I hunt whitetail deer in Maine, Vermont, and Pennsylvania. Often we get significant rain during the season. I decided I wanted a rifle that I could take out in the pouring rain and not worry about it. I found an old l916 Obendorf mauser with the original barrel and a cut down military stock. Someone had installed a Lyman receiver sight and a commercial front sight. It weighed about 7 pounds even and had a black hole inside the barrel. For a hundred bucks I had just what I wanted. Since deer bed down during these rains it is possible to walk right up to them if the wind is right. Any sound is muffled until you're right on top of them at which time the will jump up and run away. Any shooting will be at close range and fast. I needed a light recoiling load so that a second shot could quickly be fired. Knowing that the lighter the bullet and the lower the powder charge, the lighter the recoil I set about searching the manuals for such a load. In "Reloading Data and Evaluations For Hunters and Shooters", published by S. A. W. Laboratories of Ohio in l990, I found that using a l50 grain bullet, you could get 2500 fps with 36.8 grains of IMR-4198, 2600 fps with 38.4 gr., 2700 with 40.1 gr. and 2800 with 41.8 grains. This was about ten grains less than using other powders. I scrubbed the barrel so that I could see some rifling and proceeded to develop a load. I ended up with 40.0 of IMR-4198 in a 23 inch barrel using either 150 grain Speer spitzers or Hornady Spire Points. It didn't seem to make any difference whose cases or primers, the load shot better than these old eyes could see at 100 yds. In the interim time period, I have found that using from 39.0 to 41.5 grains of powder, anybody's cases or primers that three different scoped 8 x 57 Mausers would shoot 1 moa or less. Recoil with the Obendorf is about l6 ft-lbs compared to 20 pounds for a typical 30-06 at 8 pounds with 180 grain bullet. Given all the old military Mauser that have shown up in the U. S. in recent years with barrels like my Obendorf, this load may be just what the doctor ordered to inexpensively restore their shooting capability.

Janus. When I hunted the rain forsets of Northwestern california, I took an old 1903 Springfield and cut the barrel back to 18.5", put a reciever sight and the old Redfield Sourdough front sight on it. (I sure wish somebody would bring that old front sight back) I loaded the 170 ggr. Sierra bullet for the 30-30 to an estimate 2400-24500 FPS and that load smack deer down like the hammer of Thor(Velocity estimete due to no chronographs being available in the mid to late 1950s.) Recoil was a lot less than standard 30-06 and that was one hell of a deer gun. I don't remember the load other than it was with H-4895.
Paul B.

I have a similar M96 Mauser in 6.5x55mm with Williams Foolproof Receiver Sight. It works very well for such conditions and shoots flat enough to use when the weather changes and the sun shines.

I think most people consider a stainless rifle for foul weather, and I would have to agree. That said, I just never seem to run onto a stainless rifle in the caliber I want. I don't know how I've managed to do it, but every rifle I own is blued and walnut. I do like the traditional look and I guess I gravitate to that type of rifle.

I've hunted with my blued rifles in the pouring down rain. I've literally poured the water out of the bore on occasion. I've taken deer in the worst weather imaginable, and never once had any trouble with rust or stock wood. I am careful to seal all my stocks carefully. That means under the recoil pad, and in the action inletting area and also the slign swivel stud holes. I use a non-scented oil during hunting season and I give the metal a coat of wax to keep it repelling water. I'd still like to have a stainless rifle and someday I'm sure I will, but for now I don't worry much about it. I think it's blown to far out of proportion.

For big foul weather I usually use a Ruger Ultra Light .308 with an old 3X Leupold scope on it. You can easily make shots in excess of 100 yards and yet be prepared for the occasional close encounter of walking up on a bedded deer.

I have a Remington SS700 with a Bushnell Elite scope with rainguard. This is the first stainless rifle Remington made with the blind magazine and mountain contour barrel. It is ugly but feels just right and is accurate. The rainguard feature of the scope is also great. All of my other rifles are blued with walnut. I also like blued steel and walnut stocks best. When the weather is REALLY crappy though it is hard to beat this rifle.

My wet weather rifle is a dirty old stainless ruger MK11 with boat paddle stock. These truly are dirty weather tools, I have leupold 3-9 on it but I would much prefer to have a 1-4 if funds permitted.

I bought an Kimber 96 in 6.5 x 55. It was the best 185 bucks I ever spent. Mine wears an old K-3 Weaver on it. For years its been my Airplane gun, I can't think of a better rain rifle or an all purpose airplane, truck and boat rifle. Shoot good too. It has the two stage military trigger. I have over the years put a lot of game on the table with it. I think its more to do with how good the Swedish 96's and the 6.5 are than what ever Kimber did with restocking. A good rain rifle can be any rifle you want for that purpose. My other Rain and Lodge Pole rifle is a 20/40 Krag, that one has fixed peep sight and I shoot nothing but 220 gr Hornaday RN's it that one. Anotber would be a 303 british.

Janus,
My rainy day rifle is an old(really old)Trapdoor Springfield 45/70 cal,with a Bushnell Holosite.
I use a 400 grain cast lead bullet with Reloader #7 powder.
I prevent rust with a piece of tape over the muzzle.
It's not stainless,but never rusts if i wipe it down at the end of the day.
Frank