Handgun Hunting Safety

I'm very new to hunting, and I plan on taking my first trip in a few weeks to a local wildlife management area to hunt cottontails.

I'm going to be hunting with a Ruger MKII pistol (a single action auto). I was wondering how handgun hunters walk through the woods. It's easy to control the muzzle of a rifle and to have the weapon ready for a jumping rabbit, but a handgun is another story.

I see myself as having 3 options:

1. Holstered on an empty chamber 2. Holstered cocked and locked (I'm a little queazy about this) 3. Unholstered cocked and locked

I see option 3 as the best, since it will allow a quick shot with none of the risks associated with drawing and firing in a hurry. I'm pretty good with my MkII, and have practiced releasing the safety before taking a shot. I'll just have to be extra careful.

Any opinions?

William

By the way, I know my chances for taking a rabbit with a .22 pistol on my first hunt are slim, but I figure It'll be good to start out slow and learn the ropes, even if I don't get anything.

I used to hunt grouse and squirrels pretty heavily, also with a Ruger MKII. Now as a married man, my time is limited, so grouse are incidental to big game hunts. I usually wear a loaded Ruger Super Single Six on my belt when out for the bigger stuff. I've already bagged one ruffed this year, while out looking for bear on Labor Day.

Since I always hunted with an Aimpoint mounted on the MKII, I bought an Uncle Mike's bandolier shoulder holster. Unfortunately, I found it to be just too noisy and awkward. I've mostly hunted in cooler weather, so I just dropped the MKII cocked and locked into one of the pockets of my hunting jacket. With the extra bulk of the Aimpoint, it rides surprisingly securely, nearly as well as it would in a belt holster.

I have ALWAYS insisted of myself and others that rifles and my MKII be unloaded before getting into a vehicle. I allow holstered revolvers to be kept loaded.

Incidentally, during my college days, I picked up some bad habits from the bullseye classes I took: In class we never used the safety on our MKII's, relying entirely on muzzle control and unloading. I sometimes forget my MKII HAS a safety...it makes for terrible trigger pull.

William, I have a Ruger Single Six in 22. Go with Option 1 only, even if you have no holster and have to carry it. NEVER EVER carry it cocked, locked and loaded. The ONLY time I have mine fully loaded is when we are standing at one location target shooting, otherwise it is ALWAYS uncocked on an empty chamber. Way too many chances for an accident otherwise. I dont mean to come accross too strong, wait , yes I do. Be safe and have fun.

Option 1

dave pistol (a single action

#William, I have a Ruger Single Six in 22. Go with Option 1 only, even if #you have no holster and have to carry it. NEVER EVER carry it cocked, #locked and loaded. The ONLY time I have mine fully loaded is when we are #standing at one location target shooting, otherwise it is ALWAYS uncocked on #an empty chamber. Way too many chances for an accident otherwise. I dont #mean to come accross too strong, wait , yes I do. Be safe and have fun.

This is not necessary if the revolver is one the modern models. These are the guns with the 'transfer bar safety'. Ruger has claimed that the new model revolvers can be carried with all 6 chambers loaded and with the hammer down on a loaded chamber. This includes the Single Action and the Double Action models.

If the revolver does not have the transfer bar safety Ruger will install it at no charge and when they return the gun they include the old parts.

Since the original poster has a Ruger MarkII, which he described as a 'single action' auto, things are a bit different. While the firing pin is inside the bolt I think that it would be very hard to give enough inpact to the gun to have the pin hit the edge of the 22 round, especially with the safety engaged.

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My preferred method for carrying my MKI, MKII (when I still had it), or my 22/45 is on an empty chamber most of the time. Being left handed I can rack the bolt as quick as dis-engaging the safety (both require two hands). In a hunting situation though I prefer the round chambered and safety engaged because of the sound of the bolt would probably scare the game.

My $.02 from a lefty,