Cold weather and your rifle

[Darksith]

Is it recommended to do anything to your rifle if hunting in extreme cold? Do we need to degrease it or anything? Any tips/tricks or suggestions?

[TPK]

DON'T bring it in to the tent/trailer/camper or what ever you are staying in. Leave it in the cold for the duration of your hunt. Heating and cooling can cause problems like fogged glass, moisture from condensation freezing up things like the safety. Wipe it down with a dry cloth an then some light gun oil, run a lightly oiled patch through the bore at night and a dry one in the morning before you go out. Use a finger cot or similar on the muzzle if it's snowing or you're walking through bush and have snow (or heavy frost and ice crystals) falling on you.

[Sofa King]

the only main things I do are, put some plastic over the barrel and fasten with a rubber band to keep snow and dirt out, and leave the gun in the truck if staying in a camper/tent at night.

[BRvalley]

i had my trigger freeze up on me last year with a moose in my scope, the safety pushed to off position but trigger wouldn't budge...I had to rechamber a round and then it fired....would condensation have caused this? it was -25 to -27 that day

the rifle was on my shoulder while hiking, was never set down in snow....wasn't sure what happened there?

[Gun Dog]

I leave mine outside for the duration plus a little piece of tape over the end to keep water/snow/dirt out of the barrel.

[SHACK]

Your trigger group should not be oiled or lubbed, I use brake cleaner or lighter fluid to clean it and thats it. You may havehad some water freeze up in your trigger though.
The question about extream cold is simply answered with, common sense. If your rifle is blue, stainless, synthetic, wood, etc. are all considerations, but not too much except the abovementioned.

[Darksith]

thanks guys, good tips on leaving it in the cold. Will be camping in the end of january for the bison hunt.

[Ry151]

When I was on my bison hunt last year I remove all the oil and grease. Than relubed it with g96 because its good for really cold temps. Also when your on sleds they kick up really fine snow mist so I kept my rifle in a soft shell case from wallmart with a shoulder strap, Worked great. I now have bought a cover from http://predatormax.com/ just to save a bit on weight.

[wildcatter]

I like that gun cover and yeah there are several gun lubes that don't freeze.

[hunter1947]

I don't do nothing to my rifle in the cold I have a very sloppy mouser action and have never had any problems with my rifle in the cold :)..

[goatdancer]

Don't use WD-40 on it.