As many of you know, it is a common practice for hunters to cover the muzzle of their rifles with black electrician's tape while hunting in deep powder snow. I also have used a commercial cover made in Montana that looks like a miniature black condom with a rubber band that helps hold it in place This technique effectively prevents snow from packing in the bore as you crawl through the brush in late season conditions. What, if anything, is the effect on accuracy and/or potential damage to the rifle when shooting through this tape? CP.
Muzzle Covers
- Thread starter CP
- Start date
No damage with tape. Gases which precede the bullet will blow the tape out long before the bullet will pass by it. Even with a plastic muzzle cover on a muzzle brake the most you're going to do is blow the brake apart. Check out the latest edition of Tactical Shooter.
Problems arise when something is stuck inside the bore and the oncoming bullet compresses the trapped air/gases. This is what causes bulges. With tape or a brake, they give unlike trapped objects.
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Problems arise when something is stuck inside the bore and the oncoming bullet compresses the trapped air/gases. This is what causes bulges. With tape or a brake, they give unlike trapped objects.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
No light plastic cover outside the barrel is going to cause a problem. Even the heavy brass covers used on the old Mausers were no problem. The gasses will either blow the cover off or the bullet will shoot throught it. Some guys cut fingers out of the latex gloves you can buy for pennies at a drugstore, and then just shoot right through them.
Never put any obstruction in the bore.
Jim
Never put any obstruction in the bore.
Jim
In snowy conditions (depending) I sometimes use a green (darker the better) balloon (the green for camo & it probably doesn't matter one bit 'cause big game's colored blind anyway). Roll it over the barrel of the rifle just like you would over the barrel of your gun. 
In a coupla tests, the air in the barrel ahead of the bullet before firing (duh) gets compressed & just blows the balloon off the barrel. It's never mattered a whit in smoking any game. I've never taped it in place & do check it every once in a while when hunting but I think it makes sense to check on your (equipment) conditions anyway - especially in inclemenet weather.
For the most part, I never even bother with it & we do hunt very snowy weather - at times. I carry my rifle with barrel kinda pointing down anyway & if ever, & have the biggest problem with snow on my scope's ocular lense.
In a coupla tests, the air in the barrel ahead of the bullet before firing (duh) gets compressed & just blows the balloon off the barrel. It's never mattered a whit in smoking any game. I've never taped it in place & do check it every once in a while when hunting but I think it makes sense to check on your (equipment) conditions anyway - especially in inclemenet weather.For the most part, I never even bother with it & we do hunt very snowy weather - at times. I carry my rifle with barrel kinda pointing down anyway & if ever, & have the biggest problem with snow on my scope's ocular lense.