Condensation

[JackAubrey]

After taking my gun outside from my air conditioned home I noticed condensation forming all over the barrel.I was wondering:If the barrel were well oiled and taken from a cold environment to a warm one , would the condensation form UNDER the layer of oil or ONTOP of the oil?Would the oil still protect the metal or no? I am sure this may be an elementary question so forgive me in advance.Best Regards,Jack.

 

[roundball]

After taking my gun outside from my air conditioned home I noticed condensation forming all over the barrel.I was wondering:If the barrel were well oiled and taken from a cold environment to a warm one , would the condensation form UNDER the layer of oil or ONTOP of the oil?Would the oil still protect the metal or no? I am sure this may be an elementary question so forgive me in advance.Best Regards,Jack.

In my judgement, the condensation would form on the outside of the oiled surfaces...INITIALLY...however, I personally would not trust it to stay there...would be worried that:
1) There would be places where there was not enough oil to protect the metal;
2) We know that oil floats on water, so it might be possible some moisture could displace some oil, and get to the metal surface;

I'm no authority, but given my limited means, my worry would cause me to do everything possible to ensure that I got all the moisture[url] off...inside[/url] and out...as soon as possible and get it all re-oiled.

And remember...that condensation is occuring on every square inch of cold surface, even up inside the trigger group, on the underside of the barrel in the barrel bed, on the lock internals, etc, etc...that why I love aerosol cans of WD-40...I use it to power-flush into every nook & cranny whenever a potentially harmful condition like this comes up, or after I've cleaned things, etc.
:m2c:

 

[CanaryCook]

WD-40!!

I don't want to say roundball is wrong, because there are some people that use WD-40 and have no problems with it, but there are a dozen shooters I can think of that have had nothing but trouble with jamming and gumming after using WD-40.

Don't want to step on your advice roundball, you've definately been shooting longer than I have, but I have a theory about WD-40 from what I've heard and seen.

Maybe it does leave a varnishy film that gums up, but the way you guys clean your rifles after or while using WD-40 removes or softens that film so its not a problem.
I know that I decided to use WD-40 on a fishing reel once and It was liquid smooth as can be for about 1 hours fishing. After that everything started to slow down until it was as if it was chaulk full of frozen grease.

For water displacement, I have always used alcohol as I was taught, as even though I come from a cartridge rifle background, we never bought into this stainless nonsense. I've had many rifles flash-rust or develop surface rust, but with a wipe of alcohol it comes off and doesn't come back. I always wipe with alcohol if we are out hunting, then oil lightly, and we don't have problem.

One last bit, water doesn't cause rust, oxygen does. So even if you have moisture collecting on your barrel, lock, etc... the oil is still protecting it regardless of the position, on or below the water. The only time water is a problem is when your going to put your gun away. I don't leave water sitting on my guns while using them, but I don't panic about it either.

I don't want to step on anyones toes here, so this is all :imo: :results:
Lots of things work so only change what you do if you have a problem with what your already doing!

 

[roundball]

WD-40!!

I don't want to say roundball is wrong, because there are some people that use WD-40 and have no problems with it, but there are a dozen shooters I can think of that have had nothing but trouble with jamming and gumming after using WD-40.

Don't want to step on your advice roundball, you've definately been shooting longer than I have, but I have a theory about WD-40 from what I've heard and seen.

Didn't step on my toes at all...the fact that you posted a different opinion based upon an experience with a fishing reel has no bearing on my post at all...the key point that 99.99% of the people fail to remember is that WD-40 is not intended as a lubricant...it's a "water displacement" (WD) product.

I've seen an occasional post where people feel that WD-40 has done strange things like you said...also seen posts where people swear that WD-40 hurts case coloring, etc.

My problem is that I've been using WD-40 on every firearm I've ever owned since the mid-60's...delicate close tolerance trigger mechanisms in several Remington trap and skeet 1100/1187's...the internals of several percussion and flintlock assemblies after every time I cleaned them during the past 15 years...S&W revolver internals...S&W automatic internals...and never had the first problem with case coloring on over a dozen ML's that routinely get doused with WD-40.

So I'm pretty sure if WD-40 was going to cause a problem I'd have seen it by now...and I suspect the difference is that I don't use it as a lubricant...I go behind it with an oil.

And given the point of this post, even if I thought there could remotely be such a potential problem from WD-40, the potential of moisture would be of greater concern to me anyway and I'd blast the mechanisms with aerosol WD-40 to satisfy myself they're free of moisture.

So you didn't step on any toes...after 40 years of WD-40 performing exactly as advertised...for what it was intended...when used as intended...I'll be using it right on...everything I own and use that I've used WD-40 on looks and operates like factory new, as it did when I bought it years ago.
:redthumb:

 

[JackAubrey]

Dear Roundball and CanaryCook,thank you both for replying to my post.I have used wd40 as a water displacent but I use oil as a lubricant.I tend to facy Breakfree CLP when I put my cleaned guns back in their safe.The point is well taken,all those nooks and crannies will develop moisture.I think a good wiping,allow the gun to warm up,wipe again if necessary and a jot of wd40.I wonder if the condensation would affect a powder charge downbore? What do you think?Best regards,Jack.

 

[roundball]

Dear Roundball and CanaryCook,thank you both for replying to my post.I have used wd40 as a water displacent but I use oil as a lubricant.I tend to facy Breakfree CLP when I put my cleaned guns back in their safe.The point is well taken,all those nooks and crannies will develop moisture.I think a good wiping,allow the gun to warm up,wipe again if necessary and a jot of wd40.I wonder if the condensation would affect a powder charge downbore? What do you think?Best regards,Jack.

Yes, I believe condensation can affect a powder charge...many have posted where during the cold of hunting season, they've taken a loaded cold rifle into a warm house overnight, and they'd experience ignition failures the next morning...I myself tried that one night, and the next morning had a delayed ignition causing me to shoot over the back of a 6 pointer...have never left a rifle charged since...I always choose to start fresh the next hunt to ensure no possible effects of condesation
:m2c:

 

[JackAubrey]

I can see how it would happen.I think I will no longer allow the loaded gun to remain loaded if temperature extremes are unavoidable.Best regards,Jack

 

[CanaryCook]

If all I said was rash and uneducated, it seems to have been well said nonetheless, as you highlighted in response the only reason people seem to have trouble with the stuff is they use it as a lubricant, which was my going theory on the stuff anyway.

Since you are the first person I'd call credible to have so much in WD-40's favor, I might just have to re-experiment with the darn stuff. :hmm:

 

[Bob J]

Dear Roundball and CanaryCook,thank you both for replying to my post.I have used wd40 as a water displacent but I use oil as a lubricant.I tend to facy Breakfree CLP when I put my cleaned guns back in their safe.The point is well taken,all those nooks and crannies will develop moisture.I think a good wiping,allow the gun to warm up,wipe again if necessary and a jot of wd40.I wonder if the condensation would affect a powder charge downbore? What do you think?Best regards,Jack.

Yes, I believe condensation can affect a powder charge...many have posted where during the cold of hunting season, they've taken a loaded cold rifle into a warm house overnight, and they'd experience ignition failures the next morning...

:hmm: So if I plan on leaving a flintlock loaded on a cold night, then I should plug touchhole with toothpick and leave in cold truck rather than bring in warm hunting shack? My camp is within short walkin' distance to hunting stands, hate to unload every night.

 

[roundball]

Dear Roundball and CanaryCook,thank you both for replying to my post.I have used wd40 as a water displacent but I use oil as a lubricant.I tend to facy Breakfree CLP when I put my cleaned guns back in their safe.The point is well taken,all those nooks and crannies will develop moisture.I think a good wiping,allow the gun to warm up,wipe again if necessary and a jot of wd40.I wonder if the condensation would affect a powder charge downbore? What do you think?Best regards,Jack.

Yes, I believe condensation can affect a powder charge...many have posted where during the cold of hunting season, they've taken a loaded cold rifle into a warm house overnight, and they'd experience ignition failures the next morning...

:hmm: So if I plan on leaving a flintlock loaded on a cold night, then I should plug touchhole with toothpick and leave in cold truck rather than bring in warm hunting shack? My camp is within short walkin' distance to hunting stands, hate to unload every night.

I've seen posts where folks say they do that...I personally don't...only takes a few seconds to pull a ball & wipe the bore with a lubed patch...then take the rifle into the warm, dry house for the night, load fresh the next time out.
(I save all the balls & patches for use at the range)

I personally just like the 100% confidence of knowing I just loaded a fresh charge of powder in a clean dry bore before starting a fresh hunt.

:imo:

 

[harryo]

[quote:hmm: So if I plan on leaving a flintlock loaded on a cold night, then I should plug touchhole with toothpick and leave in cold truck rather than bring in warm hunting shack? My camp is within short walkin' distance to hunting stands, hate to unload every night. [/quote]

Yes, if it is cold, you can leave it in the cold and it won't have any condensation problems. Also, it depends on the degree of temperature change and how fast it occurs. For instance if you pull your truck into an unheated garage, then remove the rifle from it and into your house some time later, you may not have a problem, especially if the rifle is in a thick or heavily padded case.

The bottom line is an abrupt change from cold to hot temperatures can cause condensation problems with a rifle. This is real and I have experienced it firsthand. However, a moderate change, or allowing a rifle to warm slowly, won't have problems.

 

[Darkhorse]

Dixie Flinter,
I don't unload my rifle every night during deer season. I leave it in the truck or out in my shop. Doing so has never caused a misfire in 30 years of BP hunting. Of course, if it is drizzling, raining or if I have even the slightest suspicion that the load is contaminated then it is either shot or pulled, the rifle cleaned, and a fresh load the next morning.
The thing that has given me more trouble than condensation is the oil that comes out of the lock and gets into the pan. So during deer season before I load my hunting load the lock is always removed and any excess oil is removed.
The important thing is do what you feel confident doing. Find what works for you then be consistant.

About good old WD 40. The stuff is much maligned and much praised. Depends on who you talk too. Personally it is a neccessary part of my cleaning and demoistureizing. I never use it for rust protection but for water displacement in my BP guns and to lube squeaky hinges on horse trailers.
Years ago I used to fish offshore a lot and participated in Kingfish tournaments. One day I was spraying my reels and someone saw me and berated me about the evils of WD 40. Their position was it would deteriorate the monofiliment line. Until then I had been blissfully unaware and had experienced no problems, so I just continued spraying down my reels. We sold the boat and all the reels went into storage (out of the sun), about 15 years later on a trip to the Fla. Keys I brought all those old WD 40 sprayed reels in case they were needed. They were so out they came, WD 40 rotted line and all.
I caught a 42 pound Wahoo on 25 year old WD 40 sprayed 20 lb. test mono. We also caught several very large Dolphin (Mahi Mahi, not flipper) The line sure didn't act like it was deteriorated.
I guess I've just been lucky. I've never experienced some of the problems others have while using the stuff. And back when I was skeet shooting WD 40 was all we used to lube our bolts. After thousands of rounds I never had any build up whatsoever.
I won't trust the stuff to protect anything from rust, it evaporates too fast, but I use it all the time for Water Displacement, thats what the WD in WD 40 stands for.

 

[LRB]

I treat my flinter just as Darkhorse. Never a problem. My gun stays loaded until I shoot something, or suspect the load might be damp. I usually leave it in my truck, and sometimes even leave it primed.