Stayin Dry

IndyHunter83 · 11-14-2006, 08:18 AM

Okay guys.. I got a situation. Saturday is the start of our firearms season and the forecast is callin for rain where I'm plannin on hunting. Never tried hunting with a ML in the rain before. Tryin to figure you how i'm gonna keep the darn thing dry. I'm hunting over a cornfeild not too many trees around except for the spot where i put my stand. Any thoughts on stayin dry? let me know what ya think

Triple Se7en · 11-14-2006, 08:30 AM

You forgot to mention your gun make/model/brand of powder/if you'll be seated or standing????

IndyHunter83 · 11-14-2006, 08:44 AM

Gun: CVA Wolf
Powder: pyrodex pellets

Prolly gonna be seated

cayugad · 11-14-2006, 08:56 AM

I would think with the kind of break design of the Wolf and the 209 primer ignition you would not have too much of a problem on that end. Maybe some simple handi wrap placed over the break of the breech. This should track water away from the opening.

As for the muzzle the same handi wrap or cling wrap as it is called (they actually have some out on the market they claim will seal to anything and stick.. sounds perfect for wrapping the muzzle of a rifle) put over the end of the barrel and held on with a small rubber band should seal that. They also sell finger cots at Wal Mart (get the extra large size) that are like a balloon only thinner and will slip over the end. They come with their own elastic per say...

How many of you ever go and spend a day on the range in a snow or rain storm just to see how the rifle does react? It will give you a lot of confidence in your rifle. Of course on the range you are shooting right away instead of sitting all afternoon.

southpaw26888 · 11-14-2006, 09:04 AM

I too have a CVA but it is an Optima. I hunted this past Saturday in a drizzle and thought I did a good job keeping the barrel down and covering the break open area. I didn't see anything Saturday or Sunday and went out Monday to fire the load and couldn't get it to go off. I removed the cap and breech plug and the 777 pellets were attached together and sticking to the sabot.

Is this typical for letting the charge in the barrel this long? When it is raining should the charge be removed after the hunt that morning or evening or is it because the moisture collected in the pellets and that is why I had the problem.

Don't mean to hijack the thread just curious on what I should have done differently

Doe Dumper · 11-14-2006, 09:05 AM

I always used a small piece of black electrical tape over the end of the barrel. Used a little bigger piece to cover the open area where the cap went but not enough to interfere with hammer travel (Traditions Buckhunter). Not the best Im sure but worked for me.

Triple Se7en · 11-14-2006, 09:27 AM

Poster Cayugad saved me alot of typing...

... thanks Dave!

WV Mountaineer · 11-14-2006, 02:31 PM

Southpaw I always put my gun in the garage the night before the season opens. This allows the medal barrel to cool down close to the outside temperature. The next morning in the garage I use dry patches to get out any moisture and oil. I then fire two or three primers into a patch of course to keep down noise. You do not want to wake up the war department at three am. I then case my gun keep the truck cool on the drive to my hunting area. Once there I use a couple more dry patches to get any remaining moisture in the barrel. Once I load my gun I never take it into the house till after the season. To do so will invite moisture into your powder. This may seem like a lot of trouble but I have never had my gun fail to fire doing this.

WV Mountaineer

southpaw26888 · 11-14-2006, 02:48 PM

WV Mountaineer, thanks for the tip. I had the gun in my gun case the entire time. Do you think this is what caused the moisture or do you think rain got into the barrel or breech?

cayugad · 11-14-2006, 03:40 PM

Its hard to say if the gun case caused your problems. The big thing is keep the rifle dry as possible while you hunt, and when you store it, do not change temperatures on it drastically. When cold steel is brought into a warm area, the steel forms condensation which in turn effects the powder charge.

It is claimed, you can put a rifle in a thick padded case and bring that into the house where it will warm up gradually to the house, but do not remove it from the case. Just make sure you wipe the outside of the rifle off real good before casing it. I personally never tried this but a friend of mine claims to do it all the time and claims he has no problems with ignition. He said the trick is to warm the rifle slowly.. it then does not condensate.

When I used to store loaded rifles over night, I put them in the unheated wood working shot. I stored them muzzle end down, resting that on some cotton cloth or a pile of news papers. That way if any moisture did form it would move away from the powder charge. I also took the 209 primer or #11 cap off the back end and tucked cotton around the opening. Again, I wanted it to catch any moisture that might form.

Also when you store a loaded rifle ... remember safety is very important. Keep anyone away from it that should not be handling it. They are a real temptation to children especially. Also I put a red bandanna through the trigger guard and tell everyone I see that the bandanna indicates a loaded rifle and not to be messed with....