Tape on my barrel?
 

Is it true that I can put a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle of my barrel to keep rain and snow out?? Will this not increase pressure or degrade accuracy? Any help would be appreciated as I hunt in areas where it is always doing something out there and rarely do we have " blue bird" weather!! Thanks.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I' m not in favor of putting anything over the business end of a gun.
Others may say different, and they may be right, but I' ve seen barrels peeled back from obstructions, and its not pretty.
Then again a barrel full of mud or snow would probably do the same thing.
So if I had to put something over the muzzle, I' d use something big enough that I would see it and remember to take it off before shooting.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I never hunt without tape covering the muzzle of my rifle.It will not effect accuracy as the pressure will blow the tape away before the bullet reaches it.It will in no way create a hazzard by increasing pressure but it can prevent problems by keeping obstructions out of your barrel.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

stubblejumper,

I' ve always thought about it but never did it. Good to know there is someone out there making it standard practice. The devil often is in the details. What kind of tape and how thick?

EKM

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I am the same as SJ. In my seasons it can rain, snow and shine all in the same day. While a CF may not be as effected by moisture, a ML sure is. Also it prevents anything entering the barrel if your crawling or stick her in the ground. I have taped my barrel for years and it hasn' t done anything to accuracy or caused any damage/harm. I also carry a roll in my pack, so that I am prepared.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I use about 1-1/2" of electrical tapeand just cover the muzzle with a bit overlapping the barrel on each side.When you fire all that is left is the tape on the sides as the entire center section is blown off by the pressure in the barrel.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I' m gonna agree with stubblejumper. I usually always have electrical tape over the muzzle of my rifles when in the woods.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

i believe the military used to tape the muzzle of ar-15' s during patrols in the jungle. they had this little covers that look like mini-condoms. you can still get them at walmart and similar places, in the pharmacy or office supply aisle. they are meant to go on your finger.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I always use insulation tape over the end of the barrel, especially when hunting in snow/ice.
It has no effect on accuracy, you can shoot through it no problem.

Another trick I use is a strip of car tyre inner tube as a scope cover. i.e. it is disposable and keeps moisture off the lens.
Can strip it off mighty quick when you need to.
The rubber also protects your scope from scratches and knocks.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

No, it won' t. the air rushing out of the barrel ahead of the bullet will pop the tape off before the bullet gets to the muzzle. Just never let anything get INSIDE the muzzle, is all!!

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Why is it that you can put tape on the outside, but if you put a little ball of it like 1cm down the barrel it would be dangerous? Do you lightly put the tape on or really rub it on hard and it will still blow off? Also doesn' t this get your barrel all sticky? I have heard of those mini condom things you put on muzzle loaders and you can shoot right throug them. If you got rain down your barrel of a center fire would it affect the accuracy or would the water blow out from the air b4 the bullet?

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

A toy balloon works as good as anything...they even come in colors to suit your taste and a 100 count bag will last you awhile.

AA

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Rub it hard, and it will still blow off!! Put it inside, and it becomes a bore obstruction that interferes with the passage of the bullet!! The toy balloon is even better!!

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Nuge, I put a piece over the barrel then rap the outside with another piece of tape tight, to make sure it holds in place well. I mentioned I always carry a roll as well just in case I require to re-apply, etc. As far as sticky, it comes off with some rem oil or similar very easily, never had any problem with left over residue from the tape. I use this technique all the time for ML to prevent moisture effecting the charge. In CF it is more of a preventive measure, to keep the barrel clear and unobstructed. I am not sure moisture in the barrel will have a huge effect on performance, but if moisture is left in the barrel, it can cause rust and pitting of the rifling and that will lead to loss of accuracy and other issues over time. The tape or whatever you choose to use, will make cleaning the firearm a quicker task when hunting wet weather and their is no effects for doing so in POI, accuracy or safety. As mentioned the tape is blown off well in advance of the bullet reaching it, if you place any material inside the barrel, you' ll effect the pressure and as stated it becomes a obstruction in this case it will hinder the bullet path.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Skeeter... If you put the tape on wont it create a little dip that sinks into the barrel, which would hinder the path of the bullet? I just don' t see why the air wouln' t blow a little mud out of the barrel if it can blow a tight piece of tape?

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Well nuge15 I guess you' ll just have to trust us on this one.If you don' t believe it don' t put tape over your muzzle.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I dont use anything over my rifle when hunting, just keep the muzzle pointed down...However, I do use a balloon on the end of my shotgun when waterfowl hunting to prevent water from entering the barrel when shooting. I don' t see how tape or ballon would affect the rifle though....Just never done it before.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Nuge, a little dirt will get blown out, but if your crawling a mile on your belly trying to get a shot at that antelope buck, why chance it! I never said anybody should or has to do it, I have just found it to be another thing to help ensure safety and success when I take to the field.

The original question was will it cause any harm, excess pressure or effect the POI and the answer is it will not!!!! You' ll have to decide wether you want to try it or not. It wasn' t my intent to get everybody to tape the barrel, just give some advice, experiences, reasons why and let everybody decide for themselves what to do.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I use the fingers from rubber gloves. Cut off about 1 inch of finger and it will snap down over the muzzle, make a nice tight seal and it is thin enough that the bullet never even sees it. I use nitrile gloves, but latex would work fine too.

It is especially important for muzzleloading in the rain. I use this method and still hunted in a pouring rain for 10 hours with my CVA Bolt action and it fired instantly when I asked it to. Keep the muzzle up (to keep the action dry). I was thinking about how to make a rain cover for the action, but the 209 primer is hot enough to burn through trace moisture and seems to plug up the hole pretty well, keeping the big stuff out.

Just be sure to take the cover off when home, or water under the edge can cause rust.

Chubber

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

nugey boy, To convince yourself, try this little test. Put a piece of tape over the muzzle of your rifle, as directed above. Then fire it. Next, put some mud into your bore, then fire it. Which one caused your barrel to burst at the point of the obstruction? Be sure you do it in this order, or you will need a new barrel before you get a chance to try the tape!![&:]

(!! NEVER PUT MUD IN YOUR BARREL!! REALLY!!![:o]

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I am sure eld made himself clear that this is a bad thing to do. Dad gone, my little cousin reads this page. Hope he don' t get any ideas from you guys telling him to try to put mud down his barrel.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Big Country, you are absolutely correct!!NEVER PUT MUD IN YOUR BARREL!!

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Those hunting hard in snowy country should also take care that they haven' t scooped or stuck their barrel into the snow inadvertently. A snow-plug could freeze solid and create a similar obstruction as would mud.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

8mm/06-With tape over the muzzle snow is not a problem.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I wasn' t denying that the tape works i was just a little confused on why mud would burst a barrel. Im not saying it wont, i believed you the whole time i just wanted to know why and how it happened. It just confused me because if you put one of those ballons over the end it would sink into the barrel some, wouldn' t this be the same as putting a little tape in the barrel?

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

stibblejumper,
I agree about the tape, or other methods used to keep the barrel clear. I personally haven' t bothered with it unless I' m muzzle-loading in heavy rain. I have always stayed vigilant re: the position and contition of my barrel tip. My grandfather was a gunsmith and kept a collection of about a dozen burst barrels in the front window of his shop. Some had some very sad stories behind them.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Nuge, lets say you could take a picture in slow motion with tape or ballon over the barrel it would show the pressure would balloon out the material upon firing the firearm, long before the bullet reached the tape or balloon. Both tape and ballons are elastic and flexible, when you push air into them they move forward...no! Then apply this to a solid substance such as mud or hard snow, they do not have the same characteristics and flexible enough to move rapidly ahead of the projectile. While it may be true some mud or debris loose packed (meaning there is chance for air to escape quickly), should blow out with no effect, it isn' t something you should chance. If by chance the balloon or tape dimpled in would it not be assumed that the air created this dimple in the first place and thus it will not create an obstruction. You see the key is elasticity(sp??) in the materials mentioned, if it moves forward from the rush of air, it will not create built up pressure inside the barrel. The main surface is in fact outside the barrel, not in the barrel like mud, snow or debris.....does this make sense. The air or pressure blows out the tape or ballon, not the bullet. With an obstruction the air or bullet can' t escape normally, causing problems

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I myself never have bothered with it. But last year, I woke up to a nice blanket of snow and decided to take the day off and go hunting. Well, I take my gun out of a warm safe and go. Well the snow was coming down heavy. And melted I suppose while hitting the frount of my barrel. I see a buck coming, but nothing I wanted to shoot at. An hour later I notice I have made this ice cap on the crown of my bore and a fee milimeters in the barrel. Thank goodness I didn' t shoot that buck. This could have been disaster. I should have used tape that day.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

SJ is absolutely right on this. I have used standard electrical tape for years on rifles and never had a problem. The gas escaping past the bullet takes care of the tape long before the bullet gets there.

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

BTW the only dangerous thing I ever did by putting a small balloon over the muzzle was have the Guide I was with laugh so hard when he saw it that he almost died. Something about practicing " Safe Rifle"

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I' ve never used tape,balloons or mini condoms on my muzzle. After reading these replies I think it' s a good idea especially in Rain, Snow, and muddy conditions.Down here in the south we don' t have much of a concern with snow.I have sat all day in rain usually during BP season.I' ll be adding a roll of Electrical tape in my pouch.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

Gaaaaaahhh!!!

RE: Tape on my barrel?
 

I use tape on a 45/70 single shot I carry when driving bears in thick swamps ..Bill