Wading and a handgun

If I know a gun will get wet, I usually lube it more heavily.

Most guns will be fine after a dunking into freshwater and so will the ammo.

Saltwater/brackish would warrant a quick takedown after the event.

The only two times I've gotten a gun wet was my CQB when I went deer hunting and fell into a swamp that was a lot deeper than it looked and another time when I had to cross a river to get back home.

I took the gun apart, cleaned it, and cooked the parts in an oven at 175-200 degrees (the lowest it'll go) for a short time (20-30 minutes) to get in all the nooks and crannies.
 
I was carrying my Beretta 92f in a shoulder holster while wading in 3' of water when I lost my footing and went in. I filled my waders and the Beretta was totally soaked. When I got home I just field stripped the pistol for a normal cleaning and cleaned the magazine and that is all that was needed. There wasn't much mud involved so I think the pistol would have functioned fine w/o cleaning. If a gun gets dunked normal cleaning and lubing should take care of it.
 
Sure, you can field strip a SA- but all the innerds were one needs to get to equally bad can't be gotten to without hammers, punches, sight pushers, screwdrivers, allen wrenches- With a REV, just squirt a shot of WD-40 into any frame hole you find. And when ya get home, use one screwdriver to remove 3 to 4 screws (for S&W and Tauri), smartly tap the end of the gripframe, and there's all the revolvers' guts for the world to see.
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I usually carry a Glock if I'm going fishing which is almost always in salt water. Stainless does well for the day, and then I can detail strip it in a minute or two with minimal tools and throw every part in a bucket of hot soapy water when I get home. On extended trips, I have a leatherman and small cleaning kit with a punch. I've detail stripped my Glock 27 on a spoil island before.

I'd feel comfortable doing the same with a milspec 1911.

In salt water, I wouldn't just open a revolver sideplate and squirt some oil in there. The salt is too corrosive. I'd disassemble it as far as I could, and wash all the parts in fresh water.
 
I hate to say this but...they're snakes. All you need is your boot or a stick. Personally I've never seen a snake that didn't slither off and quickly at the first sign of a human. Save your ammo and carry a walking stick instead for snakes. The last thing a snake wants to do is bite you...if they use their venom it'll be days before they produce enough to hunt with. Biting you is a last resort. Go fishing, carry a wading staff with a cord you can attach it with while fishing, and have fun!
 
The S&W .38 snub is actually one of the better choices for a shotshell snake gun.
When I tested several guns of various types, I found the short barrel keeps velocities down & patterns tighter.

It also patterned tighter than a Colt DS.
Denis
 
I think you could carry your choice in zIP lock plastic bag. No worrys about getting it wet and minimal impediment of access. LOL I have fired a derringer in the bag. gunslinger
 
I have a top pocket in my fly fishing waders, it's a dry pocket. Get the right waders and your problem is solved.
However: Where you are going the water is to cold for snakes to do anything other than cross the river as quickly as they can. You will not see them in the water, it's the bank you need to watch out for. Once you are in the water you can put the gun in a dry bag and forget it.
 
I disagree. It is far easier for me to pop the side plate off of say a S&W revolver and clean/dry everything out that to detail strip any auto.
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Any shooter can field strip a semi-auto in seconds without tools are you saying you can get into a revolver without tools in seconds?
 
I personally would think S&W's new Model 69 revolver, which is a 5-shot .44 magnum on an L-frame, would be the way to go IMHO.

I would carry it in a shoulder holster and keep it loaded with CCI .44 shotshells. I'd also carry two reloads, both of these would be Speer Gold Dot .44 special rounds carried in HKS speedloaders (if they make speedloaders for the M69 yet).

This way the revolver could be used for snake defense and personal protection but with a bigger impact than .38 special, and with much better range and accuracy.

YMMV.
 
Catfishman said:
Any shooter can field strip a semi-auto in seconds without tools are you saying you can get into a revolver without tools in seconds?
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Who said it has to be done in seconds or even without tools? All I said is it is easier to dry out and clean a DA revolver than it is an auto.

Here is the comment I responded to.

In the event of a dunking, most semi-autos are easier to field-strip to remove all remnants of moisture than many da revolvers are
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You pop off the side plate of the revolver and all the innards are sitting right in front of you, all it requires is a flat head screwdriver which I have on my keychain which fits S&W sideplate screws. I can DETAIL strip a revolver much faster than a semi auto, and in this case a detail strip wouldn't even be necessary. It would take me far longer to dry out, clean, and relubricate an auto even if I only went as far as field stripping it.
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Catfishman
Any shooter can field strip a semi-auto in seconds without tools are you saying you can get into a revolver without tools in seconds?

Who said it has to be done in seconds or even without tools?
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You said "pop off" the side plate which, to me at least, implies fast and ready access to the innards of a revolver. Anybody who has opened the side plate of, say, a Smith & Wesson revolver and does so without buggering up the screw slots or scratching the finish, knows that it takes patience and a judicious hand "at the wheel". Field-stripping most semi-auto pistols is generally far faster and simpler than can be done with most revolvers and usually can be accomplished without the use of tools of any kind.
 
You said "pop off" the side plate which, to me at least, implies fast and ready access to the innards of a revolver.
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You can come to any conclusion you want. My point was I don't see where in this thread that it implies that all this must be done in a matter of seconds.

Anybody who has opened the side plate of, say, a Smith & Wesson revolver and does so without buggering up the screw slots or scratching the finish, knows that it takes patience and a judicious hand "at the wheel".
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Not from my experience. If you use a correct size screwdriver and you didn't over tighten the screws to begin with it's simple and can be done with no ill effects.

Field-stripping most semi-auto pistols is generally far faster and simpler than can be done with most revolvers and usually can be accomplished without the use of tools of any kind.
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While that may be true, if one of my semis took a dunk in the water or a revolver it would be faster for me to dry out and relubricate the revolver than the semi, which after all is what this thread is pertaining to. Field stripping a semi or taking the side plate off a revolver are not what would be time consuming, time consuming would the the actual act of drying out the parts, cleaning out any debris, and relubricating, all of which would be easier to do on the revolver.
 
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It's a revolver. Put it is a clean, thin plastic produce bag, squeeze the air out and tie a knot. It will never get wet unless you fire the gun, which will be fine since there is no cycling parts.

Same idea as the military guys that put condoms over their rifle muzzles.
 
Never been up close and personal with a copperhead (and I'm fine with that), but just curious, can it even bite through your waders?
 
Never been up close and personal with a copperhead (and I'm fine with that), but just curious, can it even bite through your waders?
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Not sure but there is no need to worry much about them in places where you need waders. Trout water is cold, that's the reason for the waders, and cold blooded snakes don't like cold water. If you see one it will be in the woods on the way to the stream and in that case just go around it. I carry a walking stick and I use it to prod the trail where grass is to high to see. But as of yet I have never seen a snake in or close to a trout stream. I am sure there are some and I walk with my stick just in case.
 
When I was in the Smokies last year wading and fly fishing in the Little River there was a snake in water. Do not know what kind but it was a snake. Thanks for the replies if I catch any fish I will try to post. Only hope the shutdown we are on gets done in time lots of issues but getting done in spite of if them.
 
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