Full sleeved cover while hunt'n

[Carl Fowler III]

Has any here ever used the full length rifle sleeve while hunt'n in fowl weather and if so, for flint, percussion, or both? Would like to hear the positives along with the negatives you have experienced, what material was used in the making of the sleeve as well...thanks! :v

 

[roundball]

full length rifle sleeve

I've made what I call full length "rain covers" for my Flintlocks and they've worked fine the half dozen times I've needed to use them.

Strong cotton duck outer, soft wool army blanket liner, used three aerosol cans of Kiwi Camp Dry spray silicone (tent spray), giving the outer cotton duck a soaking every few days over several weeks.

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

I use a full length buckskin gun sock in bad weather. Fringe and all!! Simple fact being, if the weather is that bad, the critters aren't likely move'n much anyway and i'll have time to "get ready", IF, one shows up. The down side is them spying movement. The upside is your gun goes off!!! Cold weather and snow are the worst for me. I get complacent in snow and end up with a pan full of the fluffy stuff. Rain/fog on the other hand keeps me on the alert and much more careful.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a sunforger gun sleeve to carry my deer rifle in to and from my stand when it is raining and leave the rifle in it part way with just the back part out and covered with a separate piece of canvas to keep the action dry. :idunno:

 

[Stumpkiller]

To get to the range if remore - yes. While hunting - never. I am ready to shoot as soon as I step out the back door and am hunting and ready to react to a jumped deer at all times. No sling. No case.

If raining or snowing (or snow in the trees) I have a cows knee in place over the (primed) lock but ready to slip off immediately.

If you can't be ready in three seconds you might as well just hunt from a stand. For grouse - make that two seconds.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Pretty much the same for me as Stumpkiller mentioned. Not a lot of grice around Bastrop but accidentally stepping in a covey of bobwhite can stop your heart and get you doing the hippity-hop trying to get the artillery up and on one of the rapidly vanishing targets!

 

[roundball]

This rain cover is open on the bottom...while walking one hand is always gripping it around the gun, muzzle with some amount of downward angle...if you see a deer, squirrel, you just let go of it and it drops right off...if on a stand across your lap, you raise the rifle up and the cover stays in you lap.

 

[Curt]

Kodiak My wife made me one of these sleves out of cotton duck lined with muslin and water proofed with beeswax.(the kind of fabric don't realy matter its the beeswax that's the important part)I don't use a tie on throng to hold it in place ,so it can come off quick. I do a lot of still huntin and I have had no problems at all with mine and I figured why not cover the whole rifle instead of just the lock. Curt

 

[Billnpatti]

Now that is a SA-WEET idea. :thumbsup: That shows some real use of the Old Think Tank. I really like what you have. Do you mind if I copy your idea and make a few for my rifles? I have several rifles of differing lengths and, if it's okay with you, I am going to make a cover for each length. Ya done good, Roundball.

 

[roundball]

Help yourself...the under side is stitched back the first 6" from the muzzle to help keep it on.
NOTE: My first one was for my 38" barreled .58cal and .62cal Early Virginia's. But when I got 42" barreled .45/.50/.54cals I had to make a longer one.

Then what I quickly learned was the longer one works on both, and that I actually preferred using one a couple extra inches longer than the butt...so you may not need or want to make specific lengths for each and every different one you have.

They have been outstanding sitting on a deer stand and a shower comes up...I'm sitting there dry in a full gore-text rain suit and the entire Flintlock is also dry as a bone under that rain cover draped over it...especially good in the spring while out Turkey hunting in light rain.

 

[Billnpatti]

I've got three plains rifles and a H&A style underhammer buggy rifle and I think one size will work for all of them but I will need a longer one for my other three rifles. As soon as we get back from Houston, I'm going to get the material and make a couple of these beautiful covers. Right now, I have a cow's knee to cover my lock in inclement weather but one of these covers will provide much better protection from the elements. Thanks for a great idea.

 

[Dave Marsh]

I use much the same thing that I got from Curt Lyles a few years back. Works great. Keep it in my back pack at all times along with a slip on sling from TOTW that I use occasionally. Two very handy items to keep on hand when you need them.

Dave

 

[roundball]

Thanks for a great idea.

To be clear, I didn't originate the idea, mine are just an improved version of something I'd seen

 

[Curt]

roundball what were the improvements that you madeon your rain covers.Curt

 

[Kapow]

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/29/1


I have been thinking about soaking one of these canvas sleeves in lanolin or something similar to make a kind of oilskin cover. More so for storage to prevent rust but it may be useful as a hunting sleeve in wet weather.

While we are on the subject does anyone have an opinion as to what type of barrel is most resistant to rust? Browned or blued? I am leaning towards browned. I live on the beach and the moisture and salt air is killing my barrels. My Lyman GPR barrels need to to be refinished now because of rust on the outside. I am soaking and storing them in Barricade but they are still copping it.

 

[Drago]

For the beach, I think brass would work best.

 

[FishDFly]

Why not use Cosmoline or RIG on your barrels?

 

[Rifleman1776]

While we are on the subject does anyone have an opinion as to what type of barrel is most resistant to rust? Browned or blued?

My guess/opinion is it doesn't make a difference. Both are already a form of rust.
A good coat, or three, of something like Johnson's paste wax is the way to go for protection.

 

[Kapow]

Cosmoline, RIG and paste wax - three things I have never heard of?

 

[longcruise]

This past Sept I spent two weeks hunting out of a tent in weather that was producing rain and or sleet about 60% of the time. I used an old gun case that was made by Browning back ??when??. It is made of what you would call oil cloth the same as an inexpensive oil cloth kitchen table cover. IOW, not actually oil but a plastic coated facbric backing. Very light and the rifle slid in easily. With that and an automotive vacuum line plug over the nipple, things stayed pretty dry. Fired, cleaned and reloaded the gun end of first week and it went off properly. Last day of hunt, same thing, went off without a hitch.

Don't know where you would find one of those cases, but you could make one pretty easily with a table cloth.

Other ideas here are excellent and superior in many ways, but the big advantage of the one I used is it is very light and absolutely water proof.