Extreme Cold Rifle

[ThunderNocked]

So I had a recent experience with my Ruger American Go Wild where we were in Sub Zero temps and I had several issues. First bolt release got frozen open. I had a failure to eject, a failure to feed and a stuck/sticky firing pin. I own three hunting rifles at this point in my life:
Ruger American .30-06
Ruger American Go Wild 6.5 Creedmoor
Browning BAR 300 Win Mag.
First does anybody have experience with the BAR in these more extreme sub Zero Temps. It was -34* at my house this morning in the lowlands. Second what can I do to help these all be more reliable in the extreme conditions of Interior Alaska? I thought I wiped most of the oil out but that is the only thing I can think of that would cause this!

I'm looking at a 'custom' rifle but with the way things have gone this year for work and money I won't be doing that anytime soon. Thanks in advance.

 

[Elkmagnet]

I had this problem on a -20 elk hunt we eventually cleaned the gun with solvent and it worked dry

 

[ThunderNocked]

I had this problem on a -20 elk hunt we eventually cleaned the gun with solvent and it worked dry

you just stripped all the oil with solvent?

 

[cahunter805]

Most problems in cold weather are bolt/firing pin related and usually it’s grease/oil that is the problem in cold weather.
If hunting in temperatures below freezing rifles should be cleaned very well and oil/grease removed. Usually the bolt should be disassembled and all grease removed from it also.
If you feel the need to lube anything use a dry lube. Although it’s not recommended rifles will function dry for a bit. Once back from the hunt you can lube the bolt/firing pin.

 

[Elkmagnet]

you just stripped all the oil with solvent?

Yes bone dry we also left it in the cold 24/7 to make sure there was no condensation forming in the action. Dry fired a few times a day to confirm the pin moves.

 

[Addicting]

Clean it very well and put a couple drops of CLP on it. You shouldn’t have any issues.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Yes bone dry we also left it in the cold 24/7 to make sure there was no condensation forming in the action. Dry fired a few times a day to confirm the pin moves.

Dry firing - not a bad idea.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Most problems in cold weather are bolt/firing pin related and usually it’s grease/oil that is the problem in cold weather.
If hunting in temperatures below freezing rifles should be cleaned very well and oil/grease removed. Usually the bolt should be disassembled and all grease removed from it also.
If you feel the need to lube anything use a dry lube. Although it’s not recommended rifles will function dry for a bit. Once back from the hunt you can lube the bolt/firing pin.

I had wiped it down pretty well I thought not leaving much oil on it but I didn't clean the bolt super good. The thing that really surprised me was the bolt release sticking open. I don't know how I managed that but somehow I must have pressed it and so it allowed it to freeze.

We lay there for 5-10 minutes prior to that and I was breathing down in that general direction. I know my beard started turning white after 30 seconds so that could have been it to. I pulled my facemask down while shooting and though I made sure not to breath onto the scope I could have been breathing that hot moist air directly 'into the action'.

I'll have to think about that in the future.

 

[Europe]

Proper care and precautions are also needed for your ammunition in the extreme cold

maybe Panda Bear, Bambistew, will see your thread as they are faced with this problem as well

 

[AlaskaHunter]

So I had a recent experience with my Ruger American Go Wild where we were in Sub Zero temps and I had several issues. First bolt release got frozen open. I had a failure to eject, a failure to feed and a stuck/sticky firing pin. I own three hunting rifles at this point in my life:
Ruger American .30-06
Ruger American Go Wild 6.5 Creedmoor
Browning BAR 300 Win Mag.
First does anybody have experience with the BAR in these more extreme sub Zero Temps. It was -34* at my house this morning in the lowlands. Second what can I do to help these all be more reliable in the extreme conditions of Interior Alaska? I thought I wiped most of the oil out but that is the only thing I can think of that would cause this!

I'm looking at a 'custom' rifle but with the way things have gone this year for work and money I won't be doing that anytime soon. Thanks in advance.

-34...lucky we have climate warming...have not seen -60s since the late 1980s.

 

[ThunderNocked]

-34...lucky we have climate warming...have not seen -60s since the late 1980s.View attachment 161121

Wow thats crazy! I know we hit -50 at our house last year. It seems early for temps this cold. I know they said we set a single day snowfall record yesterday with 14” and earlier we were one of the 4”5 coldest recorded early November’s. It will be interesting when we actually hit the cold months.

 

[nordicStalk]

Now I havent hunted yet in that low temperatures, but almost.

Add to that the fact that my rifles (an old CG3000/Sauer 80) bolt has the lock mechanism in the back and easily are blocked if too fatty, this problem is very relevant to me as well.

My solution is I dont use fat for the bolt action at all. Instead I found a compound which is supposed to be multipurpose; it cleans, it protects and it makes things smooth (like oil). And this is very thin in consistency. I have never had any problems, although I do need to care for my rifle a bit more often since this stuff dont stay as long as fat.

 

[antelopedundee]

Birdsong Black T teflon coating. Also available in green.

https://black-t.com/applications/

 

[ThunderNocked]

Birdsong Black T teflon coating. Also available in green.

https://black-t.com/applications/

I'll check it out.

 

[Mudranger1]

In case of -34 degrees this is what you do

 

[ThunderNocked]

View attachment 161516
In case of -34 degrees this is what you do

HAHAHA! Stay inside and stay warm?!?

 

[Bigjay73]

For future reference, peeing on the action will temporarily free it up if its a dire emergency

 

[CoffeeGoat]

-34...lucky we have climate warming...have not seen -60s since the late 1980s.View attachment 161121

Where the heck was gasoline 2.42 in the late eighties?