Carry Long Gun Muzzle Up or Muzzle Down?

[Larry Koch]

Wow, the correct answer is UP.

 

[Chiquita]

Towards the sky.

 

[Turkeytider]

I personally don't like shooting anything below eye level. Most guides will tell you not to shoot anything on the ground until they get a secure hand on the dog & indicate you may shoot.

Every guy I have hunted with has been muzzle up.

Gun always up when hunting over dogs. Safer, and besides that, your eyes should be up on the horizon not looking down. The birds at flush will be up there, not at ground level.

 

[FNSafari]

Gun always up when hunting over dogs. Safer, and besides that, your eyes should be up on the horizon not looking down. The birds at flush will be up there, not at ground level.

Unless you hunt in the woods and are apt to trip over fallen small trees or limbs.

 

[Bojo]

Very interesting thread/read . Up or down are both fine depending on the terrain and location of dogs and hunting partners. If i deer hunted muzzle down with my 28” inseam and a foot or more of snow I’d have my barrel packed full even before I walked up my first steep hill. Also I have never been a serious bird hunter but was in my youth an extremely aggressive rabbit hunter. Definitely didnt want my barrel tangled up in the low brush or pointed at one of the dogs. Just keep it pointed in a safe direction as the terrain setting and safety dangers change around you by the second.
Not one answer is ever absolute, just do your best to be vigilant as you and everyone in your party would love to see tomorrow.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

With all centerfire rifles I was taught and still carry them muzzle up, suppressed or not. But with rimfire rifles they like to be carried muzzle down if shooting suppressed to keep the carbon out of the bolt face. On this subject, HOW are you carrying your rifles with an old sling or maybe new stuff like the OBI link?

OBi Link System

Testing

oldballsinc.com

 

[Sniperhandle]

 

[Tangent]

Depends whether you think shooting yourself in the foot is worse than shooting yourself in the head

 

[ebb]

Yes

 

[ISS]

Slung crossways across the body from shoulder side, nuzzle up. AKA "Port Arms". Should you stumble, muzzle down will almost always fly into the earth, or if you are trying to catch yourself or break your fall; guess where that muzzle is pointing? If it is a guided hunt, guess who is standing right in front of you? I shot enemy soldiers in RVN, several times. I still live with that. Imagine today if it is your family member or a friend or the guide...?

 

[Wottchitt]

Muzzle up, tape over the muzzle, rifle slung over left shoulder and carried in front of the shoulder so that the fore-end can be grasped quickly with the left hand. Naturally, YMMV

 

[ISS]

Almost forgot. The military issued us plastic muzzle caps that were a snug fit in RVN. We also used condoms in Monsoon season.

 

[FNSafari]

Depends whether you think shooting yourself in the foot is worse than shooting yourself in the head

With the proliferation of 16.5"and 18 inch barrels, the carry position of the muzzle gets a lot of thought. I used to have a Ruger 44 Mag carbine and how I handled that became a issue at times.

 

[dgeesaman]

Interesting

I own scope sighted bolt actions and so muzzle up balances better and more naturally. But I also store, transport, and handle my rifles with the bolts out as much as possible.

I’ve also shot at clubs that were adamant that it’s a muzzle down range because an accidental discharge would be Very Bad on the falling end of a shot.

With shotguns and dogs I imagine things could be different.

 

[outasite`08]

Almost forgot. The military issued us plastic muzzle caps that were a snug fit in RVN. We also used condoms in Monsoon season.

They came in handy in Saigon as well. The condoms not the tight muzzle guards. Jeff

 

[SteveOak]

Up

 

[pdog06]

Let me clarify my down, walking two hands on firearm (I’m right handed) right hand around the grip with hand/stock resting between belly button and nipple. Left hand on forerend down in front of belt. Ready to draw up and shoulder when the birds fly. Firearm pointed to ground slightly front and left of me.

Carrying deer rifle in hand, will either cup stock below reciver with barrel pointing down slightly in front of me or as I carried my shotgun in the low ready position.

Carrying and slinging two different things to me.

For me it’s mostly Walking with muzzle either up and shouldered or up in hand.
However I have carried with it down on occasion depending on terrain or foliage.

 

[Bronsin]

What do Army and Marines favor?

Up and downrange. Woe be to the ones that forgot that rule, as there's no such thing as trainee abuse on the firing line.

 

[Downhill]

Always carried up. But got to do a helicopter feral pig hunt and it was muzzle down while onboard. It was tough to remember but the pilot explained the safety risk (damage to rotors in flight) and muzzle down made sense.

 

[rogina]

They came in handy in Saigon as well. The condoms not the tight muzzle guards. Jeff

I was in the Military and we were taught port arms, which is up.