Muzzle up or down?

[Nimrod1960]

At 6’4” and without the nimbleness of a ballerina I find rifle with mod constantly catching branches when out in woods. Drives me bonkers.
Switched to carrying muzzle down the other day when returning to vehicle (empty handed ). Revelation! More comfortable and discreet. Going out later today and have switched sling around to enable muzzle down as default.

Comment and views from greater experience and enlightened appreciated.

Cheers all

 

[gixer1]

I think it’s personal preference, I did try muzzle down and hated it - felt like I was always worried about stuffing it in the ground when I walked over any uneven ground. Also I’d be worried about the potential to shoot myself in the leg/foot!

Regards,
Gixer

 

[Miki]

Down for me, on right shoulder, you do need to be additionaly alert as to where the muzzel is and not bend or crouch down in mud/snow without taking the rifle off the shoulder first...
I find it much easier to get on the sticks too.

 

[Bowland blades]

Both work in different circumstances, your carry should be suited to easy in the field change. . Carry muzzle up with a moderator is better with one of those extra cross body straps with a quick release straps with you have a moderator or your constantly pulling the thing as it slips pointing your muzzle back behind you. pointing down is safe but not very stealthy if your mod is dragging through the vegetation and a barrel plug can make a serious bad day .
deployment onto sticks is equal in practice

 

[pob]

Down for me woodland stalking. Less movements needed to slip the rifle off your shoulder and mount it on sticks unnoticed, I think. Good for muzzle awareness too, in my opinion.

 

[3595wilk]

I carry all my rifles muzzle down. I started doing that as I have a permission that is a golf course - so when carrying like that with sometimes a coat over the top it's much more observer friendly.....sometimes get players on the course when they shouldn't be there before it officially opens, especially in the summer.

Also find it more comfortable too. Only problem I have at the moment is a rifle in a GRS stock with the sling stud on the side of the stock. In working up the courage to drill into it on the base of the stock on the butt to shift it......

 

[Ratel]

When on my own sling.over right shoulder muzzle pointing forward and down and held in right hand. In company muzzle up.
Shotgun always open even when cartridges in walking up.

 

[muddy42]

Its personal preference, When down, I find it hangs lower due to the position of the sling so I've always worried about plugging or knocking the barrel. Up for me.

Also a short barrel is a huge benefit when stalking in woodland. A 24 inch barrel plus moderator is pretty grim and is an anachronism from the days before moderators and wanting the bang to be as far away from your ear as possible. Just ignore the anoraks who say that you need it for ballistic reasons (the loss of fps is meaningless at deer stalking ranges) reload or buy a 'slightly bigger' calibre that won't have issues being deer legal. The weight of the moderator restores the balance and the setup allows you to focus on stalking not which tree you are going to hit next.

 

[Alantoo]

Muzzle down always. Electrical insulation tape patch across the front of the moderator. I have found a wipe of mud on the tape once or twice having traversed a steep bank with the rifle on the uphill side or a deep ditch and etc.


I carry on the left shoulder for the first two or three hours and then swap to the right shoulder when I start to feel the weight.

Alan

 

[HappyHunter]

Muzzle down for me, often with right hand just controlling slightly.

I'm a similar stamp to yourself and got fed up clattering everything. Also, heaven forbid... there's no wondering where it ended up.

I must say that this often changes with company though.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Always carry mine, regardless of calibre, muzzle down. Bolt up on chambered round. As lifted, bolt is pushed down, ready to go. Safety never used.
Taught that way as boy back home, still carry like that today. Footling about with safety catches has been the last thing some people ever did before something large and dangerous nailed them.

 

[Heym SR20]

Muzzle down for me. And if a round is loaded I tend to carry it my hands so have full control over direction of muzzle.

I am really not a fan of the general stick one in the chamber at the car and stick rifle on shoulder for rest of the day. It’s just a recipe for disaster.

I only load a round if I am expecting an imminent shot. And when it’s loaded I want full control.

And too often when stalking with others, who have a loaded rifle on their shoulder muzzle up, I end up looking down their moderator, as a muzzle heavy rifle just swings back over.

Increasingly I come to the conclusion a sling is a pain on a rifle especially in woodland. Most African hunters never bother with a sling - they just get caught and snagged.

Carry the rifle in hand as it is being used. If you need ti carry it a long way into a hunting area, unload and stick it in your pack, or use a slip.

 

[Heym SR20]

Always carry mine, regardless of calibre, muzzle down. Bolt up on chambered round. As lifted, bolt is pushed down, ready to go. Safety never used.
Taught that way as boy back home, still carry like that today. Footling about with safety catches has been the last thing some people ever did before something large and dangerous nailed them.

We were taught similar ways. And most safeties on rifles just block the trigger and not the firing pin. At least with bolt handle up firing pin is blocked.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

We were taught similar ways. And most safeties on rifles just block the trigger and not the firing pin. At least with bolt handle up firing pin is blocked.

Plus a lot of bigger bore rifles were Mauser, with the bloody flag 180 degrees safety. Not known for quick handling

 

[muddy42]

We were taught similar ways. And most safeties on rifles just block the trigger and not the firing pin. At least with bolt handle up firing pin is blocked.

Always carry mine, regardless of calibre, muzzle down. Bolt up on chambered round. As lifted, bolt is pushed down, ready to go. Safety never used.
Taught that way as boy back home, still carry like that today. Footling about with safety catches has been the last thing some people ever did before something large and dangerous nailed them.

That's a new one for me! Is there not a risk a sloppy bolt drops of its own accord or gets pushed closed as you brush past something?

Luckily I have never had problems with safety catches - as a side by side shotgun rough shooter, sliding the thumb forward to release the safety catch is instinctive, quick and (almost) automatic. Granted some safety catches operate more awkwardly than this - left to right for example and the mauser ones.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Bolts on most rifles cam the round forward,try it on your rifle. I'd be very surprised if your bolt would shut with any sort of stiffening.

 

[Heym SR20]

Bolts on most rifles cam the round forward,try it on your rifle. I'd be very surprised if your bolt would shut with any sort of stiffening.

Pretty much the only bolt that will close on its own is the old Mannlicher Schoeneur.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Pretty much the only bolt that will close on its own is the old Mannlicher Schoeneur.

Always coveted in 6-5 but never owned. The butter knife bolt job

 

[bowji john]

Depends upon circumstances

Usually up when on a range - bolt back and usually required to have a flag within the action - so thumb on the flag holding it in place when walking with it - depends, of course, on RCO's rules for the day

Stalking and rabbiting - usually down with bolt back and thumb within the action holding the bolt back and thumb resting on the rounds within the mag

At the trail in the bush, alternating hands as they tire - bolt closed on empty chamber with spring eased - rifle at 45 deg up, resting on hip if going through thick bush where quick deployment might be required

Never ever ever with bolt closed on a live round and relying on god, luck and a mechanical safety

 

[bogtrotter]

On the hill rifle carried in slip magazine loaded but round under the bolt only removed from slip and round chambered in final new yards of stalk.
In woodland in company rifle uncovered muzzle up again loaded magazine but empty chamber.
Stalking on my own in woodland round chambered and.muzzle down and forward