Safe Rifle Handling

[al4x]

I believe leaving the bolt open in the field to be asking for trouble !!!

 

If we are talking about stalking / foxing / rabbiting and such like there is the odd twig, grass, rain, dew (if you go out early & late) and at the moment dusty harvest fields to negotiate.

Getting any of that stuff up your spout (in front of a chambered round, if you get that far....could be highly dangerous.

 

You can tell the pw members that take a gun into the field a mile off.

Cheers

AndyCM

 

 

hit the nail on the head there, some talk theory others go out shooting

[SimonT]

None - ever, but I am extremely fussy who I shoot with.

 

I have been shot at twice in the same year, once with a shotgun beating, and once with a 30-06 boar shooting

So my advice would be hang arround with very bad shots your chances of survival are greatly increased.

 

I hope you shoved the 30-06 right up his *** after that

[MC]

With at least 10 replies in support of the "Round chambered, Bolt closed, safety on" method..

 

The next question is... How many negligent discharge's have you had whilst using this method ?

 

For me... None, on any of mine or indeed friends rifles.

 

 

Oh well I stand corrected,

 

obviously with AT LEAST 10 replies this MUST be the SAFEST way to carry a rifle, even though their are horror stories about negligent discharges while using this method.

 

I wonder how many "ND"s there have been by carrying the rifle open and unloaded?

 

In my opinion 1 "ND" is far too many and if your "FRIEND" had a "ND" while closing the bolt then surely it was open before he had it? And for a rifle to fire while closing the bolt there must have been a problem with it. Hence my issue with a "SAFETY" catch. ANYTHING mechanical can fail, they should not be relied on.

 

And Al4x

 

Some of us just practice the SAFEST theory

 

And to Dunkield,

 

I HAVE been shot, by someone closing a shotgun by raising the barrels to the action instead of the other way round. This is also something you will NEVER see me do.

Edited July 27, 2010 by MC

[Dunkield]

I hope you shoved the 30-06 right up his *** after that

If I am honest I was completely numb for some time after so didn't do a thing at the time.

It was the last drive so we moved immediately onto the drinking stage of the day, and from memory I was just a little quiet replaying what had happened in my head.

I reported the incident to the shoot captain and the trip organiser later.

[al4x]

yup staying in bed is safest

[garyb]

yup staying in bed is safest

 

Just make sure you use protection, and leave the bolt well back from the "action"

[al4x]

If I am honest I was completely numb for some time after so didn't do a thing at the time.

It was the last drive so we moved immediately onto the drinking stage of the day, and from memory I was just a little quiet replaying what had happened in my head.

I reported the incident to the shoot captain and the trip organiser later.

 

 

Were either incident a ND or were both simply dangerous shots?

 

Personally never had or seen a ND in 20 years shooting, have seen two people peppered and both shots were simply dangerous unthought out shots. Safety isn't to be sneezed at but the fundamentals are if you don't point the business end at anyone nothing can happen simples

[garyb]

I'd rather this thread dosen't turn into a slanging match - like the last.

 

It's interesting to learn other peoples views and apparent near death experiences in the field.

[WGD]

Round chambered, bolt closed, safety on - chambering a round is too noisy.

 

Muzzle aware at all times, whilst carrying muzzle up, loading and unloading muzzle down.

 

Unchamber round and close bolt prior to climbing fences, crossing streams, getting into or out of high seats etc.

 

Bolt closed at all times, far too much risk of a foreign body in the chamber otherwise.

 

No round chambered when in vehicle (I rarely shoot from the vehicle, off the bonnet if anything so chamber a round when setting up).

 

Edit to say: no accidental discharges.

Edited July 27, 2010 by WGD

[al4x]

Just make sure you use protection, and leave the bolt well back from the "action"

 

 

I'd suggest from the posts on this subject no protection would be needed for solo action

[Dunkield]

Were either incident a ND or were both simply dangerous shots?

Both dangerous shots, one from someone who booked a day at the shoot I beat on and invited people who have never shot before, presumably for a nice day out.

The shot is question was at head height between me and the beater next to me, who no more than 15 feet away

The boar shot, the bloke was distracted (probably on his mobile) when the boar came through between our positions, he ran towards my peg and in his panic fired a shot above them along the path I was on. Luckily I was placed slightly down a hill (he didn't know that) and the shot hit the tree behind me.

 

Even typing that, they seem like unbelievable stories...

 

As for ND's I have never witnessed one, but like others I have heard the story, many many times of an ND at a running boar day Bisley, by all accounts the round went off about 10 seconds after the missfire.

[hambone]

Have to admit I have had one, scarred the **** out of me. Me to just the one, freezing cold weather and i thought a thin pair of gloves would not effect my feel for the trigger (wrongly). The gun went off when i put my finger inside the trigger guard, because there was no round chambered until i had a target and a good backstop the shot was 'safe' but still left me shaken up. Went out and got a pair of the fold back finger type glove the next morning.

[docholiday]

Where was the loud end pointing Doc?

 

down to the ground, blew a hole in the field about two feet in front of me

[al4x]

only believable because it is so easy for people to do it, last one I saw a gun who runs his own shoot been shooting 40 years so should be over the excitement stage turned and swung on a fox and shot it going through the line and the next gun in the leg. You can only tell a safe gun when you've shot with them a fair bit as you have to see them when the adrenalin kicks in. Personally i'm less concerned about whether a gun is loaded or not but far more concerned where its pointed. The old days seem to be going on shoots with the old boys always having their guns loaded and pointing at your feet fortunately safety seems to be getting a lot better

Edited July 27, 2010 by al4x

[WGD]

Personally i'm less concerned about whether a gun is loaded or not but far more concerned where its pointed.

 

Amen to that!

[Scully]

When I shot pistols and rifles on ranges,each detail took unloaded weapons onto the firing point and didn't load until instructed to do so.After firing each weapon was proved(cleared)empty and then the detail left the firing point with empty weapons.In the field....stalking,foxing,lamping rabbits..round chambered,safety on,muzzle aware.Totally impractical to stalk deer with an empty chamber in my opinion.High seat you can possibly get away with.

[Luckyshot]

Round chambered, bolt closed, safety on - chambering a round is too noisy.

 

Muzzle aware at all times, whilst carrying muzzle up, loading and unloading muzzle down.

 

Unchamber round and close bolt prior to climbing fences, crossing streams, getting into or out of high seats etc.

 

Bolt closed at all times, far too much risk of a foreign body in the chamber otherwise.

 

No round chambered when in vehicle (I rarely shoot from the vehicle, off the bonnet if anything so chamber a round when setting up).

 

Edit to say: no accidental discharges.

 

 

The same as above although alot of my shooting 80% is done from the Landrover so my rifle is always loaded one up the spout with the safety on until ready to pull the trigger.

 

No accidental discharges for many a thousand rounds.

[Dougy]

It depends on the situation, most of the time i leave the vehicle (on the farm land) with a full magazine in after the bolt has been closed, so no round chambered. When i get to the point that i may have a clear shot at quarry wich would in this situation would be Fox then i chamber a round and safety on before any calling is made or lamp is used. If i am rabbiting from a vantage point then the bolt is in and closed, magazines are full but not inserted. until i reach my destination.

[bruxie hill]

mag full chamber empty till on final approach i work a ruck sling so i can just put my hand on the bolt behind me and cycle a round . safty always on

in a truck chamber always empty till on a shot

never had a acc/dis but safty first and foremost

bruxie

[welshwarrior]

Bunny bashing on foot Round Chambered and safety on whilst on Foot. Vehicle bolt closed mag in chamber enpty.

 

 

Stalking mag full chamber empty until I start to stalk closer when its chambered round saftey on.

[Blackbart]

Mag in with bolt closed on an empty chamber(like someone else has said wandering round with the bolt back doesnt seem a great idea to me)I never use the safety catch as i dont see the need,as there is never anything up the spout until seconds before pulling the trigger.I can see the need for having one in and safety on while stalking in woodland but even then i never have one "ready to go" until i am ready to let one go.

 

The closest i have come to an accidental discharge was while looking through the gratton catalogue womans underwear section when i was 12.

[docholiday]

The closest i have come to an accidental discharge was while looking through the gratton catalogue womans underwear section when i was 12.

 

 

[al4x]

I reckon he's fibbing about that bit

[Beretta28g]

When i am stalking with ANY caliber of rifle i have 1 in the chamber and some more in the magazine. The saftey catch is always on( and checked peridoccaly) till im in the final aim and am going to fire. Should i have to cross a obstacle i would unload the rifle.

 

When im using a high seat the rifle is unloaded till im in the high seat but loaded once im in there. The saftey catch is always on( and checked peridoccaly) till im in the final aim and am going to fire. The rifle will be unloaded when i leave the highseat.

 

When im in a truck, the bolt is closed on a empty chamber with the saftey on and a loaded magazine in, there is only a round in the chamber when im preparing for a shot.

[Paddy Galore!]

I voted other.

the gun wallah deals with all that safety stuff.