Carrying O/U

Wellse

Wellse

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Thinking about the upcoming grouse season (because what else is there to do in the summer except think about the fall haha).

Anyways, my thought is this: is there a way to carry my O/U with shells in the chamber but action open?

The obvious answer is yes, but I'm thinking there is the possibility of them bouncing out. Second obvious response is why bother? Close the action and carry on. But in the scenario in my head I'm not an active hunter, just keeping the girlfriend company, enjoying a stroll in the woods, and having an opportunity at a shot should she miss.

The idea in my head is a couple pieces of electrical tape, across the head stamp on the shell and down the sides of the action. It works to keep crud out of rifle barrels, would it work to keep shells in a shotgun? Would the tape interfere with the firing pins? Or the action closing properly?

Any insights?
 
I wouldn't overthink it. Open, closed, put your thumb on them, whatever.

I find grouse to be so quick they're usually sitting in the tree by the time i'm on the trigger. Or maybe I'm just slow.

In that case take your time, it doesn't really matter how you carry.
 
I carry fully loaded, action closed & safety on when I am expecting to have a flying shot at a flushed grouse. Careful muzzle control is very important. Safety only goes off when shouldering gun for a shot. If not expecting a shot, I empty the chambers. If stopping to talk with a hunting partner or other person, open the action with chambers empty. If actively hunting and need to cross barrier like a fence or on bad footing, I open the action, and may or might not also take the shells out of the chamber. I do not see any advantage to carrying with shells in the chamber with tape on them, and the tape may get in the way of proper gun function. If you hunt grouse by shooting them in while they are perched in a tree or on the ground, you may as well carry empty, you usually have time to load.
The same goes for your " backup" scenario - you may as well carry empty. The shot is hers, but if she is set up and you have time, load after she says to and you are in position to back her up.
 
I wouldn’t bother with tape, it seems like a bit of a bother. If I’m out hunting the gun is loaded with the safety on as soon as I step away from the truck. Muzzle and trigger finger discipline is observed, standard routine when it comes to climbing over something or doing something where I need the use of both hands. I either unload or open the action enough to back a shell out of the chamber, I’m using a pump 12g mind you. Grouse flush pretty quick and I would want things ready to go with the click of the safety.
 
As backup to your girlfriend , if you carry your gun open and empty and cartridges in hand you should have time to load, close and mount for the backup shot. Practice it if in doubt. Tape over the shell bases can interfere with proper closing and lock up on a well fitted gun and puts added strain on the hinge points when you close. It may also intefere with firing pin strike and ejector operation. Bad idea.
 
I carry action open, draped over my arm with shells in the chamber, don't ever recall losing a shell... if a flush is imminent, I carry loaded, closed, safety on @ port arms.
 
Not much good on grouse, if carried broken and over your shoulder, about the same as carrying a pistol mag in empty chamber:)
 
Wellse said:
Thinking about the upcoming grouse season (because what else is there to do in the summer except think about the fall haha).

Anyways, my thought is this: is there a way to carry my O/U with shells in the chamber but action open?

The obvious answer is yes, but I'm thinking there is the possibility of them bouncing out. Second obvious response is why bother? Close the action and carry on. But in the scenario in my head I'm not an active hunter, just keeping the girlfriend company, enjoying a stroll in the woods, and having an opportunity at a shot should she miss.

The idea in my head is a couple pieces of electrical tape, across the head stamp on the shell and down the sides of the action. It works to keep crud out of rifle barrels, would it work to keep shells in a shotgun? Would the tape interfere with the firing pins? Or the action closing properly?

Any insights?
Click to expand...

If you are backing up your gf, then you will more than likely only get one shot off after her shot. Having said that and an O/U is your prefered gun, get one with a mechanical trigger, a single trigger and extractors. Do you see what I am getting at!?! Selected the bottom barrel as your primary and load it with a snap cap and your top as secondary. Your first trigger pull with be your additional safety, if you feel that the tang safety and transfer bar is not enough.

Your other options is a sxs hammer gun, as someone mentioned. But only if you feel you really need two rounds other wise a single shot hammer gun is ideal IMO. Recently in my small game hunts, I have gone back to my Cooey 84 because the majority of the time, I will only have one chance and now that the wild grasses are chest high,the extra weight of the lightest production semi seem to be that much of a chore.

Don't get me wrong, I am a O/U guy also but for simplicity sake I have for go carrying my second lightest shot gun, an upland s55, carried as back up in the way as described above when hunting with my son with either his A48 or 101.
 
Suggesting there is never a second or third shot opportunity at grouse is a little out there. Many times a season a single will flush and then one or several more that were unseen will come up when they hear the shot. This is especially true in the early season when they are in family groups. My sxs and o/u are as light as any single shot and there is nothing more satisfying then scoring a double on flushing Ruffies.

IMO carrying a break action in the open position causes much more wear on the hinge than carrying a shotgun locked up solid. It also enables dirt and such to enter the area causing more undo wear.

When you think about barrel position when closing a break action it is most likely below horizontal or the shells would fall out when closing. This means we have a gun pointing towards the target area, loaded rounds, possibly being slammed closed, which may or may not be in the safe position, and certainly below shoulder height. Even if another person is not in danger there is a very good possibility my dogs are in that area and as much as I like a hunting companion, I like my dogs more. Then consider the possibility of a slip and fall and what type of muzzle control would be had. I would bet one would have no idea where the gun was actually pointing in a fall scenario with the gun open and perhaps slamming shut.

The only time I have ever seen a break action fire unexpectedly is when being slammed shut. If you are hunting over my dogs it is safety on and barrels up. I can not predict where my dogs are going to be at any given second except that they will be somewhere in front within 20 or 30 yards at ground level. If you practice poor muzzle control the hunt will be very short.
 
MK2750 said:
Suggesting there is never a second or third shot opportunity at grouse is a little out there. Many times a season a single will flush and then one or several more that were unseen will come up when they hear the shot. This is especially true in the early season when they are in family groups. My sxs and o/u are as light as any single shot and there is nothing more satisfying then scoring a double on flushing Ruffies.

IMO carrying a break action in the open position causes much more wear on the hinge than carrying a shotgun locked up solid. It also enables dirt and such to enter the area causing more undo wear.

When you think about barrel position when closing a break action it is most likely below horizontal or the shells would fall out when closing. This means we have a gun pointing towards the target area, loaded rounds, possibly being slammed closed, which may or may not be in the safe position, and certainly below shoulder height. Even if another person is not in danger there is a very good possibility my dogs are in that area and as much as I like a hunting companion, I like my dogs more. Then consider the possibility of a slip and fall and what type of muzzle control would be had. I would bet one would have no idea where the gun was actually pointing in a fall scenario with the gun open and perhaps slamming shut.

The only time I have ever seen a break action fire unexpectedly is when being slammed shut. If you are hunting over my dogs it is safety on and barrels up. I can not predict where my dogs are going to be at any given second except that they will be somewhere in front within 20 or 30 yards at ground level. If you practice poor muzzle control the hunt will be very short.
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If a gun fires when you close it, the gun needs repair, and should not be used. In a slip and fall situation, the gun would have to fully close, and the auto safety would have to disengage, all while the rounds don't fall out of the chambers. In the case of the gun being carried already being closed on live rounds, the odds of an accidental discharge are higher, because two of those conditions already exist, the action fully closed, on live rounds.
 
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Unless it's raining/snowing..

If I'm on my own~loaded, action closed, safety on.
If I'm with ANYONE else, action open/shells in chamber..no safety on

Any time I'm grouse hunting with other people, there is allot of dialog before the hunt about who takes the shot, being aware (and staying aware) of where your buddies are/are not, etc. When I took my apprentice hunter out a few times (my daughter) there could only be one gun between us, which is ideal in those situations. A flushed bird in thick bush (northern Ontario) gives you seconds...and by "seconds"...I mean one or two, not 4 or 5. lol Meaning, if the person on the trigger gets a shot or two off, that's about the best you can hope for. Not "bang bang/miss" and "OK honey, you're up." :)

I think as the boyfriend/back-up...she's hunting, your O/U is there in case she has an issue with her gun and you hand her yours. lol Unless grouse are there in #s, or the grouse situation is vastly different from where I hunt...grouse encounters are annoyingly rare, and keeping your attention at peak levels for extended periods without results~that is the challenge. I might just need new spots. :)
 
.22LRGUY said:
Any time I'm grouse hunting with other people, there is allot of dialog before the hunt about who takes the shot, being aware (and staying aware) of where your buddies are/are not, etc.
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That’s always a good conversation to have when hunting with partners, regardless of what you are hunting.

I have two good friends I hunt with in the fall and we take turns shooting while we’re out hiking or rolling around on secondary roads getting into hiking trails, whoever gets the first bird let’s the other guy shoot the next. They are both right handed and I’m a southpaw, I always try to position myself on their right when we walk trails. It keep both our guns pointing away from each other, we’ve both spent time at the range together as well as shooting on crown land and all three of us are on the same page with safe handling, I don’t have to think twice about what they are doing as we are all on the same page.
 
stubblejumper said:
If a gun fires when you close it, the gun needs repair, and should not be used. In a slip and fall situation, the gun would have to fully close, and the auto safety would have to disengage, all while the rounds don't fall out of the chambers. In the case of the gun being carried already being closed on live rounds, the odds of an accidental discharge are higher, because two of those conditions already exist, the action fully closed, on live rounds.
Click to expand...

Hunting released pheasants over a pointing dog is completely different than hunting 2-4 flushing dogs for Ruffies. You could probably keep your shells in your pocket and never miss an opportunity.

I applaud your efforts in taking new and young hunters out with you to the release sites but you should consider that you have no idea if their guns are in need of repair and properly cleaned. You also don't know if they may get over excited on their first encounters with roosters. I don't want anyone, let alone a newbee, excitedly trying to close a break action, trying to shoulder and set hammers or safety, while having the gun pointed in the general direction of my dogs. You obviously have a different opinion but please don't bother trying to invalidate mine with quote and contradict nonsense.
 
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