Hunting In Cold Weather?

[N.Y. Yankee]

If you return from a hunt in cold weather with a charged gun, do you leave it in an out building or unheated area to avoid condensation or do you bring it inside and wipe it down?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I do the former, as do all my friends. One gent from NJ ended the VT deer MZL season in DEC without firing a shot and he left it charged. At the next FEB Winter biathlon in SoVT, he primed it and shot offhand at a gong and nailed it - perfect ignition! We do wipe them down, just not stored in heated conditions.

 

[necchi]

Minnesota here, I always leave them outside/unheated,,
If that's not an option then, it's left in the heavily padded case and/or wrapped with a blanket so that the temp change is gradual.

 

[Ames]

Outside, unheated barn.
I'm not concerned about wiping it down as much as I am about condensation inside the barrel dampening the charge.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I leave it outside but protected. Like in a cold vehicle/outbuilding/etc.
walk

 

[Daveboone]

Regardlessof type of firearm, I leave it on my enclosed unheated outside porch unless it was really sleety/heavy snow, and my gun was an ice block. Then I will unload and bring it in to thaw next to the fireplace, strip it down, papertowel dry, etc.

 

[chorizo]

In the vehicle, cold, lock and protected. Good wipe down on the outside and a dry patch part way down the bore, in and out once. Never had a problem.

When in drop camp, we keep a small shelter for tack, packs, and misc out of the elements. Wiped down as if going in the truck and then stuff in a gun sock and left in that tent.

If it got wet in bad conditions, blow out the load, swab the bore, then dry patch it well, break down the gun and give it a good wipe down. Load it up and into the truck or tack tent.

 

[Brokennock]

People have been posting this for years about not bringing it inside because condensation somehow magically penetrates the steel to get to where the powder is. Ya know, behind a tightly patched round ball or behind a bunch of tight wads both lubed and unlubed.. Then the flash hole plugged tight.....

I've been bringing mine in the house for years. Never had the gun not go bang, and quickly, when the time came to fire that load.
I suppose maybe the drive time between hunting areas and home with the gun across the backseat of the truck maybe allowed it to acclimate? But, I have my doubts.
Maybe I've just been lucky? But, I've never, ever, been known to be lucky.
Anyway, thats my experience.
Que the pitchforks and torches.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Out side locked in the truck.

 

[nhmoose]

Mine stays hanging in the garage. I am rural strangers in the yard can be held for the Pd. May take an hour or more their choice stay for the PD or die being shot waiting for them. Their choice

 

[USMC2828]

In the vehicle, cold, lock and protected. Good wipe down on the outside and a dry patch part way down the bore, in and out once. Never had a problem.

When in drop camp, we keep a small shelter for tack, packs, and misc out of the elements. Wiped down as if going in the truck and then stuff in a gun sock and left in that tent.

If it got wet in bad conditions, blow out the load, swab the bore, then dry patch it well, break down the gun and give it a good wipe down. Load it up and into the truck or tack tent.

Same. I leave mine in the truck where it’s safe, cold, and won’t accidentally be forgotten in the morning.

 

[Stykbow]

Color me lucky as well @Brokennock. Some times it comes in the house and other times it stays in the Jeep. Has always went bang.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

It varies a bit for me. If I was in rain and wet, there is a fair chance I'm firing it off at the end of the day and cleaning it well.
If not, and I'm hunting the following day, it will stay in the truck. If I'm not going to hunt for several days, I'll typically bring it in. I burn wood so the house is quite dry in the winter. I'll wipe it down, a bit of ballistol on a rag, then run a dry patch followed by a patch dampened with olive oil down the bore. I store it on my rack typically with a feather in the touch hole to show the weapon is loaded. The barrels of rifles on my rack all face an outside wall.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Outside for sure. I wrecked the barrel on my favorite unmentionable coyote rifle because I brought it inside after a -15 degree hunt and forgot to wipe the barrel after it warmed up. It pitted but still shot ok. Lost the sale value when I get too old to use it.

 

[Billy Boy]

If you return from a hunt in cold weather with a charged gun, do you leave it in an out building or unheated area to avoid condensation or do you bring it inside and wipe it down?

Leave it in the shed, condensation will kill your charge.

 

[rkg1]

Leave mine in the cold either the truck or my unheated basement entrance.

 

[user 31257]

I bring mine inside every time. It’s never been a problem.
Personally I think it’s more theoretical than actual.

 

[SciAggie]

I’ve also brought mine inside and never had an issue. A few times when I was worried about it I just pulled the ball and poured out the powder (dug it out). People don’t mention ever doing that. Pulling a STUCK ball is a pain, but pulling a normally loaded ball is a piece of cake.

 

[appalichian hunter]

A lot depends on how cold it is and how warm the area is you bring the gun into, I have seen them for lack of better words sweat when brought into a warm area.

 

[SciAggie]

A lot depends on how cold it is and how warm the area is you bring the gun into, I have seen them for lack of better words sweat when brought into a warm area.

That is true. The difference where I am is seldom a huge swing.