Transporting your rifle during hunting season
Chatting with a few fellas this morning who were hunting near our place we started talking about having the rifles in the truck. I have always when by myself put the rifle muzzle down on the floor leaning on the consol or seat. Depending on the vehicle either in the rack or on the back seat but always within reach if the passenger seat is occupied. Now when farm hunting in PA the rules went out the window. [:D]
One of the guys there said his rifles are always cased when in the vehicle, he never transports them in the open. Claims he can get to it in reasonable time if needed. The other guys are like me, within reach and when unassing the vehicle the rifle comes out with you.
Now I do get to enjoy a little bit more freedom out here vs PA, in PA the rifle had better not be loaded or you would feel the wrath of the game warden. There was confusion about loaded magazines removed from the rifle, never got a clear answer if that was legal or not. Here, there is no law for or against it, up to you I suppose. Depending on where I?m at the gun is loaded but nothing chambered, I?ve seen too many hillbillies in PA shoot holes in thier trucks when they see deer [:D]
Is there are right way? Is it simply a matter of personal opinion and choice? Loaded vs unloaded?
One of the guys there said his rifles are always cased when in the vehicle, he never transports them in the open. Claims he can get to it in reasonable time if needed. The other guys are like me, within reach and when unassing the vehicle the rifle comes out with you.
Now I do get to enjoy a little bit more freedom out here vs PA, in PA the rifle had better not be loaded or you would feel the wrath of the game warden. There was confusion about loaded magazines removed from the rifle, never got a clear answer if that was legal or not. Here, there is no law for or against it, up to you I suppose. Depending on where I?m at the gun is loaded but nothing chambered, I?ve seen too many hillbillies in PA shoot holes in thier trucks when they see deer [:D]
Is there are right way? Is it simply a matter of personal opinion and choice? Loaded vs unloaded?
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NO loaded long guns in the truck.[8][8][8] 0 -
"...when unassing the vehicle..."
After that, I got nothin' to add.
Just follow the law and the rules of safe gun handling and you're fine.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
"...when unassing the vehicle..."
After that, I got nothin' to add.
Just follow the law and the rules of safe gun handling and you're fine.
Sometimes when you are in an enviroment for so long and you hear things daily those words tend to be repeated without knowing. Unassing a vehicle simply means getting out, nothing bad [:D]
Hell, because of GB I?ve caught myself saying the word happy in reference to ?those batting for the wrong team? [:o)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
"...when unassing the vehicle..."
After that, I got nothin' to add.
Just follow the law and the rules of safe gun handling and you're fine.
Sometimes when you are in an enviroment for so long and you hear things daily those words tend to be repeated without knowing. Unassing a vehicle simply means getting out, nothing bad [:D]
Hell, because of GB I?ve caught myself saying the word happy in reference to ?those batting for the wrong team? [:o)]
No, no, don't get me wrong, I knew exactly what it meant. It is just a word picture I didn't really think that I had wanted, but there it was.0 -
I had a buddy fired his shotgun thru the roof of his pick up . loaded in the truck rabbit hunting traveling between areas . also same fellow , the game warden caught him with a loaded gun doing the same thing left the shotgun loaded while traveling between fields ..
also I worked with two brother's and there dad years ago they loved to hunt went out west as often as they could learned the hard way had the rifles hanging in the window of the blazer as always stopped at some restaurant in Colorado came out window broke guns gone ( out of state plates dark parking lot rifles begging to be stole )
I do not recall if they bough new guns or borrowed from friends in the area to finish the hunt , but they never left any guns in sight after that0 -
Vary by state. All require nothing in chamber. Some more restrictive. 0 -
Had a buddy put his shotgun into the trunk of his dads car while rabbit hunting dog jumps into trunk an gun goes off blows nice hole in dads nice new car. Should have seen him explain that to his dad 0 -
no loaded weapons in a vehicle period..... my dad hammered this in my head when I was small, still go by it to this day
in west virginia, depending on the game warden and your attitude at time, a rifle is considered loaded if there a shells in rifle, wether the chamber is empty or not, and some will say a loaded magazine if it is accessable to the driver is considered loaded rifle even if it is out of rifle. all are illegal and will draw a fine if caught. concealed carry different story, hunting rifles must be cased think it is 1/2 hour before sunrise and after sunset or this is also a fine0 -
quote:Originally posted by hillbille
no loaded weapons in a vehicle period..... my dad hammered this in my head when I was small, still go by it to this day
I know a cop who took the heater core out of his pickup, the same cop who put a hole in his floorboards the year prior and the same cop who while hauling junk discovered he loaded a snake into the bed of his truck and dumped a full magazine into the bed and the same cop who drew down on bis nephew for holding a snake, that cop is now a judge and we are still pretty good friends.
I won?t carry one with a round chambered, I?ve seen too many accidents. Always pull the mag on a rifle that has a removable mag and close the bolt on am empty chamber on guns that don?t have removable mags. Pump shotguns, pull the pump back to eject the chambered shell, dump out the one ready to chamber and close it up.0 -
Spent all night and half the next day with a buddy towing his brother home. Loaded 7Mag muzzle down went off, bounced off the transfer case, bell housing, took out the distributor, and out the hood. Naturally up in the mountains on the other side of BF Egypt. Another hunter gave him a ride to a phone, or we would never have found him. 0 -
Mag in, chamber empty. 0 -
I've carried a bolt action with chamber loaded and bolt handle lifted more miles than I can relate(still do). The semi-auto rifles I carry daily have a loaded mag but not the chamber. 0 -
I do not hunt from the truck, and the rifle is never loaded in the truck. Period.
A guy here in New Mexico was hunting jackrabbits the past week and he was moving to another area and laid his rifle in the back seat with his 4 dogs. You guessed it, the Doberman caught a claw in the trigger guard, jerked and the man was shot through his seat. He will live. A true Darwin moment. A loaded gun in a vehicle is asking for a Darwin moment.0 -
quote:Originally posted by redneckandy
Mag in, chamber empty.
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quote:Originally posted by select-fire
quote:Originally posted by redneckandy
Mag in, chamber empty.
+1
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quote:Originally posted by toad67
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
quote:Originally posted by redneckandy
Mag in, chamber empty.
+1
+2
+3
Well actually almost all my hunting rifles are hinged floorplate but you get the idea.
Those preaching about no gun in a vehicle, I assume you are exempting your CCW guns correct.[;)]0 -
quote:Those preaching about no gun in a vehicle, I assume you are exempting your CCW guns correct?
Yes, all of them. Under my control, different than loose in the back or muzzle to the floor.0 -
all the years in illinois trained me to keep unloaded in a case zipped up. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by He Dog
quote:Those preaching about no gun in a vehicle, I assume you are exempting your CCW guns correct?
Yes, all of them. Under my control, different than loose in the back or muzzle to the floor.
Loaded I assume, where I am talking about an unloaded gun as are others I believe. Hunting rifles have the mag loaded but bolt open.0 -
Not sure I get your point shootuadeal, hard to hunt without a rifle and hard to get the rifle into the mountains if not in the truck, so yeah, I have a rifle in the back seat. It is not loaded however. It could be bolt open on an empty chamber, or bolt closed and dry fired on an empty chamber, or no cartridges at all (opening floor plate on my 700). But never a loaded weapon with a round in the chamber, except my carry gun. Specific enough?[:)] 0 -
I would never carry a rifle with the muzzle down because of muzzle damage. 
http://www.accuratereloading.com/crownr.html0 -
No gun rack or those electronic holder riding shotgun up front. 0
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