De-cocking my Ruger

[ElmerFudd]

Hello all….I have a Ruger Air Magnum in .22 calibre.
My question is about de-cocking it. I heard that keeping the spring compressed isn’t good for the rifle. However, there are times  when my hunting target has disappeared and I need to de-cock. I’d rather not merely discharge the pellet into the air - but when I follow the standard de-cocking procedure, the safety automatically engages and it can’t be released with the barrel in the broken position. Is there something else I can do, or must I fire the rifle and scare away any potential targets nearby?
Appreciate any advice.

[Roadworthy]

Leaving the rifle cocked for the duration of your hunt should have no adverse influence on it.  I wouldn't leave it cocked for months on end but over the course of a day there should be no problem. 

[Ronno6]

Check out this topic:   https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=207799.0;topicseen

Test results (on this rifle anyway,) tend to debunk the old theory.......
Anyway, de-cocking it would probably involve temporarily removing the anti-beartrap linkage, then reinstalling into the stock, as holding the
mechanism outside the stock may prove to be more than one can handle safely.....

Of course, you could push the pellet out the breech with a cleaning rod and fire a cleaning pellet thru the bore.... kinda kill 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak..........

[Novagun]

Don't worry about it  just kaeep in mind the golden rule of keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction all the time . Stash the rifle safely while you climb a fence  . Beware of electric fences. Use your safety catch but don't rely on it.

[lefteyeshot]

It's that last inch or two that sets the safety. With your trigger finger on the trigger and thumb on the safety, let the barrel go forward and inch or two and you can then push the safety off and pull the trigger and slowly let the barrel go forward.

Leaving the gun cock all day while hunting isn't going to hurt it. That problem is a little overstated. I left a pawn shop Tech Force 89 cocked in a closet for four months on purpose to see if that would "de-tune" it a little. It didn't lose one fps and still kicked like a mule.