Does anyone know how to get out of the ready to fight position? I feel odd walking around and talking to people with my rifle pointed in their faces.

For the PC version, the default is to press and hold the 'R' key

press r and hold it ...becouse sometimes when if your ammo is not full it just reloads... push r again and that should do it

Use the quick keys 1-8 to put your weapons in then press which ever # 1-8 the weapon your holding is in and when your character is in fighting
stance with no weapon then press R and he/she will relax into the calm standing position. When your ready to fight again press R again then press
the 1-8 key holding the weapon you want to use and your ready for action again.

Or, for those of us who, you know, aren't playing the PC version:

Just press and hold the reload button.

this is FO3 right? In FO1/2 Is there a way to do this w/o using the inventory/have no weapon in your second weapon slot and switching?