I just got back from purchasing my first rifle!!! I bought a NEF .243 Handi-Rifle. I think I am going to go sight it in tommorow and then send in the stock/reciever to get fitted for a ML barrel. I just have a quick question, I am very picky about my stuff especially new hunting stuff, and a while back i was reading about how people put tape over their barrels in order to keep dirt and other things out. Well i was cleaning my new gun and I noticed that the mat i clean it on had been collecting a lot of dog hair and a couple hairs stuck to my gun from the oil. Well getting back to the question was If i get hairs in the barrel/chamber would this hinder the accuracy or damge the gun. I' m assuming that it will just blow out but again this is my first rifle and I want her to stay with me for a while. Thanks for the imput-Sam

Congrats on your new rifle. I have an H&R and love it. I don' t think the dog hair will hurt anything unless it is an actual hairball. Just to be safe, shoot the dog and you won' t have to worry about it anymore.

Congrats, Nuge. You will love the gun. Get the trigger lightened, and the groups will shrink. It cut my groups in half. However, I' ve heard that the new NEF' s triggers are a little better.

Friz...shoot the dog??? LOL

Thanks... I am going to shoot it for the first time tommorow. I was looking at it today and I was thinking if i hunt in the rain how in the world do i clean inside the hammer area so it doesn' t rust? If i spray remoil in there will it get gummed up? Thanks-Sam

you' re worrying way too much....have a ball with your new gun

Well last time I checked water can rust metal and inside the hammer area is metal so if it got wet in the rain and was not cleaned then it could rust. So I don' t think im worrying to much about protecting something I have saved up for and want it to last for many years to come.

Shoot the gun, clean the gun, stop worrying about the gun. It will last. BTW, I have never had a problem with water getting in beside the hammer. If you are that worried about it wrap a piece or plastic around it and tear it off before you have to shoot. You can carry it upside down too.

Thenuge15 If I had a dollar for everytime my rilfes got wet hunting I could take an early retirement.Quit worrying yourself.When you get home clean it,wipe it down. If you' ll feel better get some water displacement lubricant and spray it by the trigger,hammer etc. Make sure you don' t have any ammunition that can be contaminated by the lubricant. Before using your rifle again remove the excessive oil.My hunting rifles look like new except for the normal handleing marks.They' ve been in some nasty weather over the years and still work like the day I bought them.Buy yourself a Ruger or whatever rifle you like in " All Weather" configuration. Then you could spend more time hunting,shooting enjoying yourself instead of worrying about a little water entering your hammer..........
Ruger Redhawk

Seriously, nuge, people have used their gun for years without cleaning it, and they' ve still worked fine. If you' re this anal about it, I' m sure the gun will be in mint condition until the day you die. Clean the gun as well as you can, and I guarantee it will do what you want it to for as long as you have the gun. Relax and enjoy. [8D]