Do you need a bolt that locks when the safety is on?

[Mountainrancher]

I'm surprised how many of you guys walk around with a chambered round.

Yeah I’ve never got the walking around with a loaded chamber thing. Just leaves too big a risk in my mind and if a shot opportunity is so fast I can’t chamber a round first it’s not a shot worth taking.

 

[Formidilosus]

Why wouldn’t you

What rifles do you hunt with?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Where I hunt you would never get a shot if you didnt have one in the chamber.
The ranges are just too close, racking that bolt is too loud, often happens too fast.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

What rifles do you hunt with?

Bergara rifles and savage muzzleloaders

 

[Formidilosus]

Bergara rifles and savage muzzleloaders

Bergaras, and all R700 triggers are not drop safe- they will fire if dropped and they take an impact correctly.
I’m not saying that I never carry chambered- still hunting whitetails alone with the rifle in my hands 100% of the time, I will carry it chambered, in the stand or in a blind for WT’s, again yes. Generally not when hunting with someone. Never or almost never when hunting in the mountains, again unless still hunting through heavy timber and I’m alone, and I am cognizant if using a R700 trigger to not try to catch the rifle if I slip or fall.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Bergaras, and all R700 triggers are not drop safe- they will fire if dropped and they take an impact correctly.
I’m not saying that I never carry chambered- still hunting whitetails alone with the rifle in my hands 100% of the time, I will carry it chambered, in the stand or in a blind for WT’s, again yes. Generally not when hunting with someone. Never or almost never when hunting in the mountains, again unless still hunting through heavy timber and I’m alone, and I am cognizant if using a R700 trigger to not try to catch the rifle if I slip or fall.

So which is it? I can only carry chambered if I’m still hunting, alone, or in a treestand? And what does having one in the chamber have anything to do with a locking bolt lol.

 

[Fatcamp]

Where I hunt you would never get a shot if you didnt have one in the chamber.
The ranges are just too close, racking that bolt is too loud, often happens too fast.

Gotcha. Rifle in hands I totally get, no different than a shotgun. My rifle and those of my partners ride on packs, but we hunt open high desert, far different situation.

 

[Balderdash]

I would give you that statement if it were in reference to a M700 trigger, but used in reference to a M70 that might be one of the most steeped in horseshit statements I’ve ever read on here.

It was called the Rifleman’s Rifle for good reason. It got, and still has, that solid reputation from avid “gun enthusiasts”. That safety is one of the exact reasons why the M70 is so highly praised. SMH!

I knew this type of response was coming. M70 fans are reliable in their disdain for statements that don't include the M70 being the best action in every way, evah!

I should add that I'm not a M70 hater. They make a fine action. Further, I'm not saying that a 3 way safety is not usable, is unreliable, or that it's a foregone conclusion that they'll cost you opportunities at game. I do stand by my statement of opinion that there are better designed safeties, depending on your use expectations.

I only shared my thoughts on the matter. I didn't say that anyone else should feel the same. We all have different hunting styles and hunt different topography, cover, game etc. My very first rifle was a Ruger 77 mk II with a three way safety; the next rifle I bought was a M70. While still hunting, doing drives and pushes, and tracking game in the snow, I found the 3 way safeties to be, in comparison to other safety configurations, less intuitive and more cumbersome to move them all the way around the bolt shroud from full on to full off when trying to make quick shots on jumped game in heavy cover. They were also sometimes noisy if you couldn't devote 2 fingers to moving the lever all the way around, which isn't always ideal for hunting in heavy cover wherein game would have to be very close before presenting a shot opportunity. As my uncle commented on the subject many years ago, "Those are safeties for the deer."

If you hunt more open cover that rarely includes close shots at flushed game, or predominately hunt stands with greater visibility, etc, etc, I can see how my concerns with 3 way safeties wouldn't be valid at all.

 

[Balderdash]

I'm surprised how many of you guys walk around with a chambered round.

How else are you supposed to still hunt or track animals in the snow through bedding cover?

 

[Formidilosus]

So which is it? I can only carry chambered if I’m still hunting, alone, or in a treestand? And what does having one in the chamber have anything to do with a locking bolt lol.

This is what I responded to-




I gave you a reason, and then amplified that reason with an explanation. One of the guns you said you use to hunt with isn’t drop safe- that’s a pretty good reason to not carry it chambered.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

This is what I responded to-

View attachment 483830


I gave you a reason, and then amplified that reason with an explanation. One of the guns you said you use to hunt with isn’t drop safe- that’s a pretty good reason to not carry it chambered.

I’m hunting, not base jumping, I’m not hunting on an empty chamber lol. That’s like carrying concealed with an empty chamber, ain’t gonna happen.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m hunting, not base jumping, I’m not hunting on an empty chamber lol. That’s like carrying concealed with an empty chamber, ain’t gonna happen.

No it’s quite a bit different than carrying concealed with an empty chamber. I didn’t tell you not to carry loaded- you asked a question, I answered that question with a fact based answer, and then instead of acknowledging that reality, you deflect.

Since you brought up something other than hunting up- it is policy that US mil snipers do not carry the R700’s with a loaded chamber for the exact reasons I am stating.

 

[VernAK]

A well known bush pilot tells the story of a client, with a highly coveted sheep tag, that was landed at the only legal strip for his two day walk to the sheep area. Upon arriving near sheep he discovered he'd lost his bolt.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

No it’s quite a bit different than carrying concealed with an empty chamber. I didn’t tell you not to carry loaded- you asked a question, I answered that question with a fact based answer, and then instead of acknowledging that reality, you deflect.

Since you brought up something other than hunting up- it is policy that US mil snipers do not carry the R700’s with a loaded chamber for the exact reasons I am stating.

And a locked bolt prevents this how? That’s what this thread is about. Not that my rifles are somehow unsafe and you shouldn’t hunt with a round in the chamber.

 

[Fatcamp]

Holy cats, sorry OP.

It was just an observation due to people saying they didn't feel safe unloading their guns.

 

[left hunter]

I prefer that guns lock the bolt on safe. I do own and use guns that don’t do this and have had them open randomly while hicking and attached to the pack which is kind of annoying. I haven’t “dumped” any ammo because of this since I don’t have one loaded in the chamber in this Situation, but have had it get pretty filled with snow.

I would imagine you could get a stick or too in the action if this happened and you were going through thick brush as well.


And 3 of my left hand remington 700’s have been converted to 3 positions Winchester style safety’s which I really feel takes care of the biggest problem with that type of action

 

[Bearwhisky]

I despise 3 position safeties. Never had a bolt open on its own. Maybe a cheapo gun would but none of mine have (chrtstensen included in there.) I have had a 3 position safety almost cost me an animal. Clicked it in the middle section instead of fire and squeezed…nothing haha. Training error obviously. Had always shot 2 position safeties. But its an unnecessary possibility in my opinion.


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[UTJL]

Seems like I’ve opened a can of worms here!

Thanks to everyone who responded, it looks like a non-locking bolt can cause problems in some situations. I’ve done more research and am struggling to find a locking bolt rifle that matches the other parameters I’m looking for (280ai, 22” barrel, vertical grip stock). I may have to go the semi custom route.

 

[grfox92]

Maybe I'm missing something, what is the problem with taking the safety off to unload your gun? Several comments about guys not liking that....

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[ResearchinStuff]

If you have a r700, adjust the trigger light, and then with an unloaded gun out it on safe, pull the trigger, release the trigger, drop it hard vertically on the butt, and then take the safety off.

I had 2 that when out through that sequence with factory triggers would fire when the safety went off, and it's why I don't like the idea of going off safe while unloading. Adjusting the trigger heavier would "solve" the problem. .

Older r700s had a 2 position safety that locked, there was a recall to update them to a non-locking 2 position about 20 years ago. I suspect that recall has a lot to do with the sequence I laid out. Also, this might have be closely or exactly related to the drop safe issue Form is talking about.