I have had several guns become inoperative due to cold weather. In some cases it was due to too much or the wrong type of lube. This generally was the result a quick change in temperatures, such as hunting in the pouring rain one day, taking the gun home and oiling it heavily after cleaning for prevention against missed moisture and taking the gun hunting the next day when temps have dropped dramatically or just plain experiencing temps lower than expected and gettin' caught with my pants down. Since I hunt a lot in wet(as in swamps, bogs and marshland) terrain, I tend to keep my guns lubed well. Sometimes the failures are from hunting in rain and having the temps fall dramatically during the hunt without a chance to get the moisture outta the gun before it freezes. Sometimes it comes from taking a gun from a warm house/vehicle to the cold and having condensation occur and then freeze. This usually affects the firing pin and not the action so much. I have learned thru experience, that in cold weather, one is better off leaving the gun outside to remain the same temperature as outside. I one time had a Colt 1911 fill and freeze solid with ice. Again, a situation where weather had been warm and the swamps were not frozen over yet. That day dawned clear and cold. While the water I walked thru(some was knee deep) was still warm, whatever splashed up on my pants or anything else on me froze instantly. The 1911 was on my hip and unbeknown to me was getting splashed regularly.....and yes it was completely covered by a flap type holster. Time I got back to the truck it was a frozen piece of ice....and no amount of pissing on it or sticking it under my shirt would have thawed it out. Even after a 30 minute ride back to home with the gun directly in front of the heat, it was still frozen and inoperable. Two hours later and a detail strip and it was good as new. My hunting conditions/areas are one reason I prefer stainless guns. Never have I had a revolver become inoperable because of the cold......so they get my vote.
