Rifles in the rain *important*

[WildRose]

Rich
My experience with rifles in wet conditions is limited.
4 trips to southeast Alaska. Rain,wet and cold. 1
Trip northern Alaska for sheep. 10 days of rain and sleet along with a partial capsizing of the raft that totally submerged my rifle.
Countless hunting in the lower 48 with rain and snow.
ALL of these hunts I had the barrel taped over.
On the raft incident I totally dismantled the rifle and cleaned it inside and out.
I have always used a overly cautious approach to
Keeping my rifles dry as possible.
The past 5-6 years I have used a Gunslicker to help me in keeping the weather out and it has worked great. Many short and longrange shots have been takin in bad weather with no adverse affects.
When you return from Florida call me and we can talk about it.

If this is the product you are talking about I like it.

http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1390

Reminds me of another product that I haven't seen in quite a while called the "Gun Taco". Basically it was a case split like a taco designed for a dust cover essentially for in the truck, on the ATV or in the cabin or tent.

Haven't seen anything like it in years till you mentioned this. Thanks.

 

[sammartin7]

Insulation tape over the barrel or muzzle brake and load a fired case in the chamber to seal the chamber end of the barrel. When you find game simply cycle the action and your in business with a dry chamber and barrel. Even in the heaviest down pours this method works well.

 

[RH300UM]

If this is the product you are talking about I like it.

GunSlicker

Reminds me of another product that I haven't seen in quite a while called the "Gun Taco". Basically it was a case split like a taco designed for a dust cover essentially for in the truck, on the ATV or in the cabin or tent.

Haven't seen anything like it in years till you mentioned this. Thanks.

Yep that's it

 

[dougw]

I agree we should all do some fore thought I have done some late hunts here in Utah and when it gets well below o things start to go south in a hurry not to take away from the water problem with is all good advice.

 

[Len Backus]

load a fired case in the chamber to seal the chamber end of the barrel. When you find game simply cycle the action

Great idea from you and the previous fellow who mentioned it.

I'll try this.

I've used tape over the barrel most of the time when I hunt. Even in dry conditions.

I do wonder occasionally however, whether condensation sometimes wets my barrel surface without me realizing it.

 

[Len Backus]

So can someone please summarize how much of a POI change has been carefully documented in certain wet barrel situations?

It would be good to have a believable number to use in simple conversation with others.

What would you say is a good rule of thumb number to use in briefly describing the potential for error that is possible?

A number that will get the attention of someone who isn't already aware of the accuracy issue.

 

[Edd]

I do wonder occasionally however, whether condensation sometimes wets my barrel surface without me realizing it.

Condensation requires a difference in temperature and is formed on the cold object. For condensation to form inside the barrel, the temperature of the barrel would need to be colder than the air temperature.

 

[dougw]

The number I have is about 6" at 550 yards with 300 grain smk 338 edge I shot a bull elk a couple of years ago the range finder said 547 so I aimed at 550 and hit the 6" high that is when I started looking into what a high humidity or rain does to a bullet in flight. I think it is an accumulation of things temp, humidity when rifle was sited in, elevation and cleanliness of the air. In Utah we have high winds before and after rain storms the dirt in the air can be seen with the naked eye after the rain cleans the air you can see twice as far I think this has a lot to do with friction on the bullet.

 

[blackbrush1]

I hunted Alaskan Yukon moose this year for 10 days. Rain was nearly daily and some days constant. I don't think I've ever been on such a wet hunt. On the 4th day I thought I should run a dry patch through with my Rapid Rod (great gadget) even though I had the muzzle secured (or so I thought) with electrical tape. I couldn't eject the shell. With gentle pounding of my fist (try that with any extractor other than a Mauser style), I was able to remove the the unfired case and dump the powder contents everywhere. The bullet was lodged or as I came to discover, fused with what I think was a chemical reaction. I destroyed the Rapid Rod in the end driving the bullet out of the chamber.

The rifle is a Dakota M97 in 340 Weatherby with a stainless Lilja barrel and a standard (not Weatherby) throat. The bullet was a 250 Sierra GK. Powder was RL26 BTW. It had not been cleaned and likely fired at least 25 times before the trip.

My buddy on the trip with a M700 in 338 Winchester and a Hart barrel had his extractor fail in dealing with what we thought was the same issue.

Water got in somehow and had time enough to react with copper, stainless and fouling. Protect your gun and swab/snake daily.....

 

[dougw]

Dam I'am starting to think I going to stay in the desert states, that's crazy I don't think I have ever been in that much rain.

 

[300 Driver]

Great information Blackbrush!

I've got the same hunt planned in late Sept this year. I'll have to remember that!

 

[dougw]

For sure I heard sept is a wet month in alaska

 

[Coemgen]

I have come to believe that if a cartridge is chambered and remains in the chamber during the course of a wet day that a process of corrosion or mineral build-up creates a ring around the bullet where it makes contact with lans in the barrel. There can be just enough acid in rainwater to react with the copper on a bullet or residue in the barrel to affect the bullet as it moves through the bore to cause a change in the flight of the bullet. Certainly, I am not a scientist or ballistic expert, but I have noticed a deposit around any round extracted from the chamber after spending a rainy day in the chamber.

 

[dougw]

I am a scientist but not a physicist so I don't really know for sure what happens in the barrel all I researched is what happens in flight all I know if its raining that much I am going to a tree home or a bar and pull a cork they will be there tomorrow.