cleaning during and after it rains

J

jrsower

New member
this could probably fit better in the general forum, but it applies here too.

Was out hunting this afternoon for a short while before it started to downpour. Standing out there while my rifle gets soaked is definitely no fun.

Walked back to the truck and hosed everything down with WD-40 as best I could. I'll be back home in a couple of hours and will take it down and clean it properly with some breakfree.

Would you have done the same thing? I hate using WD-40 on my guns but it was all I had. Will it keep my gun from rusting up for a couple of hours until I can get home to clean it?
 
Next time forget oil and grease when you’re in the field. Before going out coat the firearm (wood and metal) with a good automobile wax (not polish). Right now I’m using “Turtle Wax” brand Advanced Paste Wax. The can says “100% pure Carnauba Blend” and it’s the “Carnauba” part that’s important. The wax will not hurt wood finishes, which oil may, and it seals the water out. Most museums use wax rather then oil to protect antique metal items. Don’t wax checkered areas on the pistol grip and forend and it won’t be slippery to the touch. If you’ve got doubts take something that’s valueless but made of carbon steel, clean it, and then give it a good coat of wax. Leave it out in the wet and see how long it takes to start rusting. Then you’ll see the light.
 
A quick spraying with WD-40 to displace water can't hurt the steel but don't get to much on the wood. Too much oil on the wood is worse than a lil water on the steel. I have used WD-40 for years on guns and the only bad thing about it is that it evaporates over time and leaves the steel unprotected. Rem Oil is much better in that respect.


Personally I never worried about it until I got home. Then I would dissasemble and clean leaving the rifle out of the stock till it was either dry or I needed it again. I always worried more about the stock getting wet and swelling and changing POI than the steel getting wet.

Most of the time with fresh water unless it stays wet for an extended period of time it wont rust. If it gets wet during the day hunting that nite is fine for cleaning.
 
I've gotten wet many times - in fact, I've killed a good number of deer in heavy mists. I do clean the rifle in the evenings, no rust problems. Sweat will make me break out the WD40 in a hurry - that will rust up a gun quickly.

Don't forget the hair dryer - great for drying guns out in a hurry or reaching those hard to reach places - shotgun magazine tubes for instance.
 
Good tip on the wax fellas.

I may bust out the Turtle Wax on my muzzleloader tonight. Hunted in a downpour on Tuesday, and the rifle got soaked on the way back to the car. So I fired it and cleaned it thoroughly once I got home.

One good tip is to keep a rag saturated in RemOil, CLP, whatever in a ziplock bag. Then you can wipe down the rifle when you get back to your dry vehicle.

Also, buy some dry condoms or some of those muzzle covers. Keeps the rain out of your barrel. Also keeps mud from plugging the muzzle when you're raising or lowering the rifle from your stand.

I prefer synthetic stocks for my hunting guns. Water, oil don't affect them. And they don't swell and throw off POI.

If you hunt in a stand, invest in one of those Porta Roof umbrellas. It rained cats and dogs Tuesday, but underneath this thing, I stayed remarkably dry.
 
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