Huntin' in the rain

[Brazos]

Headin' out on an elk hunt this week in Wetstern Warshington. I figure something over the muzzle, anything I can do to make the cap more weatherproof?
Thanks.

 

[RC]

put nail polish on it... also hear that thin clear plastic wrappin paper works..there are "cap guards" made too, but doubt you'll find any that quick.. a cow's knee would help.. :thumbsup: ....

 

[Headhunter]

I tape my muzzle, push the cap on tight, and put bees wax around the cap/nipple juncture.

After that, I like to keep my rifle as dry as possible.

HH

 

[Jason Lewis]

tape the muzzle or use a tampion, nail polish will work on the cap/nipple interface use a well oiled cows knee too and you've found perfection.

 

[smokehouseman]

I live on Kodiak Island in Alaska and we have an average annual rainfall of about 75 inches per year. We seem to constantly be fighting the weather. I use electrical tape over my muzzle, duct tape on my lock and keep my caps in a guarded pocket on my coat where they don't get wet and have learned not to put them inside my sweater or places that the perspiration can get to them. My hunting pard swears by his cows knee. I also use speed loaders and have never had a problem using them.

 

[Britsmoothy]

You know what, I have hunted in the rain many times and done nothing to the cap or muzzle and never had the gun fail to fire!

Brits.

 

[roundball]

"...I have hunted in the rain many times and done nothing to the cap..."

The clock is ticking :grin:

 

[Britsmoothy]

:haha: Yes that could well be the truth :haha:

:thumbsup:

Brits

 

[chuck-ia]

When I used to hunt with a percussion I would use siran (spelling?) wrap, put a cap on and pull the hammer back and wrap a couple wraps over the lock and forearm and use a rubber band in front and back of the nipple. Not pc but it did work. flinch

 

[DEWB]

You can use a lttle piece of surgical or plastic tubing and place it over the nipple.Slide it down so it won't interfear with the hammer and down far enough to seal were the nipple and cap meet. This will also keep moisture from forming under the cap.

 

[tg]

All I ever did with caplocks was to put a small piece of surgical tubing over the cap and slide it down over the nipple to seal it off and put a soft piece of leather on the cap and let the hammer lay on that. I never put anything over the barrel and kept the barrel downwards all the time I never had any problems with ignition for many years when hunting in NW Oregon in November, often I would leave the gun loaded for several days between hunts, I caried a lock cover that I used rarely just during down pours.At the end of the day I ran a lightly oiled patch down to the ball to take any moisture out of the bore.THis worked for many years and I took deer most every season usually passing some early so I could hunt longer.

 

[Brazos]

Well, hunt's over. No kill, but I kept my powder dry! Covered the muzzle and made a cow's knee out of well oiled leather. Worked great! HEAVY rain too. Thanks for the tips.

 

[PGTMG]

Headin' out on an elk hunt this week in Wetstern Warshington. I figure something over the muzzle, anything I can do to make the cap more weatherproof?
Thanks.

Saran wrap around the nipple area. :v

 

[paulvallandigham]

Percussion guns can be "sealed" against water by putting a piece of plastic wrap over the muzzle after pouring down the powder, then seating your PRB, or conical, on top of the plastic wrap. Trim the wrap off and drived the combination of plastic wrap and PRB or conical down onto the powder charge.

Put the same plastic wrap over the nipple, and put the cap on the nipple over the plastic wrap. Trim the plastic, so its not flashing light .

Done this way, there is NO WAY for water to enter the barrel and contaminate the powder.

Remember to flush the flash channel, powder chamber, and barrel out with alcohol to dissolve and remove any oils that might be lingering in those areas since you last fired the gun. Run a dry patch or two down to dry out the alcohol that remain after you dump the rest out of the barrel. THEN, and only then, load your powder charge down the barrel. If you expect to be hunting in rain,sleet, or snow, wax both the stock and the metal parts with any wax you have. Furniture waxes work well, as do those liquid or cream waxes sold for car finishes. I also like to put both oil finish, and then wax in the various mortises for the stock- barrel, lock, trigger guard, patch box, and also put oil finish on the end grain under the buttplate, and muzzle cap, if the gun has one. Anything you can do to help seal the wood from water is going to help keep everything about the gun is good shape during the hunt. The peace of mind alone will give you the confidence to make that ONE shot you get a a trophy animal.

Good hunting. :hatsoff:

 

[BrownBear]

Ever tried to remove burned plastic wrap from a bore? Read about the idea, tried it, and cussed all through the cleanup.

Nasty..... :nono:

On the other hand, the little bit of adhesive sticking to the outside of the muzzle after using electrical tape wipes off easy.

Glad your hunt worked out well Brazos. I'd be sure to pull all the metal you can off the stock, and dry, clean and oil. Water trapped under the barrel, escuchions, butt plate, locks, anything can raise cobb if not dealt with.

 

[tg]

THe easiest way to keep water out of the barrel is to keep it pointed down,I have never covered the barre and never had any moisture in the barrel issues,I guess you couldpour hot wax atop the ball also if it seems to be a problem.putting plastic down the tube sounds like something somebody made up so they could tell a story.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I noticed the other day a rifle maker (modern) makes plastic discs that sit in the muzzle to keep unwanted out of the barrel, got me a thinking (oh no!)if plastic shotshell wads just using the gas seal so it can just sit in the muzzle, as long as a match can be made that is!

Hmmm plastic, don't really go does it :nono:

Forget that!

Brits.

 

[roundball]

Ssshhh.....listen.....is that Daniel & Davey laffin' at us down here?

 

[Britsmoothy]

:rotf:

Brits

 

[tg]

"Ssshhh.....listen.....is that Daniel & Davey laffin' at us down here?"


I suspect it is or it could just be the wind, there often seems a lot of "overkill" when it comes to what is or is not needed to make ML's work for hunting, I think a lot stems from a lack of complete confidence in the primitive system in general.