A couple of years ago a deer hunting buddy and I split up on a cold November morning to still hunt opposite sides of a ridge heavily adorned with falling acorns. Freezing sleet fell steadily throughout the morning and when a crotch-horn stepped from some brush my partner shouldered his rifle, aimed, and pulled the trigger. There was a click instead of a bang and the small buck bounded into cover and harsh words joined the harsh weather.
Two weeks ago, a trio of goose hunters shivered in their lay-out blinds as the pre-dawn temperature hovered in the high 20s. When a small flock of eight geese circled the decoys a couple of times answering our calls and then set their wings, I called the shot. I only had one clear shot and managed to tumble that bird, another shooter dropped two honkers and our third gunner fired only one of his three shells before the auto-loader jammed. Once again some very nasty expletives were uttered.
Both of these incidents, and many more similar misadventures throughout Maine during freezing weather, could be prevented with just a few minutes of proper gun care. Waterfowlers, as well as December partridge shooters, and cold weather deer, coyote and rabbit gunners need to spend a few extra minutes with a couple of special lubricating and cleaning products for firearms to be used in wet, freezing conditions.
As is often the case, frigid, miserable weather generally goes hand-in-hand with some of the season’s best hunting. Most dedicated hunters clean their guns thoroughly before each season, and while this is a good practice for mild weather, plunging temperatures, snow and sleet lead to problems. Lubricants that usually work well suddenly thicken, harden and combine with grit and powder residue to slow or completely shut down proper bolt, spring, and even firing pin function.
Most bolts and semis have two-piece bolts which separates for simple access to the firing pin and guide tract. I recommend a deep cleaning solvent called Gun Scrubber to remove all the old gunk and goo from the recessed grooves, small springs, levers, firing pin and its pass-through hole. It takes only a minor amount of friction to cause a light primer strike and no shell ignition. Martially frozen oil or debris may also keep a rifle bolt or shotgun slide from seating fully and once again even if the bolt seats, that slight recession may lead to a misfire.
Once your gun is fully cleaned it’s time to decide to hunt with it dry or apply a very light coating of certain lubricants. Rem-DriLube is a top rate silicone style dry lubricant that I’ve used with great success, While Sheath and Barricade spray cans also provide great cold weather protection with no binding, once you apply any spray lube, use a clean cloth to remove any excess.
Once afield, attempt to keep your gun from direct exposure to blowing snow, sleet and wind-blown debris. Waterfowlers have a boat, layout blind, or at least a gun case to partially protect their shotgun. Often something as simple as laying an extra glove over the gun’s action and trigger assembly does the trick. When carrying your gun attempt to keep it close to your body or a gloved hand around the action. For very wet snow or heavy rain conditions and below freezing temperatures, I always placed a small piece of tape over the bore opening to prevent ice build up inside the lands and grooves or seeping into the action.
Should you suffer the unfortunate mishap of dropping your gun in water or snow, use a dry cloth to remove as much snow as possible so it won’t melt from the warmth of your hand and refreeze affecting the safety, trigger or firing mechanism. Always, always check the muzzle and barrel for plugged snow if a gun is dropped or dragged. If possible, carry a small container of Break Free wrapped in a piece of cloth, if a gun action stiffens up, a quick spray usually rejuvenates the firearm for a few more shots. I’ve even heard of some hunters using lock de-icer under the gun’s forearm and around the bolt area in emergency situations, but I question how healthy that solvent is on a gun’s wood and metal.
When it comes to gun maintenance and proper lubrication, most often, less is better. Remember, bringing your gun from cold to warm surroundings, then back to cold is a poor practice, at least condensation, probably ice crystals are sure to form. Leave your gun in the vehicle while stopping at camp for lunch. Dismantle and wipe the gun thoroughly after it has warmed up in camp or at home for an hour or so. Pass on using lubricants if you’re going out the next day, but if it’s the last hunt of the season, use light lubricant, grease and oil in all the correct locations, wipe off all excess and store in a safe, dry location. It’s difficult enough to establish a reliable shot opportunity, don’t create further hurdles by hunting with a poorly-maintained gun.
