gun safety in boats and blinds your help is needed

anthony m coons sr

Well-known member
I have always tried to be safe when I am hunting. Over the years I have used many different products to keep my gun secure in the blind or boat. I been thinking about using these new gun magnets. I seen them on a few different site. I was wondering if any of you seasoned vets have ever used them. I use a ten gauge so I have a few worries. Is the magnet strong enough to hold my gun? Is it going to hold it in place in ruff water? Will it damage the pattern on the gun paint etc. damage? I been using rubber barrel holders for years they work great. But ! they ware easy, and you have to keep replacing them. I hunt with three or four guys in my boat sometimes . I just want everyone to have fun and come home safe. Thanks
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Maybe I am old school and over cautious, but if the gun is not in my hand and under my control, there is no round in the chamber, and I usually will complete unload the magazine too if I am going to set the gun down. Especially with a several hunters and a dog or two in a small boat, there is a lot that can go wrong with a gun that does not have the muzzle under 100% control of the owner. Any gun magnet or holder may fail for a variety of the reasons.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Maybe I am old school and over cautious, but if the gun is not in my hand and under my control, there is no round in the chamber, and I usually will complete unload the magazine too if I am going to set the gun down. Especially with a several hunters and a dog or two in a small boat, there is a lot that can go wrong with a gun that does not have the muzzle under 100% control of the owner. Any gun magnet or holder may fail for a variety of the reasons.

agreed - i have seen guns in holders fall with what seem to be little reason - they were empty so the concern was just damage to the finish, not a hole in the boat - or worse yet a dog or hunting partner - if the boat is moving (excepting the front guy when float hunting) the gun should be in a slip case.
 
Jeff

I'm talking about when we are hunting out of boat or blind. Not motoring , I always secure my weapon when I'm moving. I would never let anyone in my boat until their shotgun was safe. But the rivers, lakes, ocean gets ruff sometimes. I'm as safe as you can get in a boat with guns trust me. Thanks for your reply.
 
Rick

Your so right about having your gun under control, But when I'm duck hunting I don't hold my gun ever second. I secure it in a gun holder in front of me some times. Only when I'm hunting , not moving. I have been around for a long time seen just about everything in a boat. Stopped hunting with a few good friends because they were very unsafe with their shot gun. Almost got shot one time from a person who dropped their gun. So I know what your all saying and do agree.
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Gun safety is a great discussion at anytime. Habit is I always hold my gun in the boat and most of the time in the blind if there are no barrel stops when loaded and I'm constantly checking the safety. Like you I stopped hunting with a long time friend. We were pheasant hunting and he tripped in the bog and his gun went off. I asked him about the safety. His reply was you can't shoot pheasants if the safety's on. Never hunted with him again. He got po'd and we never spoke again either! Once took an employer duck hunting and he shows up with a flask of adult beverage. 10:00am and I unloaded my gun and started picking up decoys. He asked what's going on. I told him I assumed the day was over because I don't mix guns and booze. He got all kinds of pissed off and I thought I'd loose my job. Although we were never quit chummy after that he didn't fire me. Dad was proud though!
 
anthony m coons sr said:
Rick

Your so right about having your gun under control, But when I'm duck hunting I don't hold my gun ever second. I secure it in a gun holder in front of me some times. Only when I'm hunting , not moving. I have been around for a long time seen just about everything in a boat. Stopped hunting with a few good friends because they were very unsafe with their shot gun. Almost got shot one time from a person who dropped their gun. So I know what your all saying and do agree.

Makes sense - some days the only exercise i get is jumping to conclusions

but i do hold it if its loaded (but i shoot side by sides - unload/reload is a split second process)- with two dogs in the boat i just feel better

I have a corner in the boat blind where i can lean an empty gun - when working the dog for example or taking pictures - i still worry about it getting bumped over and damaged-

we are making some modifications to the set up this year - so i am going to build a gun holder - with a deep pocket for the stock and a recessed area with an elastic cord to secure the barrels - just figuring out the attachments
 
Rick

There are lots of gun holders on the markets today. I have been looking into magnets with a butt stock holder. Top and bottom of the shot gun is secure. I have gun racks in my boat. But really never use them for guns mostly push poles. Being safe and staying in on piece. Is much better then the number of birds in the boat. Thanks for your post. Be safe so your family can always be happy when you come home.
 
For me, if there is a round in the chamber, the muzzle is under my control. Any gun holder may fail, and so may the safety. Dogs get antsy, hunting partners get leg cramps and fall down when they try to stand up, shot geese fall into the blind and knock things around. I'm not questioning what anyone else chooses to do--unless they are in the blind or boat with me.
 
Jeff

Thanks for your reply, Your way is sure the safest. People that thought they had a empty guns have killed people or did some major damaged. My friend had a new shot gun and his friend wanted to see it. So he pumped out the shells. Then hand it to his friend. His friend started to pull the gun up like he was hunting and pulled the trigger. Guess what! gun went off and put a nice hole in my friends house. Could of been my friend . So your so wright. Things happen even when you think they can't.
 
In my blind we have six cut outs for gun barrels. Three shooters are usual, but a few times four. As for dogs, they have to be controlled or no go. A friend hand a rope tied to the seat for his dog. Says she's a little hyper?
Safety does not go off till gun in pointed out of the blind. NEVER had a mishap. No alcohol in the blind anytime... Clean up your casing and food wrappers, we have a bucket with garbage bags to take home...
 
Do not know how big your boat is but in my past when I my "BG" (Black lab, female) was living I would always hold my shotgun every minute with barrel sticking out of the blind or BBSB. I shot many of times my SP10 out of my BBSB and my 18 foot Roughneck All weld with scissor blind. If I ever got out of the boat I ejected all rounds and stuck a spent hull into the chamber and let it close before getting out of the boat. In route of course all shells ejected and chamber left open. When I shot my over and under I would keep the action open and would lock and mount the gun before shooting out of both boats.

Now my hunting partner in his tender/boat has a gun rack mounted behind the seat of his center console with bungee cords. Once your gun goes into the rack it is unloaded well before you transfer from the layout boat to his tender/boat. Chambers are left open when in rack for safety or at least that was always the goal. Likewise you never load your gun until your are laying down in the layout. We had a rule which all neophytes to layout hunting were told that if the tender must pick-up a bird you always point your gun to the sky no-matter if the boat is in front or behind you.
 
Capt

All great points! I follow them all. Before my last dog pasted. He would always stayed on the front of the boat when hunting. My boat hunts five, But I keep it to three, Safer that way. Thanks Capt for the post.
 
Ed

It broke my heart not to hunt with my friend anymore. But I said to myself: better to have lost a friend then a limb. Simple as that, You make many good points. Thanks for your post.
 
Kristan

Your right on point with what you do. I feel we all have different ways. As long as we are all safe and all come home in one piece. We are all right in how we handle gun safety. In my job of over twenty some years before I retired. I had to go through weapons training a few times a year. So your way might be different then mine. But your doing all the right things. Thanks for your post.
 
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