Exposed guns and rain?

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kd7nqb

Member
Joined
May 1, 2006
Messages
2,207
Location
Puyallup Washington
So, lately as Oregon has entered its normal weather pattern of rain interrupted with moments of showers. A gun related thought has dawned on me,

There are all sorts of people who open carry for one reason or the other, Bike Patrol Security officers, LEO's, even regular joes who open carry. At some point their gun will get wet, especially since most of the LEO's out here have short duty jackets that leave their duty belt accessible. Assuming that your gun is properly maintained would this rain be a significant threat to reliability? If so how would one prevent reliability issues?

I assume a light coat of oil and a good wipe down at the end of the day is the minimum you should do but anything more?
 
Of course there is stainless steel and polymer, but I don't particularly like either.

A conventional firearm (handgun, rifle or shotgun) can be protected by one or two coats of a good quality automobile wax. Coat both metal and wood. You have excellent protection and it's dry to the touch.
 
Military has dealt with weather for a long time. I do what they do. Light coat of quality stuff CLP. and wipe dry and clean as soon as possible.
 
OUCH, I feel dump. I carry a poly pistol with a stainless slide, as do most LEO's.

I feel pretty bad for not thinking of our boys (and ladies) overseas, this actually bugs me that I didnt think of them. I guess when it comes to guns I separate out us civilians and military personnel in my brain.
 
I've taken my Smith M60 with me backpacking in the rain several time, and it wasn't fazed one bit. I gave it a routine cleaning and rub-down with Breakfree CLP when I got home, and it's been fine for 20 years.

I got caught out in the rain once with my blue-steel Smith M35 while squirrel hunting, and couldn't wait to get home soon enough (I was only 2hrs away). Same routine, routine cleaning and a rubdown with some Birchwood-Casey Sheath. It's been fine ever since. Still, I'm more paranoid about my blue-steel guns in the rain than the stainless-steel one.
 
My sidearm gets wet sometimes. I have been using Eez-Ox as corrosion protection. I have been very happy with the results, no rust, no corrosion, even after salt water immersion.
 
If there is no wear on blueing the gun should be okay in rain.
I remember that when I was in the army and our rifles were
soaking wet or covered in snow they only rusted in the parts where the blueing was weared away. Insides of the barrel are a different thing, but
rainwater seldom gets there.
 
I dont trust my 870's finish, I left it in an open garage (sitting on its case) at night for maybe 3 or 4 hours, when I came and got it, rust was beginning to form. It didnt get wet, it was just a very humid night.
 
+1 on the military dealing with weather. What about all those WWII Garands, Thompsons and 1911s? They were wet from salt water and snow, frozen, rarely cleaned, and even had wood on them. Beat to hell. Many are still around and doing just fine.

If a 60+ year old rifle or pistol can take a beating in a war and survive, I think a cops Glock or Sig, or my carry piece, will be just fine. Yeah? ;)


-T.
 
I am from Florida and now live in Arizona. During my 10 years in the Corps I spent a couple of those years in Vietnam with the 3rd Marine Division.

My point is I am very familiar to wet weapons. Good maintenance will solve all your problems. Stainless is easier but can still rust, Chrome being the best.

I prefer blue steel. I now call Arizona home, although the humidity is very low, when Carrying my Colt Gunsite Pistol, Government, blue steel in my Milt Sparks VMII, I find the humidity next to my fat belly to be rather high and in contact with my very caustic sweat I often have to clean my pistol every night in the summer. My sweat can cause plastic glasses to turn colors and deteriorate.

I don't find cleaning my fighting weapons every day to be a problem. Only takes about 5 minutes.

Good maintenance is the key. Then it don't matter where or how you carry or how you use your weapons.

Just take it from a former Marine DI, Clean them EVERY TIME you use them. That is what every professional does.

go figure.

Fred
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top