keeping rain off your hunting gun

[SWO Daddy]

In my case, AR, and a muzzle loader (rifle). Had rain get on the AR yesterday, down inside around the barrel and I don't know how to get the shroud thing off to clean and oil. If things keep up, I will be out every non snowy/sleeting day of late ML too, and need to keep the top covered.

You could always just do a mag dump at the end of the day.

 

[BUFF7MM]

I thought that was windex ?

He told me WD-40, I've yet to try it.

 

[Derwood]

Ballistol is a great product for this. It was developed by the German army in the early 1900s as a single product to protect blued guns from the elements. It's the original CLP. Best part is it won't harm wood stocks.

I just give my gun a good coating with that stuff before going out and I put a small piece of electrical tape over the barrel.

For duck hunting in snowy/sleet, etc. when my gun is going to be exposed to the rain all day, I coat my shotgun with gun wax. I know some people think that's a terrible idea, but it makes the water just bead right off the gun. Ballistol/solvents will disolve the wax when you go to clean it later. I had always heard wax was a bad move but two years ago I hunted with a guy who is REALLY into high-end, classic Charles Daly shotguns. He had this side-by-side that was made in the 1880s with intricate hand engraving all over it. What a beauty. I asked him if he was concerned about the rain we were experiencing and he said he coated the entire thing in wax that morning. This guy was on the US Navy skeet shooting team, so I figured he knew what he was talking about.

 

[kalister1]

You can re-use old condoms, Just shake the F#@K out of it.

 

[NormH3]

Ok..I can't help myself.

Don't hunt in the rain.

 

[frdfandc]

Works for you I guess. I dont have any old unused ones.

You just turn it inside out.

 

[fabsroman]

This thread is incredible.

First off, the first mention of condoms was old UNused condoms. Not old used condoms. So, no need to shake anything off, turn them inside out, etc. Condoms do have an expiration date.

My lord, what guns are you guys buying that they melt in the rain. I was out hunting the morning and afternoon on last Wednesday for geese. It was pouring rain, then pouring snow. The gun got soaked and the barrel was pointed straight up the entire time. Brought it home in the morning, took it apart, wiped it down with a towel, let it sit in pieces on the counter. Then, when it was time to hunt in the afternoon, I put it back together, went back out in the rain and snow, and then wiped it down again with a towel when I got home that night. No special towel, just a bath towel. Of course, this was a Benelli. Been doing it this way for 17 years with this gun and the gun still works.

OP - the best thing possible has already been mentioned several times. Figure out how to take that handguard off. As has already been mentioned, if you lack the strength to pull the collar down with your bare hand, then buy and use the tool.

If I am buying a gun to use, versus a museum piece, then it had better be able to take a lot of rain and punishment without much of an issue. A simple wiping down of the firearm has to be enough for me. I cannot own any primadonna firearms, unless they are going to be safe queens or mantle pieces, and I don't have any of those yet.

 

[foxtrapper]

LOL my concern is it's an AR, if an AK I'd have no concerns PERIOD LMAO...

I'm not worried about the barrel and rain getting down it, I can hold the dang gun with it pointed slightly downward. I'm not worried about the lower, the bolt, the mag ( mag is plastic magpul anyway...), just the openings on top for ventilation and water getting down onto the barrel inside.

My muzzleloader is a Black Diamond with the in-line bolt whatever-its-called on the top behind the barrel where water can easily get on the primer. I can hold the barrel down on that too, though dampening of powder from damp air could concern me. I use triple seven pellets. I used to hunt in a blind with a hill backstop behind the brush the deer hung out in. I don't have a tree stand umbrella LOL.

 

[outrider58]

Get yourself some spray gunnoil, and apply the lube generously

The internals and your scope are what really matter.

For the muzzle loader, use a bit of tape on the end of the barrel to steer rain away from down the barrel when shoulder carying.

I just cut the fingers off surgical gloves, roll'm up like a 'jimmy' and employ them as needed. as for the scope/receiver section, just drape something over it and keep it level(so water doesn't run into it).

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Big Mama sausage wrappers make great muzzle protectors.

Shoot through too.

Rinse the salt and vinegar out first.

 

[6Den]

I'm only concerned with rain when muzzleloading. I carry small balloons to go over the muzzle since they seal better than condoms (used or unused). I have a Velcro strap to go around the breech area to keep caps/primers dry.

 

[outrider58]

Big Mama sausage wrappers make great muzzle protectors.

Shoot through too.

Rinse the salt and vinegar out first.

That's definitely a local thing.

 

[fabsroman]

I'm only concerned with rain when muzzleloading. I carry small balloons to go over the muzzle since they seal better than condoms (used or unused). I have a Velcro strap to go around the breech area to keep caps/primers dry.

Maybe she is shooting an AR muzzleloader. lol

OP - I know that isn't the case, but just thought I'd make a joke.

OP - what is the worry about using an AR in the rain, whereas you wouldn't be worried about using an AK in the rain? Is your issue with rust, with cycling, with water retention, with floatability?

 

[foxtrapper]

Oh cmon, everyone know AK's still fire when half rusted and just pulled form a mud puddle LOL!

I'm only worried about water getting down through the vents on top and getting on the barrel. If I can't get in there to wipe the water away, rust could be an issue.

 

[akalma]

There was a review some time ago on different lubricants and corrosion protectants for hunting rifles, it was Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner which came on top for both corrosion protection and scent absence capabilities.

 

[amoebicmagician]

just hit the inside of the barrel with some milcomm or ballistol.

If it's beforehand, treat with milcomm

If it's happened already, run a patch through with some ballistol and it will keep everything good until you can break it down and clean it.

 

[fabsroman]

Oh cmon, everyone know AK's still fire when half rusted and just pulled form a mud puddle LOL!

I'm only worried about water getting down through the vents on top and getting on the barrel. If I can't get in there to wipe the water away, rust could be an issue.

I was going to give you some advice, but it occurred to me that while it might work for me with the handguards I use, it might not work for you. I really do think the best advice is to get the tool to take the handguard off and then just wipe the gun down with a towel after you are done hunting. The other alternative is s stainless steel barrel. Me, I just ordered a stainless steel barrel coated with black teflon. Rust shouldn't be a worry.