Hunting the Rain- rifle choice?

WhelanLad

WhelanLad

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:bangHead:Hey fellas, middle of Summer down here an just had a 44 degree heat wave for the past week, Thankfully the heavens have opened and we are experiencing heavy rain for most of the day although set to clear this evening.
Us keen sambar hunters have got the gear ready and are in anticipation for the first chance to get out in some cool weather!

Ive had plans to take the Ruger no.1 out this week although with the rain im tossing up which rifle to take!
im hoping its not going to be raining, although the bush will be wet so the rifle is going to get wet, not sure if I am risking too much by taking the No.1 out?
Following that I have a Win 94 .375 I would happily tote, both rifles are open sight
failing all of that il proberly take the 300 wsm a bolt , its synthetic which makes sense if its drizzling.

Whats your thoughts on taking out a nice favourite rifle.... in ####ty conditions! although that is hunting and it is a hunting rifle at the end of the day..


hmmm
:confused:
WL
 
I had a terrible experience with road salt on a Marlin lever gun years ago and in this part of the country rust is a constant battle even with cleaning and oiling.

A couple years ago I picked up a Ruger m77 all weather, stainless/synthetic. I don't even flinch to take it out in poor weather, it loves it!

Even bunny hunting I will bring different shotguns based on the weather, wet heavy snow I have a camo finish mossberg i use. In good weather the Beretta comes out.


I suppose I am trying to say even though they are hunting firearms, I still want them to look and function as new for as long as possible so I do pick and choose which one to use based on the weather.
 
WhelanLad said:
:bangHead:Hey fellas, middle of Summer down here an just had a 44 degree heat wave for the past week,
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hey, do you have to rub it in for us Canucks? Currently it is -19C (-29C with windchill factor) around Toronto.
I can't go ahead and recommend what you want to take into the bush. I hunted in rain, and knowing that it was going to rain, i just applied more oil all over the metal parts before leaving the shack, and then gave it a good cleaning and oiling afterwards and had no problems with rust. But for hunting in general I do prefer stainless guns. less to worry about when it rains.
 
Jabol said:
hey, do you have to rub it in for us Canucks? Currently it is -19C (-29C with windchill factor) around Toronto.
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Sorry mate didn't mean to rub it in, just dreading the heat!

yeah im guna have to wait until last minute an pick a rifle to go with, normally don't mind usin the hawkeye in the rain, woodstocked but not much of a special rifle..

if anything happens il throw up some photos.

cheers
wl
 
I use the same gun for all conditions,,commercial M98 and dry it off and oil it after,,,however my hunting partner sold his Ruger # 1 338 Win.Mag, beautiful wood and gun, because he couldn't stand seeing it lying in the bottom of the canoe soaked in water ,,,everyone is different

BTW, lets trade some weather, you send us some +44 and we'll gladly send some -35 your way....deal?
 
liberty said:
I use the same gun for all conditions,,commercial M98 and dry it off and oil it after,,,however my hunting partner sold his Ruger # 1 338 Win.Mag, beautiful wood and gun, because he couldn't stand seeing it lying in the bottom of the canoe soaked in water ,,,everyone is different

BTW, lets trade some weather, you send us some +44 and we'll gladly send some -35 your way....deal?
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Yeah I see his point for sure, I ended up taking the Abolt over the Ruger1 today, luckily so as we hunted in an hour of pouring rain... it cleared up afterward but the deer weren't moving.

I would rather sit around a fire rugged up than layin on the couch in nuttin suckin up the air con!! :)

WL
 
Right now we're -25 and our breeze is expected to pick up to 110, its only 90 something at the moment, but I wouldn't trade this for 44 degrees, I don't do well in the heat.

I've got an Australian hunting mag at home that has a story on a fellow hunting sambar with a .458! That being the case I am completely unqualified to make a cartridge recommendation on your deer.
 
5 degrees Celsius and sunny here in Vancouver, but this coast can get pretty wet in the fall and during the spring bear season too..

I only have one rifle with a synthetic stock , all the rest are wood and they are all blue steel.

I have my wood stocks well oil soaked and rubbed with the barrel channels varnished and I dose up all the metal with Fluid Film if it is going to be a wet rainy or wet snow hunt.
 
They arent made of sugar,
I hunt here in Rupert on the coast in the rainforest with blued steel and walnut most times, I dont worry about it and took a full stock cz 550 goat hunting a couple years ago and it rained on and off for 3 days. Besides falling on it and dropping it a half dozen times its no worse for wear.( I did cut the stock down and make a carbine out of it afterwards) Same as all them steel and wood enfields, mausers and garands that somehow made it through and are still giving us enjoyment today.
If its a day hunt dont worry, If your gonna be spending two weeks in the rainforest take a stainless synthetic rifle. Ive got a nice model 70 extreme weather for just those types of hunts.
 
I've had a 30-06 Stainless with synthetic stock for about 15 years now. The outside of the barrel has never seen oil! I was on a sheep hunt last August and we got soaked to the bone one day and when we got back to the tent I just put the rifle inside the tent with '3 in the bottom' as my guide would say. The rifle was drenched of course and it is now Jan 2014 and I still haven't even wiped it off. If I got mud on it I suppose I would have to wash it off. It SS for me all the way. No more seeing a coat of rust after forgetting to oil a blued rifle.
 
Boomer said:
I've got an Australian hunting mag at home that has a story on a fellow hunting sambar with a .458! That being the case I am completely unqualified to make a cartridge recommendation on your deer.
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HAHA
Yes, some guys get a bit carried away...... the big roumer down these parts are the deer wear Kevlar??

quoted Bwana dave:
"If its a day hunt dont worry, If your gonna be spending two weeks in the rainforest take a stainless synthetic rifle. "

Very true mate an good call. im not a fan of Stainless barrels although blued is much the same, both require a slight wipe afterwards..

Pretty fair call regarding the Enfields an such..... still doin their job.

the weathers gone now an back up to high 30s, am heading out in the morning with a few blokes so dry weather means Ruger1 !

WL
 
One thing I do when it's wet out is to put a strip of electrical tape over the muzzle. Keeps the water out, and doesn't affect accuracy. Another tip I've read, though I haven't had a chance to try it myself, is to coat the metal in a paste floor wax. Generally I just put the rifle in a corner to dry and wipe it down with an oily rag at the end of the day. One troublesome spot I've found is water seeping between the fore end wood and the barrel, leaving stains and rust spots underneath.
 
Yep they think the Stainless means No Fs givin LOL my mates Abolt is orange....... an pitted... yuck! that's from a humid tropical conditions in a gun bag though!

Heres what today bought to the Table, I took the #1 out with fine conditions an rolled this one at 30m with a 180gr corelokt to the neck.. absolutely wrapped about blooding the No.1 .303!


IMG_0380fallow303.jpg~original
 
I'm not a big fan of wood/laminate stocks in the rain seen a few of them split hours after being out of the rain. That being said I've seen a few synthetics surface rust within hours as well. My Savage has been through about 2 days of rain straight and no issues with it. I always put a small piece of electrical tape around the end of the barrel as to at least prevent water down the barrel.
 
a few good coatings of paste wax will protect the woods as well as the metals. Many of mine have experienced the "wet"...and a drying cloth at home does the trick. no rust at all.
 
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