Here's my problem - a local farmer drops off his new rifle for me to sight in. I get it shooting, then give it a good cleaning. He picks it up, looks at the target, smiles, then the gun goes back in the cab of his truck, which is filled with hay dust, pollen and other airborne grit that eventually ends up inside the barrel. The gun stays in the truck 24-hours a day, except when he sees a varmint problem.

I am looking for a simple solution to keeping the stuff out of the business end - he always wants to be ready to shoot coyotes and woodchucks, so gun cases are out of the question for him.

Would the 'electrical tape over the muzzle' work in a hot truck cab? Would it eventually cause pitting/rusting on the outside of the barrel? I also thought about a small cork, but was worried about it collecting moisture and pitting the crown area. This isn't a beauty pageant, so it doesn't have to look good, as long as it works.

Any suggestions appreciated.

The military has been using condoms for this purpose (and others, I'm sure) since Desert Storm. I think the nonlubed varieties would be best and he could even choose his own color.

Put a strip of plastic electricans tape over the muzzle. Cut another strip and wind it around the barrel about 6" from the muzzle as a replacment when you shoot thru the first one. Does not affect accuracy and works so well that I keep one on my hunting rifle all the time I'm hunting. Snow, rain, sleet, dust, dirt and hay chaff are excluded.

Ever think of trying a gun case??

I would vote for the electrical tape as well.

The good thing about the condom is that if you get the extended pleasure ones (with lidocaine) your shots will go farther. ;-)

Seriously though, if I were going to leave the tape on there for a while and was worried about moisture built up under it or at the sides etc. I would find the post on here about Jack Belk's waxing the guns. Something about using a hair dryer to get the metal a bit warm and then putting regular wax like floor wax I think on them. Makes a super moisture barrier. Probably do a search on jbelk and wax on the gunsmithing threads.

Red

Back when I was 12 or so a friend of the family, an un-blood uncle so to speak, taught me to put a penny ballon over the end of the barrel. Slips on and stays on and if you need just shoot through it. I still do this to this day. Lawdog

I carry a rifle with me in the tractors and keep a glove over the muzzle and lens caps on! Lens caps are easily opened and the glove slips off extremely fast! Works for me! GHD

I like the glove idea. Has anyone tried to just roll up an ear plug and stuck it inside the barrel. Seems like that would do "the trick".

On my hunting rifles I use electrical tape, but on a varmint gun, I'd look for something re-useable. FWIW, Dutch.

At work in the first aid cabinet there are "finger sized condoms" for use when helping someone is bleeding.
it seems to me they would work great lol

Hairtrigger,

I totally forgot about those! I saw them for the first time the other day at the drugstore.

Red

I know a farmer like that. The gun stays behind the seat of his truck all the time. Duct tape to hold the broken stock together, barrel and action very loose in stock, blueing gone, rust on the outside, dust and dirt every where there is a nook or cranny to collect. His pistol is the same way. He brought the pistol to me one time because it would not fire and you would not believe the "crap" built up on and in it. Cleaned it to get it working (probably in same condition again) and he was happy. Makes me shudder at the thought, but it is just a tool to him just as a hammer or pair of pliers is, and you can not persuade him to take better care of them.

I think the tape over the muzzle and a piece around it to hold it on is the way to go.

I use duct tape instead of the light electrical stuff . It stays on better and is heavy enough so it won't wear thru if you let the muzzle ride on the floor and grind into the dirt...

Just leave a roll of it in the cab with the gun . Rip the piece off the gun when you shoot and put a new piece on when the old one won't stick any more. I've never seen any problem with corrosion from the tape gunk , but it looks like hell ...

I'll add to the post by Dago Red. Johnson's Paste Wax, the very same thing my wife uses on the hardwood floors, is excellent for use on firearms.

Pull the stock and clean the exterior of the barrelled action bone dry and oil-free. Apply the wax to all metal parts and let it dry. Don't forget the stock. That wax also works well to protect the stock from moisture in the barrel channel and action mortise, and under the recoil pad and grip cap. Buff the wax and apply additional coats until you've got sufficient protection.

The action on my 7-08 Ackley Improved is a chrome-moly Sako 591. I bought it from Jerry's/Simmons in the white several years ago, and fitted it with a stainless Shilen barrel. I originally intended to have the barrelled action coated with one of the various metal coatings available today, but to this day, it is still in the white. I've hunted several seasons in the rain and snow, and there is no sign of oxidation anywhere on the action. Johnson's Paste Wax. It's cheap and it works.

[ 08-09-2003, 19:46: Message edited by: SST ]

Electricians' tape. You just leave it on the mozzle. When you shoot, the air moving in front of the bullet pushes the tape off, and it's really easy to just keep a roll in the glove box (smaller then the "handyman's secret weapon"). FWIW - Dan

" if women don't find you handsome atleast they will find you handy! "

I've always operated under the assumption that if the air pushed ahead of the bullet will blow off a piece of tape, it'll blow the dust out of the barrel. After all, what do you use to clean the dust off of engine parts, etc? Compressed air at about 150 lb. of pressure. I think the air moving down a .220 Swift bullet at4000 fps will clear the dust out. Maybe I'm being silly, but I'd hate to show up in Africa with a condom on my barrel, no matter how rampant aids is. I sure as hell wouldn't put an earplug or cork in it and take a chance of forgetting and blowing my gun to pieces.

Many thanks for the input - I think the glove and/or electrical tape will be the easiest idea to sell to this farmer.

Wish I could sell him on a simple, easy to access gun case/cover, but I know better. He wouldn't use it, even if I bought him one!

I'll sleep a little better knowing that the inside of the barrel/action stays clean, but it's gonna be a shame watching that brand new laminated Ruger .17 HMR taking a daily beating in that truck cab.

Thanks again.