Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Bad weather rifle care?

Got any favorite tricks for bad weather rifle care? Especially on a hunt that is longer than 1 day, involves camping/tent etc?

What do you do to keep rust at bay, keep your rifle in top shape, etc?

I carry an old t shirt with sufficient oil on it, in a gallon zip bag. Back in the day, when I camped in a tent in Alaska, if it fell below freezing I left my rifle outside leaning against a tree with a trash bag draped over it. These days I stay in a hotel or lodge. Just wipe my rifle or shotgun down at the end of the day. Works for me.

My "bad weather" rifles generally have a synthetic stock and a stainless barrel (I still own several rifles with chrome-moly barrels and wood stocks, but I tend to save them for fair weather). Nylon strap.

I put tape on the barrel's muzzle. I keep lens caps on my scope (may take them off the ocular lens and let them dangle, if sitting in the rain/snow, muzzle up, so the objective lens is still protected).

A quick wipe down of the exposed metal with a Rusteprufe Applicator Wiper at the end of the day, or whatever else I have on hand for that task. Some lens cleaner for the scope lenses if necessary.

Don't have to do it all that often, but for walnut/blued, a coat of quality wax (antique furniture) on wood and metal works well. Eletrical tape over muzzle.

I bought a stainless/synthetic Savage axis 2 so I could stop worrying about the gun and focus on seeing whatever I’m after. A quick once over wipe down after and I’m good. After having my walnut blues for decades I got so attached I felt like I was abusing my friend, hell they all had nicknames for crying out loud. I’ve got a bunch of little balloons for the muzzle. Fwiw the Savage wears a Leupold that cost more than double the rifle because it’s just bad economy to give into temptation and go cheap. My 2 cents, stay safe.

Mr. Igloo: I've hunted Alaska now 5 times: 3 on Kodiak Island and have only used 2 different wood stocked-blue steel rifles. Contrary to what you read, given proper pre-hunt prep, and in-field care, these rifles work just fine. This is the prep I do: put several coats of wood finish INSIDE the stock to prevent moisture affecting that wood IF any gets inside. Prior to putting the barrelled action back in the stock, I use RIG or Corrosion X to coat all the metal BELOW the stock line. Once the stock and metal are re-assembled, I use electrical tape all along the barrel channel, forend, and muzzle to hopefully keep all water and moisture out. On my hunt last spring, I used Johnson's Paste wax on the outside of the stock. The Kodiak hunts are 10 days long: each night before getting in the sleeping bag, I run a bore snake thru the bore and then re-tape the end of the barrel even though I haven't taken any shots.

When I come home from these hunts, I always dis-assemble to check the inside: I've never seen any indication of moisture issues. I don't doubt that stainless- synthetic is superior for nasty weather, but it is NOT necessary. Remember, wood and blued steel have worked well for many, many years even in the harshest places like Kodiak. I prefer the rifles I use in Alaska so don't want to buy replacements. Hope this helps. Good Luck.

After having my wood stocked .308 poi change 10” from getting soaked in an opening day rain, I decided that painted stainless/ synthetic was the best way to go. Condensation from bringing the rifle inside at night and freezing it the next day has saved lots of deer. It also took out the battery compartment of my winter varmint lighted reticle scope. We usually kept our rifles in the locked vehicles over night in deer camp.

You DUMB Fhuqks are a hoot! Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!...............

Windfall, I had similar with my old Model 88 Winchester. Huge point of impact difference from wet to dry seasons. By the time I had removed enough wood from the barrel channel in the stock….it looked like it was ready to lay down a sewer pipe there!

When I had what would be my “do it all” only hunting rifle built……I got it as weather proof as could be done back in the day! My only regret….if I had waited 4 years, Winchester would have their Model 70 available in SS. I would now have a SS action! memtb

Things like to rust, that’s for sure. Stainless/synthetic for sure. The steel bases, triggers, and any other steel part can pit/rust. Add saltwater/air to the mix and you can get all kinds of stuff going on.

I have started wiping down with corrosion x. See if it makes a difference. It sure helped the boat hardware.

RIG

I treat my rifles with Eezox.

Rust seems to form much more slowly at lower temps. Your biggest problem will be taking the rifle in and out of a heated environment, which is a good way to encourage ice formation in places like the bolt/firing pin/trigger. For the most part if the rifle stays cold your life will be easier.

Your normal lube/cleaning routine will probably work just fine. Just avoid putting the gun through those temp swings.

Almost all stainless barrels are 416...which has a lot of carbon in it. That's why your barrel is magnetic and doesn't handle rust as well as other stainless parts made from 300 series stainless.

Tony

Around salt water, don't reoil over the old. Use hot water to remove the salt hot enough where most will evaporate then reoil or wax.

Thanks for the perspectives, experience and tricks guys...appreciate all of it.

When I hunted in Southwest and South Central Florida for two decades I used a ruger tanger wood stock blued 30-06. Weather could be wet and humid but mostly my concern was my sweaty hands. I used a dish rag and rem oil on the rifle at the end of everyday. Never any rust or any issues with it. I was out in the woods from 3-5 day stretches.

Alabama is where I hunt now and it is wet there in the hunting season. I use synthetic and stainless or coated rifles there these days. I wipe them dry with a cloth every day and clean and wipe them with CLP.

Living and hunting on the Oregon Coast in typically bad weather with salt air and moisture always trying to wreck my gear.

After coming in from a day of hunting where my rifle got hosed. I will take my air compressor and lightly blow out the water from the barrel and action. Then run the air at a higher rate to shoot down between the barrel and the stock channel to force the water laying in the stock out. I don’t run a cleaning rod down my barrel, just air.

I also don’t hit my scope with the air. The scope just gets a light wipe down.

After that, I will take a t-shirt/rag with some CLP and give all the metal surfaces a light wipe down.

After the season. I do the same thing, except I will run a cleaning rod down the barrel. I then take the rifle into the house, with the action open, and let the rifle dry out for a couple days.

I don’t use excessive lubricants when I’m storing my firearms in the gun safes. I’ve found too much ‘gunk’ will build up after months of being in the safe.

I also remove my slings from the rifle and hit the swivels with a light coat of oil as well. Swivel metal tends to rust fast here on the Coast.

🦫

Corrosion-X.

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