Why I Don't Use a Safety on my Bolt Guns...

Great conversation on the subject so far. Your opinions are valid whether you agree or disagree. Just a reminder, however, to a few of you that took pot shots at my Forces background... COOL your heals... There is no correlation between my military training and my hunting experiences. I merely wanted to note that my experience and military background has awarded me a heightened sense of awareness.
 
SuperCub said:
There are far too many hunting situations in different locations to lay down a blanket statement as in that article. Gun writers write stuff. Not every one will agree and I sometimes think that is the point.

I have hunted out west in the Yukon a couple times with a host who required an empty chamber. It was a call, spot & stalk type hunt so this worked very well. I liked it.

Here in the east, the hunting is very different, esp still hunting deer and upland game. These two situations require a very fast reaction time and thus a chambered round whilst hunting.
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your host is an exception there is a lot idiots here that i do not want to be around even just at the range.
 
The Kurgan said:
Great conversation on the subject so far. Your opinions are valid whether you agree or disagree. Just a reminder, however, to a few of you that took pot shots at my Forces background... COOL your heals... There is no correlation between my military training and my hunting experiences. I merely wanted to note that my experience and military background has awarded me a heightened sense of awareness.
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And being aware that you’re safely is on if there’s a round in the chamber is a good idea.:stirthepot2:
 
The Kurgan said:
Flame away, but this well written article perfectly sums up my feelings on the subject.
For those that question my stance, I am no novice to shooting sports and I spent a good part of my early life in the Forces. I consider myself hyper-vigilant.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/game-changers/why-i-dont-use-safety-my-rifles/
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If "hyper-vigilant" is a level of vigilance that includes not using a safety, then it's a level of vigilance that is less vigilant than "vigilant".
 
Personally I don't put a round in the chamber until I'm ready to shoot. No deer is worth the potential AD to me. However, do as you please when you're by yourself. If you're comfortable with packing a round in the chamber then go for it. If I end up losing out on a few more deer over my lifetime than someone else I really don't mind.
 
Markus said:
Personally I don't put a round in the chamber until I'm ready to shoot. No deer is worth the potential AD to me. However, do as you please when you're by yourself. If you're comfortable with packing a round in the chamber then go for it. If I end up losing out on a few more deer over my lifetime than someone else I really don't mind.
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You hunt exactly how my grandfather did and yes he got his deer every year. Many years when we didnot
Take care
 
I hunt sometime with a cartridge in the chamber sometimes not. The point of the article is that whether or not you have a cartridge in the chamber don’t think that because you have the safety on now you can point your rifle everywhere like it was a broom stick.
 
I know of several cases where someone was injured and what you would hear was, "I was sure the safety was on", or "I`m sure I didn`t touch the trigger", or "I was unloading it and something happened", you get the point. No one has ever been injured without a live round in the chamber, think about it?
 
Bad Bob said:
I know of several cases where someone was injured and what you would hear was, "I was sure the safety was on", or "I`m sure I didn`t touch the trigger", or "I was unloading it and something happened", you get the point. No one has ever been injured without a live round in the chamber, think about it?
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Nobody has ever been shot by a rifle that was pointed in a safe direction when it was being handled ,either!
Cat
 
DTM5 said:
The guy states "Real safety comes from practice (both the verb and the noun), not the object." He is wrong. An object can be made totally safe or safer. This guy is a simpleton.

With his logic cars wouldn't have seatbelts. Saws wouldn't have blade guards, etc. The author's inability to understand that safe practices go hand in hand with safety systems on equipment is really frightening. Accidents happen despite safe practices. I would NOT hunt with (or work with) this dude considering his astounding lack of judgement.

Stupid of outdoor life to even publish that.
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You are right. From reading his article he does not believe that anyone but himself is capable of safe use of a firearm.
 
The Kurgan said:
I merely wanted to note that my experience and military background has awarded me a heightened sense of awareness.
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You sure about that? Attitudes like yours and those of the author, not the use of a mechanical safety, are the first step towards complacency and subsequent accident. I don’t think anyone was taking pot shots at your service, but you were the one who brought it up so questioning its relevance is legitimate. Out of curiosity, what trade were you? Reg or Res?

I was in the RCAF for nearly 20 years as a pilot. In all those years I preferred an average flight lead/wingman who knew his own limits and used all the tools at his disposal over the hyper-talented/aware/vigilant individuals with above it all attitudes that didn’t. Same thing goes with firearms & hunting partners. As an aside, my small arms training and proficiency was terrible all twenty of those years, as is the case with 95% of the CF.
 
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My bolt hunting rifles are mainly pre-64 M70's of which have a 3-position safety that I really like. It's been already mentioned that accidents can happen and using a 3-position safety, or even a 2-position safety, on a stricker fired bolt gun in just plain common sense. Even lever guns have the half #### which is the safety. Myself personally I would be a tad hesitant to hunt with someone who didn't use the safety on their hunting rifle.
 
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My hunting rifle (Tikka) has a fairly light trigger. My adrenaline and heart rate will be up due to exertion and excitement. Also, with walking in dense B.C. bush, anything can potentially snag the trigger especially if I’m shouldering the rifle. A loaded, light triggered rifle with no safety on is a bad combination IMO.

When I’m moving, it’s chamber empty, mag loaded. When I’m stalking, it’s chamber loaded, safety on. When I’m ready to shoot, then safety off.

Do what you will based on your experience and terrain. This is just what I do.
 
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