Semi~Auto or Bolt action for hunting?

Z

Zeroed-In

CGN frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Location
Okanagan, B.C., Canada
I have a buddy I will be hunting with who doe's not want me to use a semi~auto for hunting (deer, elk, moose,,,) and wants me to only use a bolt action for safety reasons (reasoning was that a semi~auto automatically reloads and poses a safety issue) doe's anybody have any experience with this situation?

Thanks in advance for your input, cheers
 
Every firearm should be treated as if it is loaded. Semi auto firearms are as safe as any gun if they are handled properly. I'd look for another guy to hunt with if he doesn't understand that
 
Maybe he has seen people get buck fever, shoot a deer and then not be safe afterwards because the adrenaline is pumping at full power. Just be very aware of it and it will be fine.

When I shoot any gun of any action I immediately cycle the next round right after the shot. I shoot IPSC and 3 gun matches and pump guns can be very nearly as fast as semis.
 
Oh, and contrary what the CORE program taught me 21 years ago to unload and safe my rifle as soon as I shoot my deer, I replace the shell/load to capacity and put the safety on. The rifle never gets put down very far away from me cleaning my animal. I haven't had a problem with a bear yet but I don't want to and they do become conditioned to an easy meal of organs and guts after a gunshot.

It's happened to friends of mine. It's nice to have someone paying attention while you are shoulder deep in a deer or moose.
 
Thanks for the replies all, I was a little taking back by this as I think like coldshot (and I suspect any other responsible firearm user) that you should always treat any firearm as loaded,,,
I realize a bolt is more reliable but I have extensive experience with all actions but particularly semi's and am a very experienced firearm user,,,
He felt that this is a common situation and would not hunt with anyone using a semi~auto, I just wanted to know if this was a common theme among hunters as I have only ever hunted with my Father for the past 22 years,,,
 
unstableryan said:
When I shoot any gun of any action I immediately cycle the next round right after the shot.....

<snip>pump guns can be very nearly as fast as semis.
Click to expand...

unstableryan said:
Oh, and contrary what the CORE program taught me 21 years ago to unload and safe my rifle as soon as I shoot my deer, I replace the shell/load to capacity and put the safety on.
Click to expand...

Same here. I ALWAYS cycle another round into the chamber after the shot...what if my quarry gets up again? or if I have multiple tags and my shot spooks up game I did not see? or....Well the list of reasons to reload right away can go on and on.

I can shoot/cycle a pump almost as fast as a lot of semi-auto hunters I hunt with.

Any action is only as safe as it's user.
 
One of my hunting partners hunts with a BAR it is the only rifle he has used in thirty years of hunting and although he is a little absent minded he has not come close to making any mistakes , he always treats his rifle as a loaded one. Good hunting partners can be tough to find not sure how I would feel in your position. As a foot note my friend is shopping for a rifle and he wants a bolt this time.
 
My buddy is a stand up fellow and an avid hunter and outdoorsman, so when he told me this I took as the way it is with hunters when not hunting solo,,,
I agree with the idea of chambering another round right away after taking a shot at game for all the reasons mentioned by horseshoe,,,
I will discuss this issue as it is an important one because the reasons for chambering another round would be something I think he would believe in, as the areas he/we would hunt in bear are a serious concern (not to mention all the other good reasons, most of which is making sure your game is down for good asap) thanks again all,,,
 
It's mostly people that don't know much about semi autos that think like that. It's some preconceived notion that got planted in their skull a long time ago. Gun safety is gun safety, regardless of action type.
 
Zeroed-In said:
My buddy is a stand up fellow and an avid hunter and outdoorsman, so when he told me this I took as the way it is with hunters when not hunting solo,,,
I agree with the idea of chambering another round right away after taking a shot at game for all the reasons mentioned by horseshoe,,,
I will discuss this issue as it is an important one because the reasons for chambering another round would be something I think he would believe in, as the areas he/we would hunt in bear are a serious concern (not to mention all the other good reasons, most of which is making sure your game is down for good asap) thanks again all,,,
Click to expand...

Tell him you'll take up his advice only if he himself hunts with a spear & wears only a lioncloth.
Narrow minded demands should be met with an equally intelligent responce.
 
I once participated in a moose hunt with a good friend who was hunting with a semi-auto for the first time, his only previous firearm being a Lee Enfield 303. He shot a moose and as we approached the animal, his rifle discharged, missing me by several feet. He was not completely familiar with the rifle, forgot that it automatically reloaded and also forgot to put on the safety. I was pissed off beyond description.

Another time while living in northern Alberta, I was invited out for a deer hunt by a co-worker. While walking the access trail to our stand, I glanced behind me to see him carrying his firearm by the end of the barrel, the weight of the gun taken upon his shoulder. When I pointed out the hazards associated with this type of carry, he derided my contention though he did alter his carry (but had to be reminded occasionally to resume the safe carry.). Of course, I refused to ever accompany him again.

Years earlier my brother and I were moose hunting south of Sudbury Ontario, when we bumped into two Americans, also hunting moose. While we chatted about the signs of game we'd seen, we asked them about some shots we had heard about one half hour previously. They acknowledged that they were the originators of that shooting as they were conducting 'Sound Shooting'. Curious, I asked what 'sound shooting' was and they related that they shot into the bush in the direction of a noise that they interpreted might have been a moose, even though they could not see past the outer perimiter of the trees. I was dumbfounded but recovered quickly enough to inquire where they would be hunting for the balance of the week, so we could avoid that area!

Another time, I was hunting deer on opening day in Manitoba, entering a field via a wooded depression and crawling across the open stubble to get closer to deer at the far end of the field. Afte shooting one deer from a prone position, I arose to cross the field when someone from the road some 200 meters away emptied their firearm into the field I was crossing at the remaining retreating deer. I dropped at the first shot and was completely astonished that I could bury my nose so far into the frozen dirt. After that episode, I NEVER hunted when other hunters were in the same area. I instead used to go up the Winnipeg River by boat to an area when a human footprint was never found, the buck/doe ratio was 50/50 and my hunt was usually over opening day.

What is the moral of these recountings? Possibly, that there are some real f***ing dumbasses out there in the bush and you better hope you don't run into them. And you sure as hell don't want them in your hunting party. You especially want to ensure that your party is completely familiar with their firearms and are in complete agreement regarding safe practice and that possibly is the origin of the reluctance of the person quoted in the original posting.
 
Last edited:
There are lots of good reasons for being wary of a hunting buddy with a semi. Untrained hunters tend to blast away with them, and that makes for messy gut shots or non fatal wounds. If everyone pitches in skinning/gutting, it means he'll have to put up with your stinky, gut-shot deer, or go on a wild goose chase tracking an injured deer instead of hunting ones for himself. That, and you have to use your safety with religious fervor and keep the weapon always pointed in a safe direction. Some people just aren't disciplined enough to do those 2 consistently. With those people, I'd rather they had a bolt or even better, a single shot.

In experienced hands, no different than anything else.
 
An accidental discharge from a bolt action will be no different than an accidental discharge from a semi-auto. IMHO, whether you hunt or not hunt with someone based on his or her choice of action seems to be lacking in common sense.
 
To me it is more the person than the equipment they are using that would be a concern. a bullet from any gun with any action type is going to kill the same as any other. I was taken hunting and shooting from the age of 5, there is a list of people I will not hunt with, but I don't have a list of firearms I will not hunt with.
 
Demonical said:
Bolt action is what I would recommend, but it's because it's a superior tool.
Click to expand...

I agree with Demonical, I would rather have a bolt action rifle even if being charged by a grizzly, why, because they are dependable. I had a remington 742 semi and it always worked good but I bought one box of ammo and it just wouldn't work cycle with that ammo. After that even though I didn't have it happen again, I would never trust it.

Jack O'Connor said, 'you could also use a semi-auto for sheep hunting if you wanted to, if you were allergic to a bolt action rifle'. I think what Jack meant is that the only reason not to use a bolt gun is if you were allergic to them.

It seems that the older you get the more safety concious you get because you've seen so many f ups in your life. I noticed some older guys seem to like o/u shotguns when bird hunting in a group. One reason is that you can see the gun is safe from a distance and no worries. when broke down it is as harmless as a stick. Your friend may have a bad memory associated with an autoloader.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom