weather-proofing your rifle

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gaseousclay

New member
so, i'm reading a book called, "How To Hunt Whitetails Successfully," which is part of the Hunter's Information Series by the North American Hunting Club. I can't recall which chapter it's in exactly but the author talks about a trick he learned from a friend of his on how to weather-proof your rifle, especially when it's dumping rain out. He said that his friend went to his truck, pulled the dipstick out of the engine block and proceeded to wipe the oil from the dipstick on his rifle. I know oil and water don't mix but is it at all harmful to coat your rifle in oil? The thought of doing this to a rifle with a nice wood stock is unthinkable to me. Anyone here do this or something similar?
 
Not sure about the effect on the finish, but I imagine it is absolute heck on the concept of scent control!

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Most any gun oils out there will keep it good for most any trip... You wouldn't want to throw it back in the safe wet, disassemble and dry, re-oil, etc, but for the course of a hunting trip, as long as you treat your guns like you give a crap, you will most likely be fine.


edit - As far as putting used motor oil from my car onto my guns... Maybe if the world unravelled and I had no other option, but otherwise I treat my guns as well as I treat my kids.
lock em in a safe covered in oil?????
 
Clean all the oil off it and wax it with a good Paste Wax , including the inside of the Stock if it's wood . Save your oil for lubrication of the working parts . The nice thing about wax is that it has no odor , and doesn't stain your gloves and cloths ! If I'm lying I'm dieing !
 
Yes and I have done it with clean oil not dirty oil from the engine. But I only did it to prevent any rust. the gun should still work when it's wet. If you want to keep water out of the barrel ductape a piece of wax paper on the muzzle. It won't affect acuracy whatsoever.
 
I agree with oneoldsap-a coat of a good paste wax (I use Johnsons) is the best way to keep moisture from harming a wood stock. Additionally, I like to put a coat of polyurethane on the bare wood of the inside of the stock as a long term protectant.
 
If you get up in the morning and its raining cats and dogs or if it is supposed to, then wipe your rifle down with a cloth or towel and then spray it with furniture polish. Let the polish set for 10 to 15 minutes and you will be ready to head out. When you come in, wipe the weapon down completely and re oil. I have used this method for many decades and have never had a problem with rust.
 
I use two methods:

1.] If it's raining cats and dogs, I prefer the "roll over, go back to sleep, hunt another day" method.:cool: It's worked for me for years!

2.] If rousted from bed into the rainy weather, I grab my synthetic stocked rifle rather than one of wood stocked ones. Then I punish the "rouster" all the way to the woods by emitting a toxic gas, "rouster" can't roll the window down due to the rain!;)
 
Had my rifle soaked many times befor. I just clean it when I get back to the truck. Just yesterday in the turkey woods I got soaked as did my 870 express. tore it down and cleand it when I got home as well as the bird I killed in the rain that everybody told me I couldnt do cause they dont gobble.
 
2.] If rousted from bed into the rainy weather, I grab my synthetic stocked rifle rather than one of wood stocked ones. Then I punish the "rouster" all the way to the woods by emitting a toxic gas, "rouster" can't roll the window down due to the rain!
Click to expand...

Wait, you only do this if rousted early? I thought that was the prelude to hunting...
 
I haven't purposefully hunted in the rain for years, but have cleaned up rusted guns for other family members who have.

I use a good auto paste wax like Classic. I had it on an unblued chrome-moly barrel for years and never had a spot of rust on it.

Break-Free CLP isn't bad, but probably not as good as two or three coats of wax.
 
If you don't have anything handy designed for guns it would be better than nothing. I don't think the writer is suggesting used motor oil as a primary lubricant. Just for an emergency.
 
With all the hi-tech paints and coatings, I'd be painting the action and barrel then no oil is generally needed short of the inerds. For a wood stock, seal anything suspect of being bare wood which usually occurs inside of the stock. Question to self, why do manufactures leave the insides raw, douch nozzles?

Go kill something and re-oil later.
 
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