njc110381 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I've been doing a lot of reading on here lately and have noticed that some of you seem quite concerned about taking your nice guns out in the winter. My line of thought is that as long as it is well cleaned down and oiled afterwards, there shouldn't be a problem. As for them getting "knocked about", I can't see how this is a likely to cause any major damage unless you are really careless? I'm looking at getting a silver pigeon if I'm cleared for my cert, but I will only have one gun. Surely a bit of rain shouldn't hurt it as long as it is broken down and cleaned after? If it will, I'll spend less money! What do you guys use for a general field gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I use a Browning B25 as a general field gun. As you say, providing you adhere to good gun cleaning drills, there shouldn't be much problem with moisture and general grime. Stripping the entire gun may be necessary, but that's not a major chore when the alternative is a very expensive arrangement of rusty metalwork and damaged walnut. Knocking the gun about is usually preventable with a decent gun slip and care over where the gun is pointing. For shooting in really atrocious conditions I use a polymer-stocked pump-action. it never fails, and it's almost indestructible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 If I can't take it into the woods, the fields, or the foreshore, I don't want it in my gun cabinet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 If the weather is so bad that the gun might get washed away, I can assure you I'll be sat at home on here! I'm now awaiting the wimp comments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 wont take my centerfire or miroku out in more than light rain, however the rimfire is a true working gun, so if i am willing to go out in the weather, so will the rimfire. However the centerfire and miroku are both guns which i dont use so often, and to be honest if its raining hard i dont really want to be shooting crows/foxes or clays. But rabbits seem to like being out and about straight after a good rain, so ive found it to be quite a productive time. Not to be missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 any of the severn i got in the cabinet :( look after them there is not a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Pat Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 The Sil Pig on phezzie days and clays, the auto on all others. The rifles and shotties used in any weather, but not many rabbits or pigeons about when it's persisting down so I generally pack up then. Just as long as you dry, clean, and oil them they should be ok. Beretta's are well made and can take any weather as long as you apply TLC before they go back in the cabinet. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGee Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I load on a shoot that double guns nearly every Saturday through the season, with our weather those guns sometimes get drowned, but as long as they are dried properly and not left in wet slips till the next day I've never seen or heard of any problem. My Berretta 686 game gun is as good now as when I bought it 11 years ago, just look after your guns and you will have no problems, they are built to be used! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandersj89 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 My Berretta 686 game gun is as good now as when I bought it 11 years ago, just look after your guns and you will have no problems, they are built to be used! Could not agree more, my main gun is the best part of 80 years old and as good as the day it was made. I use it 12 months a year in all weathers and am very careful how I put it to bed after each use. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowstopper Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 For general shooting I shoot a Winchester 23, for wildfowl I shoot a remmy 11-87 SPS Super Magnum 3 ½ inch chambered. With an AYA 3inch magnum for backup. For pigeon shooting I will normally use the Winchester 23 or another 11-87 with a light weight barrel on it. For rabbits off the back of a truck I will either use one of the autos or a pump action I have as a backup gun if all else fails. Don’t normally bother me about taking the gun out, as long as its well oiled down afterwards and dried well. I guess minor damage can occur sometimes you just have to accept it and take it to the gunsmith afterwards. Lol :( crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I have 1 for Clays 1 for Game days 1 for general use in the field To date the only one i have used is the Clay gun :( Still waiting to find somewhere to go shooting LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancs Lad Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 If you dont want it to get dirty..............damaged.......scuffed.........bumped.............then why are you shooting it............ A gun is a tool............it should be used out in the field..........anyone who pays 90k for a pair of shot guns has more money than sense................ infact.......anyone who pays half of that has more money than sense........... infact anyone that pays 1/4 of that has more money than sense.................. get me drift...................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyboi Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Its the scratched stock, scratched barrel im worried about. Ill still be getting a chepo gun, s/s or o/u, either for a general field gun, or for a restoration project. I guess my lanber aint going to stay mint for ever, but i will like to keep it presentable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 how about people who own 'sports cars' but never drive them fast? Personally i am quite happy owning something which is pampered simply because i like owning something which looks nice or is built nicely. There is a difference to not using and using but only in good weather. I dont care what people say, if you take your gun out in the wet alot and its not designed for it (like most guns arnt) then you will eventually fall foul of this, no matter what your cleaning regime is. I could never remove my guns from their stock after everyuse just to dry under the stock, takes too long and the zero would more than likely move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 My Berretta 686 game gun is as good now as when I bought it 11 years ago, just look after your guns and you will have no problems, they are built to be used! That was the sort of comment I was hoping to hear. I certainly wouldn't be out if the rain is that hard that everything is going to get soaked through, so it sounds as if I should be ok. I'm happy to strip things down after they've been used. I'd need to learn the more complicated bits like taking the stock off, but by the sound of it they need to get pretty soaked before the moisture gets that far anyway. With some luck, I will have my shotty fairly soon. Then I can start learning how to strip it and keep it clean. Thanks for all the replys chaps, very helpful :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye ive Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Although I mainly use Rifle i know where your coming from .I recently had to take out some serious scratches out of both my .17 and .223 stocks caused by the a new battery bag i was using which had metal clips on the straps . These clips also ectched into the blueing on the reciever and so is permanent It's surprising how easy it is to repair wood but i agree that these are tools and not ornament,s and are meant to be used in all weathers and to which they are built to withstand so the maintenance is down to you :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyboi Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Although I mainly use Rifle i know where your coming from .I recently had to take out some serious scratches out of both my .17 and .223 stocks caused by the a new battery bag i was using which had metal clips on the straps . These clips also ectched into the blueing on the reciever and so is permanent It's surprising how easy it is to repair wood but i agree that these are tools and not ornament,s and are meant to be used in all weathers and to which they are built to withstand so the maintenance is down to you :( Thats a tasty finish you have got there... Is that a custom finish that you done yourself? How easy is it to remove scratches from the stock then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeboy Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I use a silver pigeon 3 and a Benelli Montefeltro auto. I dont particularly like getting my guns wet through but they are there to be shot. I tend not to go out if the weather is dire but if it gets bad while I'm out I'll stay out. The Benelli has become my general all round gun for no other reason than I shoot it better than the Beretta. Leeboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 i use a rizzini s/s trigger,m/c. o/u. and a fabarm o/u double trigger,the gun i use most is the f/arm.dont mine if they get wet. just give a good clean after.out the week end after a pump or s/ auto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye ive Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Thats a tasty finish you have got there... Is that a custom finish that you done yourself? How easy is it to remove scratches from the stock then? Believe it or not but that is a factory supplied CZ stock ......There is a pinned thread by Stuartp explaining in great detail about stock repair and replenishment ............Just look in the craft and diy section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 So even if you do mess up the wood a bit, it's fixable. Sounds good to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I have used all of my guns for Clays and don't worry about the weather as long as I clean it as soon as i get home. My Sabatti Gardone 12g sporter m/c, I bought 2nd hand and it looked it, but it was an ideal gun for me to start with. No point in spending alot of money if you suddenly find that shooting is not for you. I bought my Miroku skeet (Skeet/Skeet) 2nd hand from Jimmy Ling, who won alot of medals/opens in his time, to use primarily for skeet, but found I shot better with it than my Sabatti so started using it for sporting as well and on one occasion I took it wildfowling. Big mistake as it got a few small rust spots from being out on the marsh in the sea air, but again, cleaned it when I got home and used very fine wire wool to remove them. I have used this for pigeon shooting and shot some good birds out to 30 - 35 yards. The real Jewel though is the 2nd hand Browning Gold hunter camoflauge 12g 3.5" Mag 32" barrels m/c, which I bought from somebody on here at the Bisley NRA open day in April/March with the sole intent on joining Mersea Wildfowlers for the Duck and geese. (didn't get in though, as they only allow residents of Mersea to join!?!?!?!). Have used this for pigeon, rabbit, duck, geese, DTL, skeet, sporting. Great gun, swings nicely, not worried about taking it on the marsh or in the field and even with 3.5" Remington Nitrosteel 56g of BB's for Geese you don't feel the recoil (Lots of flame out the barrel and ejector port though, looked good at 5.30am first day of the season on the marsh) Just joined a pheasant/parteridge syndicate, and am looking at getting rid of my Sabatti for a smarter gun, still 12g m/c but thinking about a nice sideplate action o/u. Also looking for a nice good working order, but cheap folding .410 s/s and a nice 12g s/s (Pref with damascus barrels) to round off the collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeboy Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Suffolk shooter, I've heard a lot of good reports about the Browning Gold Hunter, it is rated as a really good reliable gun. The Americans love them. I've thought about getting one myself. must be a really long gun though with 32" bls on an auto ? Leeboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browningstalker10g Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 people like myself who shoot to supliment income and such like wont always havwe the luxury of shooting when the wethers fair i have several ''plastic toy guns - as me dad calls them'' for general shooting in all weathers, and escort magnum in black and cammo, benelli nova, browning stalker 10g, soon to arive remmington 870 marine magnum nikel coated for extra rugedness, and 3 mossber 500 pump guns, all oth them are syntheticy and are fine in the rain, sometimes a full strip clean and oil is required but i enjoy that so its no real harship, im forever selling and buying new guns and all the guns ive used extensivley in all weathers and they have still been in good condition when i came round to selling or part exchanging. i wear expensive deer hunter and le chamue stuff worth hundreds but i still crawl around in the mud, the equiptments there for a reason, and its expensive coz it lasts, get out there and get mucky anyway whats the fun of shooting in fair weather, isnt the fun ebing out there in nature come rain or shine?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Suffolk shooter, I've heard a lot of good reports about the Browning Gold Hunter, it is rated as a really good reliable gun. The Americans love them. I've thought about getting one myself. must be a really long gun though with 32" bls on an auto ? Leeboy It is a long gun, and at first felt like a broom stick especially when compared to my Miroku's 26" barrels on a normal action. But to be honest it slowed me down for the better and it comes up lovely. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of buying an auto. Had alook at the beretta, nice, but too much, had a look at the escort, nice rough and ready gun, but you get what you pay for and it looks too plasticy. But at the end of the day, you all point/aim towards the object, pull the trigger and they all go bang, so it's up to the person who's buying it to decide whether they want a cheap gun to last a few years or one that cost more, looks better and lsts longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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