How full do folks load the tube when in the bush?

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:08 am

I got into the habit of one in the chamber and two in the tube in my 444. Sometimes three in the tube in bear country. I found the hand carry was perfect at two and the spring tension was through the roof for the last two cartridges.

I loaded my new to me Win 94 full and was amazed at the weight and royal pain to unload. The Winoku 92 holds at least ten but again what a bother and the barrel droops too much in hand carry unless I hold them way out on the forearm with fully loaded tube levers.

I'm also starting to wonder if heavy feed spring pressure is detrimental to accuracy?

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:25 am

I don't know if spring pressure changes the tension on the barrel or anything, but I load my Guide Gun with 4 in the tube, then lever 1 of them into the chamber. I have never hunted anything with it that needed more. My .480 Ruger caliber model 92 shows no change in accuracy when loaded full or unloaded. I carry it with 9 in the tube. It holds 10. Unless I am hunting something that is actually out of the capability for that cartridges power, 10 total rounds will do anything I have ever wanted. And, yes, I did once hunt something that was actually beyond the .480 Ruger's capability. 86er was there to back me up with his model 86 in .45-70 and punch bullets loaded to the maximum safe level.

Part of the reason I carry it almost fully loaded is that I find it easier and quieter than carrying extra rounds in a pocket.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:29 am

I carry my 76 win. in 45-60 or my Marlin 95 cowboy in 45-70 the most so nine rounds of that adds a pound to the rifle

I generally put six in total.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:59 am

Full!

bdhold · Post by **bdhold** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:05 pm

with time, the spring tension changes the set in the spring and it eventually won't drive your last round.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:07 pm

One in the pipe, two in the tube. No matter what rifle I carry.

No particular reason, just my preference.

Haven't yet needed more than one.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:22 pm

No set number, but, I've never put the full 10 in the 1895 Cowboy....3, or 4 is enough.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:00 pm

walks with gun · Post by **walks with gun** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:01 pm

Deer hunting I only stick 3 or 4 in the tube, kind of a pain to unload too many, you should really only need one anyhow, but out hiking if I'm packin my little 92 in 44-40 I seem to load 6-11 rounds in that little gun.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:12 pm

I do load my little 32-20 up a little because it is more of a plinker. My motivation is some fun discussion about levers and other folks preferences. I originally figured folks were usually loading the tube full, responses would suggest otherwise.

One nice thing about a traditional lever most of them reload rather quick.

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:22 pm

Full mag, one in the chamber, on any levergun I take out on an excursion.
From .22 to .45-70.
Denis

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:59 pm

FWiedner wrote:One in the pipe, two in the tube. No matter what rifle I carry.

No particular reason, just my preference.

Haven't yet needed more than one.

Same here

K1500 · Post by **K1500** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:54 pm

Full + 1. Why carry the empty tube around?

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:10 pm

Mine are usually full, with the chamber empty unless I plan on shooting right away, or have a small game load in the chamber ready. Most of mine have been loaded for as long as I've owned them. I dont think loading them up or leaving them loaded hurts the spring. Some have been loaded for 25 or more years that I've owned them, only had one magazine spring get weak, it was a Browning 92, and it's one of the guns thats used and left loaded least. I noticed the spring only came out a half inch once when I took it apart. I stretched it and put it back together, and its probably been left loaded ever since. It still works ok, but the spring is probably still funky. I was going to put a new spring in it, but haven't so far.

I dont know if having the magazine loaded changes the accuracy, I've usually shot them from a full magazine, so dont have anything to compare with.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:15 pm

Besides being fully loaded is more fun.

Birdman · Post by **Birdman** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:17 pm

I load mine full with one in the chamber. Always have.No reason, just because. Now I'll have to try have to see if the balance is any better with 4-5.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:18 pm

Pitchy wrote:Besides being fully loaded is more fun.

Dang right there Chief!

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:33 pm

Full.

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:43 pm

Do you carry your handguns half loaded in the bush?

Denis

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:50 pm

A rifle or a pistol with a single round in the chamber is fully loaded.

Ironwood · Post by **Ironwood** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:00 pm

For the 94M .44 Magnum if just poking around in the woods it's one in the chamber and two in the tube. When I was purposefully going for deer or hogs it was one in the chamber and 3 in the tube. If I'm just taking photos it's 3 in the tube.

Now my other 30-30 it's one in the chamber and 4 in the clip.

My .44 revolver it's 5 loaded and the hammer on an MT.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:31 pm

If you carry a double barrel do you just load one barrel? I have always carried any gun fully loaded. I reckon the Winchester folks made them that way so why not?

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:36 pm

Guide gun I do as Piller. One in chamber, three in tube.

On something like my Model 39 Centenial (heck, I use it more that the GS) I'll load the tube full. The Model 336, one in the chamber and three in the tube, same as the GS.

On the rare times I've been in big bear county, the GS tube held all four. But, let's face it. If I had a bear encounter and got to that last shot on the GS, either the bear would be eating me, or it was a long way off when I started shooting. Still...

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:38 pm

Full up.

2 "regular" hunting loads, followed by Whompumstompers. Pretty much how I load a revolver.

If 2 "regulars" don't do it, then I need the "biggest" gun I have available.

86er can attest to the problem with loading Heavies on top.... poor bunny I shot on his TX ranch sort of disintegrated....

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:40 pm

In my favorite .22 LR levergun I usually just load ten in the magazine, but carry a couple extra magazines if I'm out plinking. In my favorite centerfire levergun (.44 Mag) I usually load four in the magazine, but also carry a couple extra magazines if I'm target shooting or plinking - for hunting, I'll just put three rounds in the magazine and not carry any extras.

(Love them Ruger 96's...

)

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:42 pm

Pitchy wrote:Besides being fully loaded is more fun.

You got tht right Pitchy

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:50 pm

AJMD429 wrote:In my favorite .22 LR levergun I usually just load ten in the magazine, but carry a couple extra magazines if I'm out plinking. In my favorite centerfire levergun (.44 Mag) I usually load four in the magazine, but also carry a couple extra magazines if I'm target shooting or plinking - for hunting, I'll just put three rounds in the magazine and not carry any extras.

(Love them Ruger 96's... )

Hey now... I've got SP in one. FMJ in the second and AP in the third of my 4 Savage 99C mags... Should I put Tracers in #4?

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:27 pm

This is really quite a new concept for me.

All my shooting life I've carried everything full up (except for a Glock 17, loaded down by one).
On the job, hunting, bumming around, or wandering through bear country.

I've never assumed a partially loaded gun would get a particular job done.

Denis

ollogger · Post by **ollogger** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:33 pm

Loaded to the max

ollogger

tman · Post by **tman** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:48 pm

Full, cause there is bears where I hunt deer. The 45 ACP. is also fully loaded.

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:08 pm

If I was shooting off my doorstep the gun would likely be fully loaded. Dittos when I step away from the truck. If you don't need 'em ok, but if you do and don't have 'em...

t.r. · Post by **t.r.** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:34 pm

If its an organized drive and I'm the designated shooter on post I load up all the way. Otherwise, three in the magazine works just fine.

TR

Rifleman · Post by **Rifleman** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:03 pm

I'll sometimes scope the fields for varmints and such with my Win94. If I see something I'll load whichever cartridge I deem appropriate directly into the chamber. If I deer hunted with it, I would load the tube to whatever the max would be according to the hunting regulations.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:18 pm

DPris wrote:Do you carry your handguns half loaded in the bush?
Denis

Carry one here and go to jail and maybe lose your guns!

This has been interesting. There is no right or wrong way and at least we have the options that those clumsy bolt shooters don't. Even my short tube 444 will carry six total, I think, if I want to. I once loaded my long barrel Winoku 92 full of 32-20. I then proceeded to dance a stick floating in a slough as fast as I could. Now that was some shooting fun. It is amazing how much accurate fire a pistol cartridge lever will lay down.

I didn't consider the 22 levers, someday I hope to get one and full would be my choice. My 10-22 standard mag just doesn't hold hardly enough.

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:35 pm

Bob,
Yep, no "right" answer I guess.

The concept of a half-loaded gun is just so utterly foreign to me I'm surprised at how many people apparently do it.

From my rabbit hunting days as a teenager through deer hunting later, military time, police time, lots of general desert & mountain ATV time, and regular daily carry, it's always been a matter of loading as full as the circumstances & practicality would allow.
Thought that was the whole idea behind a repeater.

Denis

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:51 pm

Canuck Bob wrote:I didn't consider the 22 levers, someday I hope to get one and full would be my choice. My 10-22 standard mag just doesn't hold hardly enough.

The after-market magazines for Ruger 10/22's are nice in their 96/22's, and the Butler Creek (I think) ones made for the 10/22 Magnum are SWEET for the 96/22 Magnum guns or the 96/17 HMR guns.

I think the reason I often go non-full with the tube-loaders is that (except for those loading from a 'port') they are kind of a pain in the butt to load and unload (other than by firing them), vs. other action/magazine types. Just lazy I guess, plus taught from childhood 'no loaded guns in house unless they NEED to be loaded'.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:23 am

AJMD429 wrote:...plus taught from childhood 'no loaded guns in house unless they NEED to be loaded'.

Every gun not locked in a safe "needs" to be loaded. It's just a club otherwise.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:09 am

My uncles were WW2 vets. When I signed up I asked one of them for advice. After telling me what to expect from the average British officer his advice was, carry lots of ammo and water everywhere in the field. It came from some nasty experiences in Italy involving German Paratroopers.

I would not bring a half loaded gun to a gunfight. Many of you folks have served your country and communities by putting yourselves in peril. I can sure see how those experiences would impact how full your mag is!

I guess I was thinking only of a day out moose hunting. That uncle carried 10 in his LE mag. His favourite hunting statement was one shot, moose, two shots maybe moose, three shots no moose.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:59 am

Since I carry one of five long guns, and 3 of the are .30-30s, it depends on the gun, 94 Rifle, 3 or 4 in the tube, carbine & Trapper full; and depending on what I'm doin' 1 or none in the chamber. 375 Marlin, 4 in the mag & same for the chamber, Rem700, mag full, chambered & safety "on".

If I'm not hunting, then I won't have a round chambered, as I can do that quickly, as surprise or stealth ain't the goal. Ad in pre-season scouting and other work around the lease (when I used to do that... read could afford to!).

44-40 Willy · Post by **44-40 Willy** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:20 pm

Usually fill the tube as I've had occasions with packs of dogs running stock where I've needed to shoot several of them. With a 24" full length tube on a 357, that's quite a few rounds of ammo.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:27 pm

Canuck Bob wrote:My uncles were WW2 vets. When I signed up I asked one of them for advice. After telling me what to expect from the average British officer his advice was, carry lots of ammo and water everywhere in the field. It came from some nasty experiences in Italy involving German Paratroopers.

I would not bring a half loaded gun to a gunfight. Many of you folks have served your country and communities by putting yourselves in peril. I can sure see how those experiences would impact how full your mag is!

I guess I was thinking only of a day out moose hunting. That uncle carried 10 in his LE mag. His favourite hunting statement was one shot, moose, two shots maybe moose, three shots no moose.

If I were intending to particiapate in a gun-fight, I'd load up full and carry as much more as I could.

For hunting game animals I carry somewhat less, as I've yet to have a four-legged creature turn and shoot back.

Honestly, I just never saw the point in carrying more than I intend to use.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:31 pm

DPris wrote:Bob,
Yep, no "right" answer I guess.

The concept of a half-loaded gun is just so utterly foreign to me I'm surprised at how many people apparently do it.

From my rabbit hunting days as a teenager through deer hunting later, military time, police time, lots of general desert & mountain ATV time, and regular daily carry, it's always been a matter of loading as full as the circumstances & practicality would allow.
Thought that was the whole idea behind a repeater.
Denis

Amen.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:59 pm

DPris wrote:....The concept of a half-loaded gun is just so utterly foreign to me I'm surprised at how many people apparently do it.

.... it's always been a matter of loading as full as the circumstances & practicality would allow.

Thought that was the whole idea behind a repeater.
Denis

That's sort of how my mind works. Usually have about 30 rounds or so on me most of the time also. Life can have surprises for us at times, generally when we aren't expecting them.

BigSky56 · Post by **BigSky56** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:06 pm

What ever the mag holds because of predators and rustlers, for the house, walking and in the truck I load the chamber( its legal here even during hunting season in a vehicle) on the horse I leave the chamber empty in case of a horse fall. Iam with DPris never even thought of it less I was at the range and single loading, last thing I would want is to run into a trouble with a half loaded gun. Its the reason we use repeaters and not single shots or doubles. danny

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:45 pm

Just a little more of my opinion, it depends on the gun and caliber.
As i said ten rounds in a nine lb 1876 makes a ten lb gun which gets real heavy in a hurry.
Six rounds in it is still more power than a carbine in a lesser cal.
When i carry the 35 Rem Marlin i load full as with the 94-30-30 and 92.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:12 pm

Along with DPris i've never run around half loaded.

If it's a bolt or a lever, full magazine and one full reload.

If it's an AR or other detachable magazine rifle, full mag and two+ spares.

Sometimes there's more than just animals in the bush, and sometimes you run into them unexpectedly. Having enough rounds if it goes from deer hunting to World War IV would be nice.

I don't plan on bad things happening, but I've had enough experiences to plan for in case they do.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:18 pm

BigSky56 wrote:What ever the mag holds because of predators and rustlers, ... last thing I would want is to run into a trouble with a half loaded gun. Its the reason we use repeaters and not single shots or doubles. danny

I read some of Charlie Rusells stories when I was young. It made an impression on me, particularly one tale, "A Savage Santa Claus" (and I know they are tales, though I'm sure many have a foundation under them). The image of fumbling for a cartridge in the dark isnt appealing.

Link to some of Rusells stories, including the one mentioned. If one isnt familiar with them, you may enjoy them. He lived in Montana from the 1880's, when he moved there on his own at 16 years old, til his death. He made some nice pictures too.

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700941h.html

Panzercat · Post by **Panzercat** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:29 pm

Now playing devils advocate, I could see not wanting the full load of ammo and having to carry the deer back to the truck. Depending on the trek, you can regret every unnesisary ounce. That said, I'd rather go in with a full pipe than not, even if I never plan on hunting 14+1 deer

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:36 pm

Well, If I wanted a singleshot, I would use one, the whole idea of a leveraction is being able to shoot often and quick if needed. And while we all want to make a clean one shot kill, during my lifetime, I have killed a good many running deer and dogs and coyotes on the 4th or 5th shot.

So, I want 4 or more rounds if the gun will hold them. On a really long barreled rifle with under mag, yeah, I might leave a couple out, to better affect balance.

BigSky56 · Post by **BigSky56** » Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:28 am

Good read Malamute, I like Russell and Will James writings with some humor from Rogers thrown in. danny