded with safety engaged? My 870 and 760 can be unloaded safety on or off. Same with my Browning A5s (though as I recall there were several issues with the earliest A5 variants that had widow-maker safety inside the trigger guard).

To unload with a 760, open the slide and a chambered round come's out. With the slide still open, drop the magazine out the bottom of the rifle. What's the problem?

First, firearms are only as safe as the nutcase carrying them. While I generally walk with rounds in the magazine but not chambered, if I am in a stalk, the round is chambered with the safety on until I am ready to shoot.

Bird hunting is a different tactic to clear that one up, shotgun is locked and loaded and ready to shoot period.

Safety devices alone do not work if the nutcase carrying the firearm does not practice gun safety.

Speaking of bird huting, I usually carry my guns, SxS's. with the chamber MTY and action open. But I also hunt over pointing dog's. If I was still using flushing dog's, the chamber's would be laded and action closed. I've read post from pointing dog owner's that have claimed they got their dog standing on point for exceptionally long time's, Plenty of time to load up any type shotgun. Flushing dog's are a different story.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I guess I'll really stir the pot and ask how many that are concerned about a 2 position safety as not being "safe" have no problem carrying a Glock?

The number of convos I've had with bow hunters ripping on rifle guys for being negligent who are packing pistols for bear protection.

I'm not hunting with one in the chamber, and you've got one in the chamber in your springfield XD in your chest harness.

Yeah bro you're definitely going first through the oakbrush.

 

[zach_destroys]

I carry a glock on the daily, and always load/unload my rifles with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Non issue to me. But to each his own. Carry what you are comfortable with. I really do like savages 3 position safeties.

 

[Dougfirtree]

The number of convos I've had with bow hunters ripping on rifle guys for being negligent who are packing pistols for bear protection.

I'm not hunting with one in the chamber, and you've got one in the chamber in your springfield XD in your chest harness.

Yeah bro you're definitely going first through the oakbrush.

Or bowhunters who walk around with an arrow knocked, that big old broadhead just waiting for you to take a spill...
To me, being able to unload with the safety on is a nice feature, but not essential. 95% of my hunting is done with a round chambered, so I guess I'm just used to having to be extra careful about muzzle control, trigger control, etc. Hunting with an empty chamber is a lovely luxury afforded by western spot and stalk hunting and I do it when I can.

This conversation is making me think of that Outdoor Life gun writer who caused quite a stir a few years back, by writing about how he hunts with a round chambered and the safety off, most of the time...