The effects of humidity

[Turtle Creek]

Gents/Ladies.
Went shooting today and could not believe the difference in loading my rifle.
Normally the humidity here is in the teens, you don't even sweat it wicks away so quickly.
This week the 'monsoons' started (intermittent downpours) and the humidity is in the high 60' percentile.
I just kept loading and shooting, on the 5th-6th round it'd get a tad tight in the last few inches but was manageable. I swiped about then.
On a 'normal' day 2 rounds in a row is hammer time the fouling dries so fast.
That must have made fighting in the SW with muzzleloaders a different experience than out east. After 2 rounds with a rifle you need to pound on the stick to home the round.
I found it interesting and something I'd not anticipated.

 

[BrownBear]

I found it interesting and something I'd not anticipated.

Lotta discussing and cussing of fouling and lubes on here over the years, some guys just absolutely sure they've found the holy grail, and anyone who disagrees is just plain wrong, if not stupid.

But you nailed it, at least as far as I've seen shooting in different climates. Humidity changes how the fouling behaves, and the perfect combo for wet likely is going to stink in dry, and the reverse.

Bottom line, a guy has to find what works in his particular climate, or season, or day of the week. And even how long you wait between shooting and reloading.

Kinda curious if you're using a grease lube in your dry season. Even here in our wet climate, that's what I have to go to for long strings of shots spread out over hours, as in snowshoe hare hunting. Slobber patches are fine on the range, but leave me pretty high and dry in the fouling department with lots of shooting spread out over a day, even here in a wet climate.

 

[Stophel]

I've never seen humidity in the teens... Must be nice!!!

65% humidity is normal, every day Kentucky summer weather. It may make shooting easier, but it also rusts steel with abandon, swells wood, and soaks you dripping wet. I'll trade!

 

[kurts]

if you don't mind taking the chance of blowing your brains out, BLOW DOWN THE BARREL AFTER YOU FIRE THE GUN, helps to soften the crud.

 

[bpd303]

One of the reasons the old timers would "blow down the barrel". The moisture in the breath softens fouling. Oops cub42 beat me to it. :hatsoff:

 

[Turtle Creek]

Not sure that 'blowing' deal would work here. On a hot day it's a hundred or so with humidity in the teens....spray paint will dry enroute to the surface you are painting and fall off.
What I found worked best for me is a spit patch...it is easier to load than a wonder patch or oiled patch...prob just because of the water moisture.
I'm guessing this issue exists everywhere, maybe in lesser degrees, but a seasonal patch lube change might be a good try.

 

[azmntman]

I don't know about KY but being from Indiana myself, I recall in visiting relatives they only have one good week of weather a year....I haven't been there yet?

IN AZ the shade works! AND we can get by by swabbing and no sweat, I think I'll stay.

 

[M. De Land]

The best all humidity and temperature patch lube I have found to date is cold weather windshield wash fluid.
Water,soap and alcohol, all good BP fouling busters. Mike D.

 

[tenngun]

I grew up in New mexico, went in to the navy was in san diago and got out and traped over a winter in wyoming. Trecked in colorado and utah. The dry weather and low humidy coupled to give few misfires and easy loading. The guns were easy to clean. Then 30 years ago I moved to Arkansas and had to relearn how to keep a flinter going. Humidy +BP ash=mud.
I had heard of cleaning between shots, never knew why it was done till I moved to the ozarks. Never knew why people complained of cleaning till I moved to the ozarks.
I have read about guns lost in the mohavie, or death valley that had barly a speck of rust on them, while putting an uncleaned gun in the closet over night will make a gun look like it was dipped in a browning solution. Using Wakegon bay tru-brown It would take me 2 weeks to brown a barrel out west, three or four days in arkansas.

 

[Turtle Creek]

That's the opposite of my experience.
Loaded easier in the high humidity as the fowling was 'wet'.
In the dry of humidity in the teens it is tough as that fowling turns to cake like right now.
I agree on the rust part tho...that's why all the airlines/military have their aircraft graveyards here

 

[Turtle Creek]

I'll try that out....I'm enjoying the experimental process of this.
If that doesn't work I've a dog that is a real licker...he could wet a Regiment of patches just running down the line.

 

[longcruise]

I recollect from Bill Knight's bp musing that humidity under 30% was a game changer. Most of my shooting is in pretty low humidity so a wet lube or wiping between shots has become a habit.

 

[Turtle Creek]

I'm doing about the same...don't think there is a 'silver bullet' for humidity as low as it gets here especially combined with the heat.
Maybe winter shooting (what we call winter where you rarely put on a coat) will be a tad different.

 

[wpjson]

Another thing you might want to keep in mind about humidity is elevation matters as well. The thin air up here around 5600 feet holds less moisture. 100% here is not the same as 100% at sea level.

 

[Dphar]

I've never seen humidity in the teens... Must be nice!!!

65% humidity is normal, every day Kentucky summer weather. It may make shooting easier, but it also rusts steel with abandon, swells wood, and soaks you dripping wet. I'll trade!

The teens? Sometimes we see single digits.
Its in the 20s right now but they are calling for showers.
Dan

 

[Loyalist Dave]

AND then there's the problem with keeping the curls on one's wig tight so they don't droop down into your sighting eye....

..., you guys don't shoot wearing a proper wig?...

:idunno:

LD

 

[Billnpatti]

65% humidity is nothing. When we lived on the Texas coast 80% humidity was considered a dry day. Most days in the summer the humidity was so high that you could scoop it out of the air with a tea cup. :haha:

 

[larry wv]

100% is common here along the Ohio river. About the only place I have sweat as much was Vietnam. Larry

 

[azmntman]

Couldn't take it :shocked2: . Now I don't mind sweating....not a wimp or anything....just firmly believe I should be working hard if sweating! :grin:

 

[Mickc01]

if you don't mind taking the chance of blowing your brains out, BLOW DOWN THE BARREL AFTER YOU FIRE THE GUN, helps to soften the crud.

Kinda hard to bow your brains out with an empty gun. Been blowin down the barrel for years and it does seem to help with loading...Mick