I used to live in an area where I needed not worry about my antifreeze, most winters..... Now I moved to a place where we had a blizzard at the end of May. So the question comes naturally : what can one do to avoid all the troubles winter brings. Avoid action freezing, snow getting into the rifle, trigger problems. All the advice from the more experienced sourdoughs is welcome .
"Winterizing" hunting rifles..... how do you do it?
- Thread starter eltorro
- Start date
yea i sometimes wrap my gun in some clothe and cover the end until i'm ready to shoot i usualy don't fill my mags up all the way they sometimes freeze and that just makes it harder to feed the best advice though is to keep your gun at one steady temp... and if u have to bring it in wipe it down and oil the mag
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Some good ideas.
With bringing a gun into the warm, after a few hours, wipe it again, and check it the next day as well.
I prefer to minimize the amount of lube on my gun when on a very cold hunt. Hunting with a lever gun, means that my hand over the action when carrying blocks out much of the snow and debris. (Keeps the action warm, and my hand cold)
Keep checking your scope and or sights, for snow accumulation. It becomes a habit, and a PIA. Just do it.
you can learn to walk with the scope under your arm to help when walking through snow covered trees. It isn't perfect, but it helps. Scope covers are not perfect either, but work in most instances.
With bringing a gun into the warm, after a few hours, wipe it again, and check it the next day as well.
I prefer to minimize the amount of lube on my gun when on a very cold hunt. Hunting with a lever gun, means that my hand over the action when carrying blocks out much of the snow and debris. (Keeps the action warm, and my hand cold)
Keep checking your scope and or sights, for snow accumulation. It becomes a habit, and a PIA. Just do it.
you can learn to walk with the scope under your arm to help when walking through snow covered trees. It isn't perfect, but it helps. Scope covers are not perfect either, but work in most instances.
winter
Don't use oil. I use graphite for lubrication. I also do not (try anyway) not to take the rifle from warm to cold or cold to warm IE: leave it in the trunk, put it in cloth case, what ever is reasonable. Also, where I hunt, I am usually outside for the most part of the day and not in and out of a vehicle frequently.
Don't use oil. I use graphite for lubrication. I also do not (try anyway) not to take the rifle from warm to cold or cold to warm IE: leave it in the trunk, put it in cloth case, what ever is reasonable. Also, where I hunt, I am usually outside for the most part of the day and not in and out of a vehicle frequently.
JohnC
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I use electrical or ductape on the muzzle ( actually, all the time if i'm in the bush winter or sulmmer -keeps rain and twigs out. or mud if you slip) , graphite only for lube, and scope covers. I prefer butler creek but heard the alumina ones are good. and also try to avoid temperature changes ie if hunting leave the gun outside if you can do so safely.
I've heard car wax on ther outside metal surfaces willl help prevent rust. haven't tried it bu tit seems to make sense as long as refekctions aren't an issue.
I've heard car wax on ther outside metal surfaces willl help prevent rust. haven't tried it bu tit seems to make sense as long as refekctions aren't an issue.
as above; delube, graphite (only where it's absolutely needed), bore covered, leave in the cold over night if possible, test all loads in sub-zero temps (you'll be amazed what temperature does to your trajectory and velocities). - dan
I have the balloon thinghy covered. Pun intended. I much prefer the tape, but on some rifles that is not feasible.
Some say lubricate with synthetic oil, others use graphite, others shoot their rifle dry.
I used an M1A in the snow and I couldn't help noticing that some snow got into the trigger area, through the opening behind the bolt.
What about the firing pin? do any of you lube it? or keep it bone-dry?
Some say lubricate with synthetic oil, others use graphite, others shoot their rifle dry.
I used an M1A in the snow and I couldn't help noticing that some snow got into the trigger area, through the opening behind the bolt.
What about the firing pin? do any of you lube it? or keep it bone-dry?
cold weather shooting
The old timers in the homestead days (depression era) of northern Saskatchewan, as well as the northern trappers, thoroughly cleaned the rifle action with kerosene in the fall, then never oiled it until spring. Since this was long before, "safe storage" was ever thought of, they never brought the rifle into a heated building all winter. It would hang in a porch, or some outside area out of the weather. And the magazine, at least, always had ammo in it. Doing it this way the rifle always fired when the trigger was pulled. It is comical to try and shoot a normally lubricated rifle in cold weather. At 40 below you pull the trigger, then in a second or so, hear the firing pin gently rest on the primer!
The old timers in the homestead days (depression era) of northern Saskatchewan, as well as the northern trappers, thoroughly cleaned the rifle action with kerosene in the fall, then never oiled it until spring. Since this was long before, "safe storage" was ever thought of, they never brought the rifle into a heated building all winter. It would hang in a porch, or some outside area out of the weather. And the magazine, at least, always had ammo in it. Doing it this way the rifle always fired when the trigger was pulled. It is comical to try and shoot a normally lubricated rifle in cold weather. At 40 below you pull the trigger, then in a second or so, hear the firing pin gently rest on the primer!
Cheap electrical tape is horrible in cold weather,but scotch 88 works very well.I am an electrician in Northern Alberta where we have to use tape in all temperatures,and the difference is amazing.Our company now only stocks scotch 88.
