In the thread "I gots the good stuff!!" two members (arcticap & deerslayer303) express the hope that it doesn't rain Monday when they plan to go shooting. Then keybear asks the question, "Your (sic) going to shoot in the rain?" I followed that with "What's wrong with shooting in the rain?", and Beagle333 sent me a pm suggesting that might be a good thread topic, and I should start it since I'm the one that asked the question.
So, this thread was born.
What's wrong with shooting in the rain?
Well, at first glance there's the obvious problem that some of us are so sweet that we would just melt away like sugar crystals when rained upon. Not a good thing. So those of you who meet that criteria, stay inside.
But the rest of us should have no fear of shooting in the rain. Now I'm talking here about a gentle drizzle, not a 100 year downpour. There are some rain conditions in which no human should be attempting anything, much less shooting. But if you'd have no problem walking out to the mailbox, taking the dog for a walk or going on a short hike to the store, you should have no problem going shooting.
You do need to take are of your equipment, of course. My guns are waxed and oiled as a normal course of business when first obtained and cleaned, and they're maintained that way whenever necessary. That should be all the protection they need, especially since they'll get thoroughly cleaned, dried and oiled after the shooting session.
Part of your equipment needs to be a good leather possible bag with waterproof protection, or a good shooting box that keeps out moisture.
Loading: or rather charging; charging refers to inserting powder and ball. Loading refers to priming or capping, since technically the gun isn't loaded until it's primed or capped. Charging should be done under cover. Don't count on your big brimmed hat to cover the muzzle while you load, because that puts your nogging too close to the business end for comfort. Find a good tree or do it on the porch, or even inside.
Loading: this time I mean priming or capping. This can be done in the rain if you're reasonably dextrous, shielding the pan or nipple with one hand or your big brimmed hat while using the other to pour the primer or set the cap.
After loading: I use a cow's knee over the hammer (and frizzen if it's a flintlock) when carrying in the rain. A cow's knee is a fairly large piece of waterproofed leather loosely shaped like a cup with two short thongs to tie under the trigger guard; it fits over the hammer in the nipple or touch hole area and keeps that critical area dry. They're available at any good sutler.
So, what do you do? Stay dry inside and wish you could go shooting, or gather the gear and head out regardless?
So, this thread was born.
What's wrong with shooting in the rain?
Well, at first glance there's the obvious problem that some of us are so sweet that we would just melt away like sugar crystals when rained upon. Not a good thing. So those of you who meet that criteria, stay inside.
But the rest of us should have no fear of shooting in the rain. Now I'm talking here about a gentle drizzle, not a 100 year downpour. There are some rain conditions in which no human should be attempting anything, much less shooting. But if you'd have no problem walking out to the mailbox, taking the dog for a walk or going on a short hike to the store, you should have no problem going shooting.
You do need to take are of your equipment, of course. My guns are waxed and oiled as a normal course of business when first obtained and cleaned, and they're maintained that way whenever necessary. That should be all the protection they need, especially since they'll get thoroughly cleaned, dried and oiled after the shooting session.
Part of your equipment needs to be a good leather possible bag with waterproof protection, or a good shooting box that keeps out moisture.
Loading: or rather charging; charging refers to inserting powder and ball. Loading refers to priming or capping, since technically the gun isn't loaded until it's primed or capped. Charging should be done under cover. Don't count on your big brimmed hat to cover the muzzle while you load, because that puts your nogging too close to the business end for comfort. Find a good tree or do it on the porch, or even inside.
Loading: this time I mean priming or capping. This can be done in the rain if you're reasonably dextrous, shielding the pan or nipple with one hand or your big brimmed hat while using the other to pour the primer or set the cap.
After loading: I use a cow's knee over the hammer (and frizzen if it's a flintlock) when carrying in the rain. A cow's knee is a fairly large piece of waterproofed leather loosely shaped like a cup with two short thongs to tie under the trigger guard; it fits over the hammer in the nipple or touch hole area and keeps that critical area dry. They're available at any good sutler.
So, what do you do? Stay dry inside and wish you could go shooting, or gather the gear and head out regardless?
