16ga.com ~ View topic - Quesions about care and maintenance before and after rain

Fin, whoever said that half the people using WD-40 do so correctly? Laughing

Most of us drive cars. how many of us really know what we are doing. just commute to Boston any weekday and you'll wonder. Wink

PP, I'm glad you clarified it. You did originally say "in the oven." Laughing

I once made the mistake of putting a pair of wet hunting boots in a slow oven to dry them in a hurry. Not only did the leather turn to concrete, it took nearly a week to get the smell out of the house. Rolling Eyes

Jeff, excellent idea with the lightbulb on the bench. Sheath is good stuff for longer term storage. There are several other good products too. However, I have guns I use almost on a weekly basis. I just wipe them off with an oil and WD-40 treated rag as I go. Again, it depends on the circumstances.

A gun exposed to a very light rain for a short time usually does not need to be disassembled. A thorough drying like you suggest or with a hair dryer, then wiped down with an oil treated rag for short term or sheath for longer term storage will usually get it done fine.

Blowing WD-40 into an action and leaving it there to evaporate is not a good idea in the long run. However, it won't hurt for short term use as an immediate treatment for a very wet gun to prevent internal rusting until the gun can be disassembled and properly cleaned up inside. Pouring oil or any spray lube into a wet gun and leaving it in there long term is not good. Once more, its the circumstances.

I've used WD-40 as a short term preventative treatment on and in my rain soaked trap guns many times. It will hold the line on rust for up to several days until I can properly and thoroughly service the gun. A really soaked gun should be disassembled and completely cleaned up as soon as one can get to it and certainly within 72 hours if pretreated. Again, its the circumstances. In short, there is no one right way for every set of circumstances, several good products to use, and all require some knowledge and common sense I'd think.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D