Completely disassemble the gun. Remove it from the stock. Remove the bolt and disassemble it. Remove the scope and bases as water will stay under the bases and rust badly. If you can, remove the trigger assembly from the receiver. Basically disassemble it as far as you are comfortable with and are sure you can get it back together.

If you have compressed air blow out every bit of water but make sure no little springs are going to be lost. Then spray it down with rem-oil or other aerosol gun oil. Blow out the excess oil and wipe dry.

Do not use WD-40 on firearms. Use a gun oil.


BTW, it is funny as long as no one or nothing got hurt. Which seems to be the case here. I once slipped crossing a shallow stream elk hunting in December in Colorado. The water instantly froze on me and inside the gun. It didn't seem funny to me at the time cause I was soaking, freezing wet and it was about 10 degrees. Luckily it happened leaving camp so I was able to get changed and dried off. My grandfather sure got a laugh out of it though. [8D]