Protecting your firearm in the field
- Thread starter fmnjr
- Start date
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
My guns are tools. I try to threat them well, but shit happens in the field. A well-hunted gun will show the tale.
375H&H
Well-known member
If you are truly concerned about your rifle, try a stainless synthetic covered by a solo hunter rifle cover. Not as “sexy” as walnut/blued, but handles the elements and and abuse better whether intentional or not.
Also, as I get older the stainless synthetic is more and more attractive with the more mountain hunts I take it on. Kind of like how when you get to know a woman…
Also, as I get older the stainless synthetic is more and more attractive with the more mountain hunts I take it on. Kind of like how when you get to know a woman…
Gus Chiggins
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- Feb 26, 2023
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If within driving distance to a hunting unit and I have the option: if it's nice weather, I'll use a "nice" rifle, but if rain or snow switch to a synthetic stock rifle. I do wipe downs of any rifle after a day of rain or snow. I guess that's more maintenance than active steps to protect beforehand.
I’d try the solo hunter rifle cover, I guess. Even then, unless you’re stand hunting for whitetails, it’s still going to show signs of use.
I definitely subscribe to the “guns are tools” concept for my hunting guns. If I wouldn’t take it outside right now and drop it on a gravel road then I won’t take it hunting.
I also don’t want to have to put time and effort into gun maintenance in the field, when I could be glassing, resting, whatever. So now my main hunting rifles are synthetic stocked and every steel part is salt bath nitrided. I’ve watched stainless rust before my eyes on hunts near the ocean and in Alaska. With a salt bath nitrided gun I can literally use it as a boat paddle in salt water and the only pieces that could possibly rust are non-nitrided parts like springs.
I definitely subscribe to the “guns are tools” concept for my hunting guns. If I wouldn’t take it outside right now and drop it on a gravel road then I won’t take it hunting.
I also don’t want to have to put time and effort into gun maintenance in the field, when I could be glassing, resting, whatever. So now my main hunting rifles are synthetic stocked and every steel part is salt bath nitrided. I’ve watched stainless rust before my eyes on hunts near the ocean and in Alaska. With a salt bath nitrided gun I can literally use it as a boat paddle in salt water and the only pieces that could possibly rust are non-nitrided parts like springs.
Wind Gypsy
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Tape the muzzle is about it. A rifle cover could be useful in situations where you’re worried about something getting in the action enough to make the gun inoperable but on those real nasty late season hunts it’s usually a day hunt anyway and I’ve not yet failed to keep a rifle running through the day at least and been able to dry it out at night.
Don Fischer
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If you are truely concerned about your rifle, clean it at the end of the day. Rifles don't go south because they are used, they go south because they are abused!
I don't mind dropping it a gravel road, but it seems better to limit the damage somehow.
I like a gun that shows it's been used. Guess I'm too focused on keeping mine new-looking.
I make every attempt to baby my gun in the field but it seems inevitable that I’ll need to rest the forend on a rock for a shot, etc etc etc.
D
Deleted member 20812
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If they end up needing refinished then you have something to do in February besides argue about politics.
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Don Fischer
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Yes, used, not abused!
^^This^^
My rifles and shotguns are never babied and never abused. My main hunting rifle has scratches in the stock from one of the few times my brother and used his horses for deer hunting and something on the saddle scratched the heck out of it. It also has some deep scratches from one time when I slid about 20 feet down s snow and ice covered shale slide.
My Rem. 1100 has a small piece of rock embedded in the stock from a quail hunt on the AZ strip, it brings back some great memories. The black stock butt has a chunk missing from when I tripped over a rock while chukar hunting.
I could tell you exactly where they got every one of those major scars.
I try my best to keep them nice but I’m going to use my guns. I have a nice 700 in 25-06 that gets hunted quite a bit. Toward the end of the season (no new dings) I went to put it back in the truck and I somehow drug it across a latch on the door. Dug a nice spot about an inch long into the wood, i cussed myself and figured thats one more story I’ll have to tell somebody later. Every scratch and scuff has a story, I have a couple of my grandfathers guns that still get shot. I wouldn’t think anymore of them if they were pristine
std7mag
Well-known member
My wood stocked rifles (and pistols) go out when the weather is nice.
inclement weather, I'm taking one of my synthetic stocked rifles with a piece of electric tape over the muzzle.
And any sidearm will be a polymer with a nylon holster.
All get torn down, dried, and cleaned after getting home.
inclement weather, I'm taking one of my synthetic stocked rifles with a piece of electric tape over the muzzle.
And any sidearm will be a polymer with a nylon holster.
All get torn down, dried, and cleaned after getting home.
shrapnel
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Getting a gun wet won't hurt it, leaving a gun wet will. The rest of the time make sure you don't drop it...
D
Deleted member 28227
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I use a solo hunter rifle cover 10/10 would recommend.
I coat my firearms with Eezox. I first used it on my Ruger LCP I carried year around in a pocket holster and I have never had a rust problem.
Do you keep it on the gun at all times, or do you take it off only when hunting?
