Sealing off a barrel

[bezoar]

when I go out with my gun im alway afraid of snow or rain going down the barrel and getting the powder wet. Is there a real good way to seal the barrel off at the projectile? Like say a thin wax disc rammed down on the ball, like some people put on a bp revolver bullet?

 

[jethro224]

My thoughts are that anything loaded over the ball would have the potential to ruin accuracy. Maybe I'm wrong?
I would think that a nice tight patch & ball combo. would do a darn fine job of sealing out anything anyway. I just keep my muzzle down when it's raining. YMMV

Try some wax discs out and let us know how they effect accuracy. :hmm:

 

[rabbit03]

I feel like you should never put anything in the barrel that could possibly become an obstruction.

Why not just carry the muzzle down in a wet situation! :thumbsup:

rabbit03

 

capulary action will sometimes draw water up into a tube, where is does become an obstruction.

A piece of duct tape across the muzzle (not in it) will seal the bore.

A rubber ballon or a latex condom will also work.

You can shoot right through the tape or rubber with no problems.

Biathalon shooters have flip up muzzle covers to keep snow out of the bore.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Drug stores used to carry finger protectors to cover injuries... think they are called finger stalls. They look sort of like a mini condom; probably less expensive.

These finger stalls might stretch over smaller barrels and like tape, etc, you can shoot through them.

 

[JiminTexas]

A strip of Scotch-tape will do the same thing and doesn't cost hardly anything.

 

[walruskid1]

i carry a roll of black electrical tape in my box. almost a never ending supply of barrel seal offs.

 

[DanChamberlain]

If you were carrying your barrel in a manner that would allow water to get into it, by having something over the projectile you would actually allow water to continue to enter the barrel. Simply not a good thing. Stop it before it enters the barrel. Carry it muzzle down or use something that will not come off. Where I hunt, tape tends to get really cold and fall off. In warmer climes that would not be a problem. Duct tape seldom comes off but leaves a sticky residue that I have to clean off. Again, not really a problem. A baloon works alright, but the owls and squirrels laugh at me!

I just carry it muzzle down. When you sling your weapon, there are ways to carry it, where the muzzle is horizontal or canted down.

Any of the above methods mentioned in this thread will work well. Putting something down bore will not.

Dan

 

[Headhunter]

I have used black electrical tape on all of my rifles and shotguns weather it is raning or not,for the last 25 years. It works great and does not hurt your accuracy.

Headhunter

 

[Mad Professor]

Of the above methods I'll 2nd (or 3rd) duct tape. I wrap a couple feet around my powder flask, comes in handy for other things too, like when my wedge pin fell out.......

 

[Homesteader]

What about a tompion? Isn't that what they're for?

 

[jethro224]

What about a tompion? Isn't that what they're for?

You mean a tampon? No, they're for tyin' to yer boot laces. Then ya put doe pee on 'em and make a scent trail. Or hang 'em in a bush for a scent bomb.
But owls, squirrels AND all of yer buddies will laugh at ya for doin' that too... :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

A tompion served the same purpose a tampon ( derived from the same root word in french) serves. They keep fluids from leaking. A tompion was usually a wooden plug, with some kind of leather, or wool felt liner that fit the muzzle of the barrel closely, and kept rain out of the barrel when the guns were stacked during the night in front of the tents. In order to be able to identify his gun at night, each soldier carved the head of his tompion his own way, so he could find it by feel.

I have one made for my fowler, and its basically a wooden clothes pin, except instead of fitting over a rope line, the split in the stick allows the stick to be steamed and opened, so that there is spring in the stick when its shoved down the muzzle to hold the tompion in the barrel firmly. That way, the tompion can be left in the barrel during marches in the rain, with the gun on a sling, muzzle-up. The tompion keeps the rain out of the barrel. It didn't do anything about moisture getting through the vent, or water getting into the pan, but at least the barrel avoilded being rusted.

My tompion is about 5 inches long, with 3 1/2 inches being the part that sticks down into the barrel. The saw cuts make two or four " wings" and I soaked them in boiling water for more than an hour, and then used knife blades to spread them out while they dried. Seal the wood with a good stock finish oil, and then use a good oil in them to help them slide into the muzzle. YOu do have to pinch the ends together to get the ends down the barrel, or at least started. Then the outward pressure of the ends holds the tompion in the barrel.

The knob that sticks out of the barrel has a leather, or felt washer to help seal the muzzle, glued to the underside of the knob. Since I don't know anyone else locally who uses a tompion, I have not felt a need to carve this one, yet.

 

[paulvallandigham]

A tompion served the same purpose a tampon ( derived from the same root word in french) serves. They keep fluids from leaking. A tompion was usually a wooden plug, with some kind of leather, or wool felt liner that fit the muzzle of the barrel closely, and kept rain out of the barrel when the guns were stacked during the night in front of the tents. In order to be able to identify his gun at night, each soldier carved the head of his tompion his own way, so he could find it by feel. I have one made for my fowler, and its basically a wooden clothes pin, except instead of fitting over a rope line, the split in the stick allows the stick to be steamed and opened, so that there is spring in the stick when its shoved down the muzzle to hold the tompion in the barrel firmly. That way, the tompion can be left in the barrel during marches in the rain, with the gun on a sling muzzle up. The tompion keeps the rail out of the barrel. It didn't do anything about moisture getting through the vent, or water getting into the pan, but at least the barrel avoilded being rusted. My tompion is about 5 inches long, with 3 1/2 inches being the part that sticks down into the barrel. I saw cut makes to or four " wings" and I soaked them in boiling water for more than an hour, and then used knife blades to spread them out while they dried. Seal the wood with a good stock finish oil, and then use a good oil in them to help them slide into the muzzle. YOu do have to pinch the ends together to get the ends down the barrel, or at least started. Then the outward pressure of the ends holds the tompion in the barrel. The knob that sticks out of the barrel has a leather, or felt washer to help seal the muzzle, glued to the underside of the knob. Since I don't know anyone else locally who uses a tompion, I have not felt a need to carve this one, yet.

I would not use a Tompion in the field to keep rain out of the barrel. They don't fit tight enough. Use plastic wrap and rubber bands, a condom, as was used by allied forces on D-Day in 1944, or a good tape. Electrician's tape does not stick very well when it gets 45 degrees or colder. At freezing, it often just falls off. I think duct tape will stick better. The air in front of the PRB will blow a hole in the tape, or blow it off the muzzle long before the ball reaches it and leaves the barrel.

 

[RonT]

Well Paul, I don't have any (for my Pedersoli SxS) now, but after that tutorial I'll have a pair shortly....thanks for the tip.
R

 

[walruskid1]

the only problem with a tompion is when you forget to remove it before you fire. would probably also remove the last few inches of the barrel (if you are lucky). i wouldn't trust myself when a 12 point walks out of the treeline. :surrender:

paul, you truely are a wealth of info. i always learn something when you post :bow:

 

[tg]

I have hunted in Western Oregon (translates to WET)for 30+ years with a ML and always keep the barrel pointed down a bit and have never had water get down the barrel enough to cause a problem, I would be much more concerned about the lock/nipple/pan which a cover or keeping tucked under a coat or cape will suffice for keeping dry.

 

[Slamfire]

The nice thing about finger stalls or miniature condoms is that the copression of the air in the barrel as the projectile travels toward the muzzle causes it to fly off, before it becomes an obstruction. Tape works the same way, and is a lot safer than a tompion. :v

 

[paulvallandigham]

I use my tompion to protect the muzzle of my fowler in the case. When the gun comes out of the case, the tompion comes out of the gun. I do not use it to keep moisture out of the barrel in the field. In a smoothie, the tompion doesn't stay put well enough to rely on it to do that job. It might work in a rifled barrel, but it doesn't in my smoothbore. I would have to glue on some suede leather patches to the bottom of the tompion to get them to stay in the barrel without moving. Even then, you would have to check the gun frequently. Its just not worth the chance of loosing the darn thing, so it does duty in my gun closet. There it works quite well.

Certain compliments only remind me how much junk I have cluttering my thoughts. But, that is the price of living an eclectic life. At least its not been boring.

 

[walruskid1]

i am a font of useless trivia. at least i entertain myself. :youcrazy: