How much care do you take when handling your rifle?

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Roddy

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I don't mean safety wise. I am wondering how much day to day abuse can some of these rifle systems take before they lose zero.

Do you transport them a hard or soft case or just throw them on the back seat? Do you pick rifles up by the scope or barrel? Do you store it in a particular way? I am wondering if people baby their precision rifles because they are expensive or just toss them around because they are built solid.

What would the weakest part of the system be? I would imagine it would be different for rifles used by the military versus what are strictly target rifles.

Just something I have always been curious about. I see so much about topics like barrel break in and bedding but I have not read much about this.
 
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My precision rifles are tools for the most part, I don't beat on them pre say and I transport them in good cases but if they get banged up a bit in a match or something I won't cry over it either. I've never had one of my good scopes lose zero no matter how much abuse it gets.
 
I have rifles that I treat like a sand sculpture, and some that I don't mind banging around...I have a few good scopes that really dont lose zero, and some cheap ones that do if banged around. For the range I shoot mostly restricteds, and I wouldnt get the opportunity to throw them in the back of the truck anyways (as much as I wish I could). Funny though, most of my restricteds are military grade rifles or pistols. Those are the ones that could take the most abuse.
 
I try and take good care of my rifles/scopes and see no need to abuse them unnecessarily. They will get bumped around on occasion but that is more accidental then intentional.
 
Fixed that typo in the title. Sorry. Thanks for the responses.

Is the general consensus that the scope/mount is the weakest part of the system? I have used my scope as a carrying handle in an awkward position but I don't know how good an idea it is.

I don't go out if my way to abuse my rifles either I'm just wondering how much they could take.
 
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Roddy said:
Fixed that typo in the title. Sorry. Thanks for the responses.

Is the general consensus that the scope/mount is the weakest part of the system? I have used my scope as a carrying handle in an awkward position but I don't know how good an idea it is.

I don't go out if my way to abuse my rifles either I'm just wondering how much they could take.
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I wouldn't make it a habit. After all in some cases there are only 4 (or3) small screws holding the bases (and rings and scope) to a rifle weighing 10lbs loaded and with a bipod.

rifles are like any mechanical item ... some can take extraordinary abuse without failing ... some only take a small impact to cause a fubar....hit your steel tire rim with ball pein hammer and probably you will be fine ... do the same to your distributer and you may not be going any where.
 
Roddy said:
I don't mean safety wise. I am wondering how much day to day abuse can some of these rifle systems take before they lose zero.

Do you transport them a hard or soft case or just throw them on the back seat? Do you pick rifles up by the scope or barrel? Do you store it in a particular way? I am wondering if people baby their precision rifles because they are expensive or just toss them around because they are built solid.

What would the weakest part of the system be? I would imagine it would be different for rifles used by the military versus what are strictly target rifles.

Just something I have always been curious about. I see so much about topics like barrel break in and bedding but I have not read much about this.
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Don't you run an Accuracy International AE? Slap her around a little, she's into it.

My AW has fallen over on me before, no concerns whatsoever since it was built to shrug off a beating. If that happened to a target rifle I would feel differently and question it's zero after a spill.
 
AP how about with an 18 pound rifle? haha

J996 said:
Don't you run an Accuracy International AE? Slap her around a little, she's into it.

My AW has fallen over on me before, no concerns whatsoever since it was built to shrug off a beating. If that happened to a target rifle I would feel differently and question it's zero after a spill.
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Yes I run an AE. Like I said I was just curious. The most fragile part of my rifle is the scope caps. Or right now just scope cap as one broke.

One of the reasons I was asking is was thinking of getting a Pelican case for it and wasn't sure if I would ever need me protection than a regular $40 case. It would look cooler though and that's pretty important.
 
Roddy said:
AP how about with an 18 pound rifle? haha



Yes I run an AE. Like I said I was just curious. The most fragile part of my rifle is the scope caps. Or right now just scope cap as one broke.

One of the reasons I was asking is was thinking of getting a Pelican case for it and wasn't sure if I would ever need me protection than a regular $40 case. It would look cooler though and that's pretty important.
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The advantage of the pelican (or Hardigg) is it is very tough and airtight. I use them for travel and long term storage. For going to a match or practice I just use a drag bag.
 
My way of looking at it is that I don't want to have a rifle that I am afraid to use. If picking it up by the scope hurts it then I couldn't trust it if the rifle got bumped around or fell over let alone ramming it into a barricade.

Those small screws holding the base on should each have the tensile strength to lift more than your rifle weight. Even a grade 2 (lowest grade) #6-32 bolt has a clamp load of 374 lbs. I would be much more concerned about shock loading (recoil or dropping) than picking it up. Realistically I believe most scope base failure would be from over tightening with a few manufacturing flaws thrown in there.

I don't suspect that hard vs soft case should matter when transporting your gun around unless there is an extreme circumstance like a car crash. They are pretty tough (especially your AI) .

The most fragile part (after plastic lens caps) would have to be the glass in your scope. Still pretty hard to break unless it takes a direct hit.
 
J996 said:
The advantage of the pelican (or Hardigg) is it is very tough and airtight. I use them for travel and long term storage. For going to a match or practice I just use a drag bag.
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Yes this. If you fly, pelican or similar is a necessity. Baggage handlers often toss your rifle 20 feet or may fall 30 feet of the conveyor. Also airtight is good on the scope seals when changing 35000 ft altitude.

For range trips in the car, pelican would probably save the rifle in most accidents. But for those of us who don't head on collision often, a soft case is more than adequate.
 
Thank you for all the feedback to my pretty boring question.

I have other dumb/pointless questions that I try not to ask all at once so I don't jam up the forum. Like do you think it's a good idea to put powdered chalk or ask on your backstop to more easily spot misses?
 
curseyou said:
Yes this. If you fly, pelican or similar is a necessity. Baggage handlers often toss your rifle 20 feet or may fall 30 feet of the conveyor. Also airtight is good on the scope seals when changing 35000 ft altitude.

For range trips in the car, pelican would probably save the rifle in most accidents. But for those of us who don't head on collision often, a soft case is more than adequate.
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Pelican and Hardigg Storm cases have a purge valve to equalize air pressure...so they are designed not to be 'airtight'
 
Unless you're flying really old aircraft, most modern cargo holds are pressurized so rarely would you find more than 8,000' pressure change.

I usually treat my rifles well enough my grandchildren will be proud to use them. I can't ever recall picking one up by the scope.
 
Maybe it is a generational thing but why someone would handle a rifle, scope, tool, ski equipment or vehicles with anything less than all the care possible under the circumstances is beyond me. My truck, quad and lots of other gear see hard use but I don't go out and unnecessarily kick things around just because I know I can so why would I pick up a rifle by the scope just because. I was taught to treat things I own, borrow or simply use with respect and I guess many others on here were likewise educated whereas some... well, maybe not so much.
 
Well I am not advocating abusing your firearms I am just curious what they can take. There are torture tests for handguns where they are dragged through the mud and dropped into concrete. I wouldn't do that with my handguns but it's nice to know they can take it.

Not everyone is so careful.

IMG-20170217-085319-148259.JPG


That's an M4 used for USAF weapons qualification.
 
My scope doubles as lifting handle. I don't carry it by the scope but I certainly pick it up by the scope on the regular. My rifles generally ride in an eberlestock bag to and from the range/ hunting in the box of a pick up truck, I have a few reasons for this.
Mainly if my rifle can't handle the most basic transportation/ handling needs there is a problem with the system, I want this problem to show up on the range, not in the field while hunting. If I have to re zero my scope frequently there is something wrong somewhere, missing a target doesn't matter. I want any weak links to show themselves so I can fix them, before I trip over a log or something and bin it while hunting, or smack my scope into a barricade.
The other reason my rifles stay in the box of a truck while hunting, especially in colder is weather is so that it gets frozen and stays that way through out the day. Letting it warm up and covered in condensation than taking it back out to freeze is a pain in the butt, not uncommon to have a long harris bipod freeze up after this, or when it's really cold frost will build up on the optics lenses. Just leave it frozen outside for the day and save myself the headache.
 
I suppose, given enough time and ammo... my rifle might eventually look like this USAF M4... but I doubt it.

Yes, they get used (rain or shine).
Yes, they've been picked up by the scope or barrel.

But no, I will not treat like an old army issued FN and use it as a step-ladder or to kick-in doors (unless I have to :rolleyes:)
 
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