Using a 'nice' rifle in adverse conditions

Rod said:
No problem -- I use my nice rifles, you just form good habits. One thing I do is use birchwood casey stock wax on the metal before the hunt and wipe them down with a cotton rag with rem oil and a quick swab up the barrel,at the end of each day.

If its snowing or raining and your carrying your rifle with the shoulder sling; either carry it muzzle down or have saran wrap over the muzzle with an elastic band or twist tie. I've even used a piece of plastic bag tied with string to keep snow from getting in the muzzle. The best I've used is the fingers from latex gloves, to pull over the muzzle.
Click to expand...
A condom works well too. And after your done with it you can make balloon animals with them back at the camp. Makes for great fun around the campfire. :)
 
I just purchased a spray can of Gun-Dri made by Gunslick. It is meant for exactly your purpose. Don't know how well it works just yet, we'll find out.
 
You could always solve this problem easily buy purchasing a cheap Stevens as a beater in the same cal.
I personally don't like a ding in my stock even if it does tell a story.
 
I never intend to sell my .375, so wear is not a great concern to me, and I admire the rifle for what it does, not how it looks. I had the rifle built taking into account the conditions it would face in the Hudson Bay lowlands. The color has worn off one side of the McMillan stock where it rides on my back, and the checkering is not as sharp as it was a couple of years ago. Although it is never abused, the rifle gets babied at home, not in the field.

A true blessing is that I can take off the scope and/or the ghost ring, pull the action out of the stock, wipe everything dry, put it back together, and the rifle shoots to point of aim with no change of zero. That is a real confidence builder. I've got better than $4K into this rifle, and I wouldn't for a minute consider risk packing an inexpensive rifle just to keep this one looking good. A piece of electrical tape across the muzzle keeps snow out of the barrel, it gets cleaned every 50 rounds, or whenever it is out in wet conditions. If it is going to be out in the cold for an extended period of time, I try not to bring it into the warm at the end of the day, but there are exceptions.
 
G96 and BreakFree are excellent for protecting metal but aren't good for wood. Petroleum based oil will cause the wood to become oil soaked and rotten. To protect wood I use a good protective wax usually a carnuba wax.

With oil, less is more. Light coating on metal parts. No need to drench the metal.

What I like about blued steel and wood is that while it is not as durable as stainless and synthetic it is easier to refinish bringing the gun back to its original appearance.
 
just look after them i figure if i spend upwards of 1000 bucks on just the rifle it is one i want to use as often as i can otherwise whats the point, if you want a bangup gun to let friends use or for just fun get a savage or a marlin
 
jcbruno said:
just look after them i figure if i spend upwards of 1000 bucks on just the rifle it is one i want to use as often as i can otherwise whats the point, if you want a bangup gun to let friends use or for just fun get a savage or a marlin
Click to expand...

yea, but no matter what you do, unless you leave it hanging on the wall, stuff happens- even to those really fancy ones - one thing i can't stand on my bar is that hi-gloss finish on the stock- it says "take care of me no matter what- well it's got a 1 inch scratch just below the comb - and it's going to take a real woodworker to get that out- hence, it wears a gun sock
 
I have put some pretty serious gouges in my kimbers and and as well in a supergrade M70. The worst was when I put the SG into a damp case for the pack out of camp in a storma nd by the time I got home I had a rustencrusted rifle. At least now I am not afraid to take it anywhere and A rifle is not much use id you cannot use it.
 
I got caught in the rain a few times in Africa with my Ruger M77 RSM. Once was a no-#### downpour that caught back40sniper and I in the back of the truck with our rifles. I took it in afterwards, dried it and oiled it up. No problems. If you're concerned with moisture on the underside of the barrel where you can't get at it, pull it out of the wood and coat the hidden metal with automotive paste wax and the rest you can lightly G96 or gun oil. If you get caught out in the wet, dry the rifle and re-oil (the wax will keep the hidden metal protected).

Here's us in the downpour. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't take a nice rifle out in bad weather!
Picture349.jpg
 
Seal the inside of the stock, oil the metal and tape the muzzle. Go hunting. Clean and oil the metal every night, even in spike camps I take a small container of breakfree or whatever and wipe them down if they need it. Synthetics make so much more sence ( no warping ) but there's nothing like wood. No sence have nice ones if you can only look at them.
 
Has anyone tried the VCI emitters? They are a little plastic puck that you throw into your rifle case. They emit an anti-rust oil/vapor. We use them instead of desicant when we ship large valves and such that will be stored for a while. I have one inside my gun vault, and it seems to keep fingerprints from developing into permanent blemishes.
http://www.vci2000.com/VCI_Products/Emitters/emitters.html
 
:D
t-star said:
yea, but no matter what you do, unless you leave it hanging on the wall, stuff happens- even to those really fancy ones - one thing i can't stand on my bar is that hi-gloss finish on the stock- it says "take care of me no matter what- well it's got a 1 inch scratch just below the comb - and it's going to take a real woodworker to get that out- hence, it wears a gun sock
Click to expand...
true but i dont mind a small nick or two because i put them on there from say that6 kudu hunt in southafrica thus bringing back a fond memory:D
 
Use your nice guns for hunting - after all what are you saving them for. I have a few dings but I don't mind. I have some good memories with my Tikka and Rem and in the end that's what really counts not some safe queen that's never seen bush. IMHO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom