Shooting in the rain

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Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 05 Jul 2019, 4:53 pm

What are peeps doing when stalking in the rain ? Nothing - let rain drops into barrel, any pressure increase will be minor? Tape across the muzzle ? - does this change poi?
Other ?
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by bladeracer » 05 Jul 2019, 5:52 pm

TassieTiger wrote:What are peeps doing when stalking in the rain ? Nothing - let rain drops into barrel, any pressure increase will be minor? Tape across the muzzle ? - does this change poi?
Other ?


I carry muzzle down, wet or dry, on a single-point sling so the rifle is hanging from my shoulders not my arms.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by No1Mk3 » 05 Jul 2019, 5:57 pm

Rain in the muzzle is no issue at all, I have swum rivers, fallen out of kayaks, etc and in heavy inundations shake the rifle and shoot., Cheers.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Blr243 » 05 Jul 2019, 6:08 pm

Tape I love the rain. Quiet stalking on otherwise dry leaves ...increased pig activity. Easier tracking .....and hot soup and coffee afterwards back at camp .....do it ! //// tapeing each shot at the range prior to the hunt will confirm if there is a poi problem
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Oldbloke » 05 Jul 2019, 6:08 pm

Tape.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Noisydad » 05 Jul 2019, 6:42 pm

How are you gunna keep your powder dry if go shootin in the rain?
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by JimTom » 05 Jul 2019, 6:59 pm

I have fired military rifles straight after climbing out of mud, water etc, with no problems at all.
Can’t say I’d do that with my own rifles though. I am fairly particular and carry muzzle down.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 05 Jul 2019, 9:07 pm

Some of the hunting shows I watch, they tape the crap out of the muzzle - and swear this does nothing to the POI.....
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Bent Arrow » 05 Jul 2019, 9:23 pm

Tape. Keeps crap out of the barrel.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by on_one_wheel » 05 Jul 2019, 9:28 pm

Noisydad wrote:How are you gunna keep your powder dry if go shootin in the rain?


With a great big hat.

Shooting in the rain ... isn't that an old song ?
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Wombat » 05 Jul 2019, 10:00 pm

Water bomb balloons.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Oldbloke » 05 Jul 2019, 10:16 pm

Tape or balloons dont effect poa. The air in front of the bullet blows it out.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by flashman » 06 Jul 2019, 9:23 am

The trick is don't get wet.......... :lol:
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Wm.Traynor » 06 Jul 2019, 4:57 pm

Oldbloke wrote:Tape or balloons dont effect poa. The air in front of the bullet blows it out.

Oldbloke is correct. I have shot a lot of pigs with a taped muzzle. Any misses were a result of me-too-slow and piggy-too-quick :)
BTW, I used to carry my rifle upside-down in rain. That is, slung over the shoulder horizontally with the underside (floor plate side) of the rifle uppermost. In theory that kept the rain off the bedding.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by xDom » 06 Jul 2019, 6:11 pm

If rain does get down the barrel what’s the concern? that it’s not good for it or that it stuffs your shot?
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Member-Deleted » 06 Jul 2019, 6:52 pm

Water doesn't affect the barrel or accuracy ''Rambo'' done it all the time didn't affect his accuracy even off the hip but now the serious part I've been caught out in many heavy down pours in my time and never noticed a change in accuracy or damage to the rifle providing it's cleaned and oiled properly before too long and being stored away the main problem was the scope lenses getting grubby and water covered making it harder to see what you're trying to shoot when I got home I got a sqeegy bottle full of metho and sprayed the lenses clean being careful not to scratch the lenses then the worst problem is the wet if it's cold as well :thumbsup:
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Oldbloke » 07 Jul 2019, 7:45 am

I would imagine that if a few drops of water was in the barrel it would simply be blown out with the air in front of the bullet. Its viscosity is very low compared with most oils.

Oil in the barrel can of course cause a bulge because its too thick to move out in front of the bullet.

I use tape to keep mud and crap out.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by sungazer » 07 Jul 2019, 1:31 pm

it has been said that water or oil from a previous clean in the barrel could cause barrel bulge as it is not compressible. That is why you here so much about a clean dry barrel and to do a dry patch before shooting.

As long as that is done a dry patch out the gun can be submerged the wood stock is also not going to get damaged by even a lot of rain. Most stocks today are finished with a thick poly urethane, even true oil poly urethane in it to seal and give a harder surface. Guns that are just oiled also have no damage by short underwater excursions.

Water on cases or in the chamber can also be a problem so keep it out.

I would go with the small water bomb balloons as others have said.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 07 Jul 2019, 4:14 pm

Hydraulic lock has been my concern as well as poi change...your walking for miles, barrel pointed to sky via strap, quickly pull it over for a shot and wager could be in breech, barrel, action, wherever...
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Oldbloke » 07 Jul 2019, 7:34 pm

But realisticly just how much would get down the barrel, barring torrential downpour?
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 07 Jul 2019, 7:37 pm

Oldbloke wrote:But realisticly just how much would get down the barrel, barring torrential downpour?


Theoretically - it doesn’t take very much to hydro lock anything, and humongous forces can result.
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Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
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Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Stix » 07 Jul 2019, 9:03 pm

G'day Tas...
Firstly, sorry but i havnt read the entire thread...

I havnt done much walking the woods as compared to many of you other blokes...but have done a bit...

In more recent years ive tried the duct tape over barrel practice.
Not only for the walk-about routine, but also & mostly because the most shooting i do is at night from the car with a spotlight; & i rest my rifles muzzle down on passanger seat, which causes some scratching on the end of barrels... (actually the end of the barrel of my old brno 22 looks a highly polished steel ring surrounded by old 70's gun blue at the muzzle from this...i rekon im going to start a new muzzle look trend... :lol: )

Ive made a point of looking at the tape after shots & have often noticed the tape appears to have been blown off from pressure within the barrel .

Ive had to google the 'hydro lock' you mention, & i dont think a small peoce of duct tape will ever be able to cause grief in the form of hydro lock from stopping air infront of a bullet blowing out a barrel at 40 plus thousand psi of pressure...granted the pressure at the muzzle prob wont be the same as at the chamber, but still, the average car tyre is running 32 psi & duct tape wont fix a tear in the side wall.
Oil & other contaminents i wouldnt know & wouldnt risk it...

Personally, im a muzzle up guy...easier to manage the weight of rifle, easier to guide the barrel through shrubbery, less risk of suddenly slamming the crown into the ground or a rock when your feet disapear out from under you trying to work your way down that rocky or slippery slope...

Id rather my crown brush past heaps of sticks, than slam into the dirt once...

As for poi shift...are we all shooting animals, or are we shooting the rouge pubic hair poking out the forskin off a juvenile field mouse at 476 yds...?...
It wouldnt be hard to figure that out...a few groups into paper with & without tape over muzzle will give the answer, & ive not noticed a difference on fur in the field... :drinks:

(Got my first Fallow this morning...YAY...!!!)
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 08 Jul 2019, 6:31 am

Morning Stix, congrats on the fallow!!! Bet you enjoyed that one !!

When I did my small engine course at tafe a couple decDes ago - the teacher bought in a Holden red202 piston that was cracked in half. He told the class it was from a hydro lock with an estimated 50mls of water being in with some petrol at start up. He was proving to us the dangers of non compressible liquids and it has stuck with me.

How much water can fall into a barrel from rain over a couple hours on foot ? I really don’t know - but if I squirted even a minute 5mls in the barrel, left it for 10 mins, would you be happy to put you face near the breach knowing the pressures? I’m not sure thus the question.

Think I’ll try the tape grouping for piece of mind and see how it goes.
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by bladeracer » 08 Jul 2019, 10:27 am

Stix wrote:Ive had to google the 'hydro lock' you mention, & i dont think a small peoce of duct tape will ever be able to cause grief in the form of hydro lock from stopping air infront of a bullet blowing out a barrel at 40 plus thousand psi of pressure...


Hydraulic lock by definition involves liquids, not air.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by bladeracer » 08 Jul 2019, 10:31 am

TassieTiger wrote:Morning Stix, congrats on the fallow!!! Bet you enjoyed that one !!

When I did my small engine course at tafe a couple decDes ago - the teacher bought in a Holden red202 piston that was cracked in half. He told the class it was from a hydro lock with an estimated 50mls of water being in with some petrol at start up. He was proving to us the dangers of non compressible liquids and it has stuck with me.

How much water can fall into a barrel from rain over a couple hours on foot ? I really don’t know - but if I squirted even a minute 5mls in the barrel, left it for 10 mins, would you be happy to put you face near the breach knowing the pressures? I’m not sure thus the question.

Think I’ll try the tape grouping for piece of mind and see how it goes.


If the liquid has run right down to the bullet, then it would merely increase the mass of the bullet, it might rupture the case perhaps, but won't have any effect on the barrel. The greater the distance between the bullet and the blockage, the greater the pressure.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by marksman » 08 Jul 2019, 10:43 am

it is a concern and only needs a bubble to happen
the biggest concern to think about is how much water went in :unknown:
its no different than over oiling and not patching the oil out will cause erratic groups as well as barrel bulge or safety concerns
in a shot gun you can blow the barrel
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I have watched a demonstration by belgian armourers who put fn scars in wheelie bins of water took them out gave them a shake and fired them
but that does not mean I will soak my rifle in water then shoot it

the tape idea is for litter that will stop obstructions but would work for a bit of rain


forgot to add goodonya Stix :thumbsup: :drinks: :drinks: :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Stix » 08 Jul 2019, 12:00 pm

I understand the concerns Tas...

But a internal combust engine & a rifle are 2 very diff things....

Essentially the confined energy will take the path of least resistance...in the case of that engine, id guess it was run with vslves well bedded & no corrosion etc, so the piston was the easyiest way to the vented crank case...

Imagine the damage if it was a ford engine.. :? .instead of being rebuilt it'd be on the scrap heap...!!


But i doubt youd get much water down a barrel, & then i doubt that amount of water would have enough surface tension & innertia to be enough to increase chamber pressures to be so high & stronger than the bolt lugs & action walls etc.
Im with OldBloke & believe any water would be blown out muzzle ahead of bullet...BUT...that doesnt change my opinion of a bit of the good ol' duct tape...i always carry 3 rolls & a pack of zip ties in my car...!!

So...if concerned, do as youre gonna & go the tape.....or you could give up hunting & send your guns to us other good fellows on here... :D

Cut a longer than ness bit so after the first shot you can unpeel it & move it over one way...then the other...
Yes im lazy...

Id be interested to see results of groups with tape...
Switch it up a bit...do some where the shot in middle of group is taped...try at 200 where poi shifts will be more noticable...etc etc...

You can be the official Enough Gun duct tape grouping myth busting science professor...
2019-07-08 11.19.51.jpg
Why is it so...?
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by TassieTiger » 08 Jul 2019, 12:19 pm

Cmon man, my private pics between you and me - weren’t meant for public dissemination...
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by on_one_wheel » 08 Jul 2019, 1:39 pm

I'd eat my hat if anyone could notice a poi change when placing a piece of tape on the muzzle in a hunting situation, and I'll be almost as surprised if a good shooter could measure the difference from a bench at hunting distances.

The old tape on the muzzle trick is a well accepted practice worldwide to prevent snow, rain and mud from getting into the barrel.

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I were to head out in the rain.
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Re: Shooting in the rain

Post by Stix » 08 Jul 2019, 2:06 pm

I missed some posts here... :oops:

bladeracer wrote:
Stix wrote:Ive had to google the 'hydro lock' you mention, & i dont think a small peoce of duct tape will ever be able to cause grief in the form of hydro lock from stopping air infront of a bullet blowing out a barrel at 40 plus thousand psi of pressure...


Hydraulic lock by definition involves liquids, not air.


:thumbsup: Yes youre right & i get that...i guess i was trying to say i dont think the receiver would blow up even with a drop of water in it & tape over the barrel...i still think it would blow out the muzzle...
But again im not advocating giving it a go...

No shotguns fired into pools of water here...


Marksman...its a shame there wasnt another camera pointed at all those guys faces above the water when that shotgun exploded...some serious WTF expressions along with a little leakage im sure...!!
An extreme example, but a good one none the less... :thumbsup:

And thanks Marksman... :)


TassieTiger wrote:Cmon man, my private pics between you and me - weren’t meant for public dissemination...


So what about the ones in the nurses uniform...??...same deal... :unknown:
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