Author Topic: what's your bad/cold weather rifle? (Read 3297 times)

351 power · « **on:** February 02, 2011, 12:23:29 AM »

what is it and why did you choose it?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2011, 12:41:41 AM »

Currently its a H&R synthetic stocked 45-70 with peep sites. (Deer hunting)

Easy take down for cleaning after wards and inexpensive from the get go. Very accurate and plenty powerful.
My friend refers to it a "Sum-good-gun".

CW

oberhaz · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2011, 12:57:40 AM »

I have a Tikka T3 lite stainless. It's a .308. I settled on it because I like the way it fits, it's light & .308 ammo is easy to come by. Lastly, it was all I could afford. In fact, it is my only deer gun.

kynardsj · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2011, 01:52:51 AM »

Any of my stainless Encores. 308 or 500 S&W mag.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2011, 02:19:36 AM »

Remington 870 w/rifle sights. Why, well if its cold and wet I will have on alot of clothes , here fog is a problem so a scope can be a problem, this gun is of little value compared to a nice rifle, its easy to get on target with buck shot with cold hands and why mess up a nice rifle ? Then also there is the old 30-30 !

crash87 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2011, 03:31:40 AM »

Remington 700 Stainless synthetic, !st year production, Have since changed from the ADL configuration to BDL. Just like the floorplates, I guess.. 7mm Remington Mag, Leupold scope. Why?, SS/Syn, never has changed POI at anytime, weather resistant, and I guess all the other things that go along with the 2 materials. Has never let me down from British Columbia to South Africa. ( I did not use it in the RSA however, it was a back up to my 300.) Oh yea, It is very accurate with the 2 loads I now shoot through it, 160 Sierras at magnum velocity's and a 7X57 equivalent Deer load.

Crash87

jlchucker · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2011, 03:57:08 AM »

Any one of my iron-sighted leverguns, but usually my Marlin 45-70. Why? Dunno. Maybe because it's what I take most of the time anyhow. What I leave at home on those crappy days when its snowing, raining, or both is a scoped gun. I don't want to lug the extra weight and I don't really care to bother with scope covers. Where I hunt I won't be shooting far enough to need a scope anyhow.

Old Grizz · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:49:15 AM »

Mine is a Savage model 111 in 30-06 with a Banner 3-9x40 scope on it.

vabowhntr · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:58:38 AM »

Mine is a 700 ss/syn in 7mm-08. It was fairly cheap, shoots really small groups and always holds a zero. I also have a handi rifle in 243 that I was going to use, but in bad weather I don't get as good a blood trails. I was thinking about getting a 45-70 for it instead.

351 power · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2011, 07:38:53 AM »

interesting split between ss/syn and old/cheap. i have an old p-14 with peep sites that is not too affected by weather. would like to use stevens 200 .223 for smaller stuff but it only has scope so probably try to stick with irons on a .22

HogFan · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2011, 09:18:37 AM »

Mine is a Savage 116 .30-06 with a Bushnell Elite 3200 scope on it. I even carry on some days the weather is good! I've yet to shoot a deer with it though, but I did miss one with it this Thanksgiving.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2011, 01:14:03 AM »

stainless model 7 rem in 308. Handy gun in a caliber that will take care of about anything. Its usually packed in all my hunting trips.

the jigger · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2011, 03:51:03 AM »

Mine is a Savage 10 250/3000 Parkerized in a B&C Carbelite stock with Nikon scope.
I don't care for stainless.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

drdougrx · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2011, 04:13:13 AM »

Stainless Sako Finnlite in 06 with a leupi VX-III 3.5 x 10 scope....same reasons as above.....

M700 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2011, 06:01:47 AM »

I just figure on bad weather while I'm hunting. Enjoy the nice, clear, sunny days when they happen. Doesn't really matter to me which of my rifles I carry, none of them have melted in the rain or frozen in the snow. I'll put a piece of tape over the muzzle to keep out water, and at the end of the day I'll wipe down the metal with an oily rag. No problem.

Mostly I hunt central Washington, in the Cascade Mtns. Time to time I make a trip to Wyoming for mule deer or elk. If I hunted more often somewhere like the Olympic Peninsula, where rainfall is measured in feet, not inches, or SE Alaska, or coastal British Columbia, I might be more interested in a stainless/synthetic rifle. Otherwise each of my rifles have handled the bad weather that they're exposed to year after year. No big deal.

I do have one rifle with a laminated stock, two with synthetic stocks, and a couple of the rifles have stainless steel barrels, but I'll happily hunt in rain & snow with my walnut & blue steel rifles too.

Regards, Guy

mudstud · « **Reply #15 on:** February 05, 2011, 05:08:09 AM »

A stainless synthetic Model 70 Classic All-Terrain 7mmRM, currently wearing a VX3 3.5-10x40 CDS. Been hunting this rifle since back in the 90's. It is my sunny/warm weather rifle as well.

Works for me.

Slowpoke Slim · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2011, 06:47:48 AM »

Mine is whatever rifle I'm carrying when it happens to be bad/cold weather. All of my big game rifles are wood stocked with blued steel. I've had them in every kind of weather from -20 to 120 degrees, downpour rain, and whiteout blizzards. Never any kind of problems, ever.

I also hunt with them when it's clear, warm, and sunny out.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2011, 06:51:02 AM »

Wet weather I normally use my M77 stainless/syn .243 or M70 30-06 stainless classic laminated. Cold weather is not a reasson for me to not use a blued walnut rifle.

Will_C · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2011, 01:03:25 PM »

Browning A-bolt Stainless Stalker .30-06, with a Leupold 3-9. My only stainless synthetic gun-in a caliber that will work for anything.

Will

charles p · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2011, 01:23:22 PM »

I would probably turn to a 7mm-08 or .308 in a synthetic Remington model 7. I use both.

Only cold weather problem I ever had was one day when the weather was well below freezing, yet it was raining. I took a Remington Classic from my truck and entered a covered box stand. When a shot opportunity arose, my firing pin was frozen inside the bolt. The hammer would strike it but it would not budge. Later I stirred the bolt in a solution of very hot water and degreaser. All the oil and grease inside the bolt floated to the top. I poured off the greasy skim them removed the bolt, which quickly dried because it was very hot. I lubed it with graphite for the remainder of the season, then used RemOil thereafter. No problems since. I have used this procedure with fresh water casting reels for many years. Works like a charm.

I think condensation formed on the cold rifle when the heat inside the truck contacted the rifle, then when I exited the truck, the condensation froze the pin inside the bolt. A combination of cold weather and high humidity caused the problem.

Halwg · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2011, 02:12:21 PM »

Remington 760 pump in 30-06. It's been in every kind of nasty weather you can think of in the 35 years I have owned it. It has the Remington "bowling pin" finish and it can withstand just about anything. The gun still looks presentable after all these years. It's had an older (70's version) Bushnell Banner on it, and it's never failed to take deer.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2011, 02:22:26 PM »

.200 Win Mag on top
.30-06 on bottom

Last November...

351 power · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2011, 02:59:13 PM »

i have a bees wax product that i put in the barrel chanel and inletted action area of the wood stocks that seems to seal anything that may not have been protected before

Swampman · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2011, 03:26:46 PM »

I use the same rifle for all weather. A Remington 700 in .30-06 because it shoots 1/2 dime sized groups with several different types of factory ammo.

bigbird09 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 05, 2011, 04:02:28 PM »

Coyote hunter,
What is the purpose of the blue tape on the barrel?

Levi

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:04:59 AM »

Quote from: bigbird09 on February 05, 2011, 04:02:28 PM

Coyote hunter,
What is the purpose of the blue tape on the barrel?

Levi

A couple wraps of blue tape around the barrel tune the harmonics of the barrel, cut the group size in half and add 200fps to the bullet. That, plus it makes the rifle and bearer invisible to the elk...

Seriously, I peel an inch or so off and cover the muzzle when it is raining or snowing or the trees are dripping. Keeps stuff out of the barrel. The hardest stalk I ever did included 5-1/2 to 6 hours of watching and waiting and a final crawl of 100 yards on my back, head first, through sage and cactus and about 3” of fresh snow. When I sat up to take the shot I got snow in the barrel. By the time I got it cleared with sage twigs and a small piece of paper towel from my pocket, shooting light was almost over and the elk had started to move again. Had just a few seconds to pick my shot and take it. Things could have been worse, as I got a nice 6x5, but a little tape would have been a big help. I’ve taped the barrels ever since when conditions suggested doing so. The tape blows off without affecting accuracy, or so I’m told, but I fold the end over so I have something I can easily grab and take it off before the shot. Masking tape adheres much better in the cold than electricians tape, which I used to use, and the blue is more visible than the tan.

animal · « **Reply #26 on:** February 21, 2011, 11:18:47 AM »

Ditto what M700 said.I have 3 stainless hunting rifles but even when its raining I'll use what I need for the terrain I'm hunting with little regard for the weather.

Freezer · « **Reply #27 on:** February 21, 2011, 05:37:07 PM »

OMG I'm going to agree with Swampman. I use the same rifle regardless of the weather, Savage 99f in 308 for 0 t0 300 yards, Rem 700 in 280 Rem for 200- 400 and NEF in 25-06 for 300 and longer. I don't consider the weather only the extra weight and care it will take back at camp. Each gun has it's niche. The Savage being the lightest and most versatile with a 2x7 Leupold, the 280 most accurate and mid weight with a 4x12 Leupold and the NEF the heaviest and a good bench shooter with a 6x20 that I wouldn't want to hump around with. That said the NEF has a great trigger with other barrels including a 12 gauge slug and .50 cal ML. There are times they fit the niche. If I hunt A local military base I'll take the NEF because I don't know where I'll hunt and the regulations in that area. Some areas are slug, slug, ML and others rifle. In that case the NEF has a 223, 243, 270, and 25-06.

FLNT4EVR · « **Reply #28 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:11:00 AM »

H&R in 30-30, or 45-70 , easy to operate even with cold hands ,and easy to clear if barrel becomes obstructed by snow.

ardeekay · « **Reply #29 on:** February 24, 2011, 03:11:16 PM »

About 10 years ago, I did a test, for my own curiosity.... I lived in no. Wisc. at the time, it was late Dec. after deer season. I was curious as to what rifles would fire in extreme cold... The test: I completly cleaned and de-oiled every rifle that I owned,.... made up some rounds with only the primer in it..... set all the rifles outside in the cold, ( it got down to -17 F that night...) next morning I went out and picked up each rifle, released the safety, and pulled the trigger... I won't go into details of the rifles that failed, but only 1 went off (fired the primer) that was a Remington 742 in '06 cal. Not one of my fancy-schmancy bolt actions or lever would fire until I re-cocked them and pulled the trigger !! Today I hunt with other than that Remington, but I now hunt in shirt-sleeve weather out west. If I ever go back to the bitter cold of the north woods, I will depend on my (de-oiled) remington. PS.. a remington 700 bolt also failed in that test.. so I am not 'brand-bashing' Bob