Do you REALLY clear the chamber @ every fence crossing / gate opening??

[MCgunner]

Folks, you can cross a fence without leaning it against a fence post. Just lay it on the ground on the other side of the fence first. If it's wet or muddy, just hold it in your hand and put it through the fence first OR, in that case, you might wanna unload and lean it against the fence, depending upon the fence I guess.

Doubles and single shot break guns are simple, just break the action for crossing. If you have to lean it against the fence, you can easily just hold the rounds in your hand and reloading is simple when you get across. Dove hunting, I'm usually shooting my twice pipe 20. And, dove hunting is about the only time I have to cross fences, so I'm golden.

Oh, yes, of course, if I'm NOT hunting, the gun is empty. When I cross fences dove hunting it's usually to go get a downed bird that fell across the fence.

 

[Art Eatman]

First off, I've always preferred an open bolt to using the safety. None of my rifles can be fired if the bolt is open.

Fence? Depends on the type. I've often set the rifle's butt on the ground with the barrel held by a net-wire sheep/goat fence while I climbed over--but a span away from the rifle.

Gates? Sling the rifle on my shoulder, open/close gate. Works easily enough for a barbed-wire gap.

I dunno. Common sense and caution; seems to work okay. I've never worried about a hard and fast rule, really.

 

[bpl]

In a bolt gun, I press the rounds down in the magazine and close the bolt on an empty chamber. Then put the safety on. Any thoughts on this?

 

[MCgunner]

Leave the bolt open and it cannot fire. Any gun is assumed loaded. On a pump shotgun, you can just pull the slide back, eject the fired round, same result. Rock the gun to the right to let the round fall out that is on the shell elevator. Close and put the 2 rounds back in when across. Autos, well, they're a pain.

As shotguns go, I leave a double broke open ANYtime I'm not hunting, just just crossing a fence. It shows everyone around me that the gun is inoperative. On a pump or auto, I leave the action open until ready to hunt for the same reason, though it's not as obvious at a distance. I really like twice pipes for bird hunting which I usually do with friends and which means I have to worry about the safety of others as well as myself.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't but then the "fences" I've crossed the last few years, have been about three feet tall, and I can swing one leg over, then the other. I usually use the rifle butt to hold the top wire down a bit. The fences are electric and will bite you where you sure don't want to get bitten if you don't.

Oh. There are no gates, and the "fence" isn't strong enough to climb or even to lean a gun against. But they do keep the goats in.

Most of the time anyway.

 

[MCgunner]

Odd, I helped my buddy run an electric fence, two strands, and couldn't keep in his goats. Finally had to use barbed wire, five strands, and his lead goats he "yoked" with a metal yoke so they couldn't get through the wire without the yoke stopping them. Things are hard to keep in. He runs two "great Pyrenees" dogs with 'em to keep the coyotes and cats away. Goat ranching is harder than it seems at first blush, LOL. He's spent money on fencing, on feed, on all sorts of stuff and only makes about 50 cents a pound at the auction. It's more of a hobby to him, though.

 

[SpotlightRanger]

I do not. If the fence collapsed or I fell off it something while I was crossing it there could be a dangerous situation. I don't know if that has ever happened but imagine it has.

 

[AKElroy]

First off, I've always preferred an open bolt to using the safety. None of my rifles can be fired if the bolt is open.

Fence? Depends on the type. I've often set the rifle's butt on the ground with the barrel held by a net-wire sheep/goat fence while I climbed over--but a span away from the rifle.

Gates? Sling the rifle on my shoulder, open/close gate. Works easily enough for a barbed-wire gap.

Art--This is how I have always done it; no AD's in 35 years hunting; not even a dropped rifle when just being plain careful. Honestly, I tend to be a little neurotic with keeping my guns look good, so I really make sure any rest is firm & steady to prevent a cherished gun sliding & getting a ding.

 

[qajaq59]

Yup.... Beats picking a bullet out of my a**.

 

[Mossberg535]

Do you REALLY clear the chamber @ every fence crossing / gate opening??
Just curious. I will admit NOT clearing when crossing fences or opening gates. I place the rifle / shotgun against a steady rest, (and clear if their is none), safety on, and get to the other side & then retrieve. Am I in shooters prison?

I keep the 4 rules religiously. Am I all wet in believing that is enough?

Frankly, I dont keep a shell chambered at all to begin with. No animal is worth an accident.
I use pumps to hunt with and I dont trust them as far as I could throw my car as far as the safety goes. When I see something Im going to shoot, then I chamber a round.
Now, if I had a revolver type shotgun that had a hammer transfer bar so the thing couldnt go off even if it was dropped, then Id probably keep something chambered.

I crossed a fence last week. I put the butt on the ground with the barrel protruding thru the fence links so it couldnt fall into the grass and dirt, the chamber empty, crossed the fence, then retrieved the gun.

We had a situation back in the late 80's where the barrel of a loaded shotgun ended up in the back of the skull of another hunter. Someone slipped on some wet grass and rocks and well, we could have been minus one friend had things been worse.
Since then I dont carry pumps, bolt actions or semi-autos with a round chambered and I pretty much always have the breach open for quick inspection.
When I find something to shoot, then I try to quietly chamber a shell.

 

[MCgunner]

I use pumps to hunt with and I dont trust them as far as I could throw my car as far as the safety goes. When I see something Im going to shoot, then I chamber a round.

And, there goes the deer into the forest. LOL! People get antsy about safeties that click too loud, let alone the working of a pump. I've never had a Mossberg or Remington pump go off unless I offed the safety and pulled the trigger, not something I sit around worrying about and if I kept it sans round in the chamber, the bird would be here and gone before I got on it. Some game you can do that way, like quail, wait for the dogs to point, chamber a round, flush. Some, you really can't.

 

[Mossberg535]

And, there goes the deer into the forest. LOL! People get antsy about safeties that click too loud, let alone the working of a pump. I've never had a Mossberg or Remington pump go off unless I offed the safety and pulled the trigger, not something I sit around worrying about and if I kept it sans round in the chamber, the bird would be here and gone before I got on it. Some game you can do that way, like quail, wait for the dogs to point, chamber a round, flush. Some, you really can't.

My wife didnt used to believe me when I told her a few years ago that if anything bad is going to happen, its going to happen to me. Shes a believer now since shes seen it in action first hand
Ill lose the deer and keep from blowing my arm off
Id call it paranoia, but I dont think anyones out to get me at all, just every inanimate object on the planet has it in for me

 

[ArmedBear]

Open bolt = barrel full of dirt

Today, it was pretty windy. My Jeep came home with a thick layer of dust inside and out, my gun did, too. Even my DOG came home with a thick layer of dust on him.

I don't find an open bolt to be a great idea in those conditions.

I guess there's no single, easy answer.

In a bolt rifle, I do like enough capacity that I can hike with a closed bolt on an empty chamber, and still have a few rounds in the magazine.

 

[Mossberg535]

And honestly I hunt alone anymore for two reasons.
One is I dont trust anyone else to be safe....ie not walking around with a shell in the chamber, finger on trigger and twitching like theyre in Vietnam.
Two is that I know other hunters arent going to like hearing me shuck a shell into the chamber at an inappropriate moment.
Just works better for me to hunt alone

 

[ArmedBear]

Note that I didn't say I don't clear the chamber. I just don't walk around with the bolt open in dirty conditions.

 

[AKElroy]

Frankly, I dont keep a shell chambered at all to begin with. No animal is worth an accident.

Would not take many dove that way; fly overs take maybe 1/2 second at times? As for crossing fences, it is nearly always to retrieve a downed bird, so it is pretty freaquent. As Art stated, I rest the barrel at a steep angle against a stiff post, or on the ground. I then climb over at least one or two sections down.

 

[MCgunner]

Mossberg535, maybe you should bow hunt? Of course, you will have to be in tree stands with sharp objects. ROFL!

 

[MCgunner]

For the intensively paranoid, there's always the single shot H&R, in both rifle and shotgun. Has a transfer bar like a ruger revolver and breaks open with an ejector. There is no simpler system and it's totally safe to carry round in the chamber, hammer down. Easy to unload for fence crossings. You can do some good shootin' with one of those puppies, too. My only H&R at the moment is my 10 gauge. They're danged cheap, though. A pawn shop had a 12 and a 20 gauge the other day for 69 bucks each and they looked new. I was tempted, but I'm not really that paranoid.

 

[paintballdude902]

fences? i dont think ive ever crossed a fence hunting lol

downed trees now theres another story depends what rifle if ive got my .30-30 i put it on halfcock but leave on in the pipe but a shotgun i just crack open the barrels and a bolty i unload

 

[ArmedBear]

Would not take many dove that way

LOL

Yeah, I have enough trouble with the SAFETY. That's one reason I like break-actions: the thumb safety is more natural, to me.

I don't believe anyone makes a thumb-safety 20 gauge semiauto. OTOH I don't much like dragging a shiny O/U over rocks.

 

[AKElroy]

I don't believe anyone makes a thumb-safety 20 gauge semiauto.

I wish someone would; I am a lefty; with a RH auto, flipping off the safety from right to left with my left trigger finger on every auto known to man is not the most intuitive action.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I open action.
My rifle and shotgun are pumps.
I open action slightly, safety on . I lay firearm action down on hat under fence/gate with barrel facing away, then move away a few feet to cross. Retrive firearm, check action then close. Not too much noise involved if you do it right

If climbing into stand or tree I unchamber completely.

 

[ArmedBear]

I wish someone would; I am a lefty; with a RH auto, flipping off the safety from right to left with my left trigger finger on every auto known to man is not the most intuitive action.

The Beretta 390 and 391 safety button is designed so can be turned either for right- or left-handed operation. The owner's manual tells how to do it.

For 15 bucks, you can buy this left-hand safety for the 1100.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=463939

 

[AKElroy]

For 15 bucks, you can buy this left-hand safety for the 1100.

AB--You may have just saved a life. (a dog, cow, etc...) Thanks. That's awesome--

 

[MCgunner]

I wish someone would; I am a lefty; with a RH auto, flipping off the safety from right to left with my left trigger finger on every auto known to man is not the most intuitive action.

I can think of two teal last season one foggy morning that were saved by the crossbolt safety on my Winchester auto for that reason. LOL Of course, I have 12 gauge and the Mossberg 930/935 is available. I just haven't bought one, yet. I have a 500 pump that's fine, just like shooting the auto chucker once in a while.

Hmm, Beretta, eh?