deer rifle question

I try and leave mine in "cold storage"....saves on the sweating/wiping down, etc. I only bring it in if it has gotten wet or snowy during the day.

+1

Much less condensation & potential rust / stock warpage to contend with if you just leave it out in the cold until the hunting trip is over and you can clean it properly.

A long as your rifle is coated in a nice thin layer of some kind of oil the little bit of condensation that forms shouldn't do any damage as long as its allowed to dry off. I've found the padded soft cases hold in the moisture too much and dont allow it to dry fast enough and you start to get that light surface rust. A gun sock breathes better and your gun will dry out while still being legaly encased at the end of the day. A silicon impregnated one would probablly be even better. I dont think anyone's going to laugh at you, there's no shame in asking questions. I have never even though of leaving the rifle out in the truck, but while at camp I like to have it close by.

After a day of hunting in the cold Michigan north, is it better to bring your rifle inside the warm cabin at night, or leave it locked in the truck so in the morning, it's the same temperature as the hunting environment the next day?

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Absolutely that second thing.

I'd leave it outside. You'll feel more hardcore that way.

Or, bring it in for a disassembly and cleaning. That will make you feel hardcore too.

People have problems when they never clean or lube their guns and just take them in and lean them up in the corner in their hurry to eat or have a few drinks.

Leave it locked in the truck.

i use corrosion-x on mine, a Vanguard 270 in a Hogue stock so it really doesn't matter. for a blued gun it is truly all weather with the protection the corrosion-x provides.

When i lived back in PA, we had an enclosed lockable porch on our hunting camp that had enough rack space for 20 guns. Always left the guns out there to avoid the sweat issue. that said, truck would be good too IMO. I actually still keep my rifle in the garage during hunting season for the same reasoning, even tho humidity tends to be very low here in MT, not sure it matters, just one of those things that was bred into me as a kid i guess.

leave it in the truck

Based on my own Michigan hunting experiences, I suggest one of three options:

1) buy stainless
2) leave it in consistent temperatures
or
3) coat it well in Rig Grease (externally).

Re: the bore, I have never had issues with rust. For my own Weatherby Mark V in .300 Win Mag, and my Weatherby Vanguard in .270 Win (see post #14, picture #5: http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5080195#post5080195), I use generous amounts of Rig Grease.

Best of luck...had a great Michigan season.

Doc2005

what we did last year when we stayed overnight at the hunting camp...brought the rifles inside with us overnight & we put them outside on the porch when we first woke up; that gave the optics @ 1 hour to get cold & avoid fogging up; another idea is to get some antifog stuff & put it on the glass before hunting season starts; locked inside your vehicle (if you feel that they won't get stolen) is another way to do it