Alaska, would you risk?

[Guy Miner]

A nice walnut & blued rifle up there for two weeks of hunting?

Probably little or no salt-water exposure, but possibly plenty of rain and humidity.

Will waxing the stock and treating the steel with a rust preventative be enough? In addition to daily wipe-down/cleaning up there?

Or... go for a McMillan 'glass stock and some sort of rust-proof coating on the metal?

I am well aware of the wet weather up there - having been in Alaska many times - but always for fishing and/or backpacking, never for hunting.

Thanks for your input!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

I hunted the "wet coast" of British Columbia for quite a few years, Guy. Most of my hunts were conducted while carrying wood and steel rifles. I never experienced severe warpage resulting in significant shifting of POI. However, I know it does happen. Truthfully, were I going back to those earlier days, I would likely have a synthetic stock and Ceracoating. Just my take.

 

[Kodiak]

Guy, I guess there are some things you could do to weather-proof your wood and blued-steel weapons. Hunting in Alaska can be a rough and tumble deal.

In my case, it would have to be a plastic-stocked stainless weapon in the caliber to do the job. When that kind of $ and time is spent, I want no concerns about the rifles I would take.

My $0.02,

 

[Anonymous]

I would if I had a special rifle I wanted to use I'd not fret it.

I've hunted here with blued/walnut...keeping them cared for wasn't a big chore. You can have a stock shift POI- it's not a myth, it happens....but it's not as common as I heard about years ago. I've got to admit- I've turned one shades of grey in monsoon season but it still shot straight.

A bigger concern for me was just beating and banging them around in pack frames, ATVS, Super Cubs, rocks, brush, etc. I hunt a bunch and most of the wear and tear is transportation related rather than weather.

 

[Vince]

I took my 30-06 to Newfoundland given that I had the same concerns and that it can be wet. If I thought I was going to have to take a longer shot on moose I'd have taken the .338 Win Mag bluing be darned.
I will say I'm looking at getting the action ceracoated and dropping it in a McMillan stock and putting a stainless barrel on it just for these kind of situations.

Vince

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[Thebear_78]

I have literally watched a blued gun rust on an airboat based hunt! That constant mist really gets them. That said if you deal the stock really well, especially the inside, and use a good metal protectant it definitely can be done.

As to the metal I really like stainless or nitride finish. The nitride finish turns out s nice satin black and compliments a wood stock and gets all those internal metal components that you don't think about.

I would expect a few battle scars, but rifles are made to be used. Some bluing seems to hold up better than others.

What rifle were you thinking about?


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[muleman]

Guy,
I've hunted the wet side of Oregon for three decades. Most of the time I've used blue and wood guns. Never had a problem if the guns were taken care of. The high polish blue faired better than matte finishes; somebody once told me it had to do with more surface area?. For many years I used Eezox to wipe down the gun and then let sit in an area with good air circulation. The Eezox displaced the water very well. Guns were never cased overnight but left out to dry. Now a days I use Hornady's gun cleaner/dry lube and it protects very well. I don't like a lot of oil on my guns because it collects to much dirt. Wax up the stock and seal any unfinished areas and your good to go. If you were hunting on the coast the salt would be another story. Any of your guns will handle Alaska just fine.
I do have one gun that will rust really easily - my Kimber 325WSM. It will rust very easily but it has been used well and I reblued the barrel myself using cold blue.

Scott

PS - The money you save would pay for your air fare!

 

[IdahoCTD]

I would be more concerned with the stock then the blued metal. It can always be reblued or Cerakoted but if you apply a good wax or anti-rust film to the metal it should be fine as long as it's allowed to dry. A missed shot because the stock warped would bum me out and is something I'd be more concerned with.

You might be better off buying a stainless/synthetic gun for the trip and selling it afterwards. The $$ you would lose on the gun would be way less than a McMillan stock and coating.

What are you hunting and what caliber are you considering taking?

 

[lefty315]

Guy, not sure what your camp/lodging situation will be like. I've been using Shooter Choice spray on rust prevent for years hunting in some pretty nasty stuff. It leaves a residue on the gun but I'll swear by it. If you could take a can with you or pick some up once you arrive I think you'd be pleased. wipe it down every night in camp, run a bore snake and coat it down again that night and you should be good.

 

[gerry]

I keep trying wood stocked rifles and they just get beat up. It is very wet and rough country here so for the most part fiberglass stocks and stainless steel is the best choice. That said for what you are thinking walnut/blued steel will be fine for a relatively short trip as long as you take care of the metal daily. A properly sealed stock won't warp but you are likely to get a few dings but the stuff you hunt at home isn't exactly gentle either so I'm sure you will have a few dings already.

 

[Guy Miner]

Figure I need something to do with those 300 gr Nosler Partitions I bought recently... :mrgreen:

Was thinking a pika hunt, arctic fox, or maybe lemmings... :grin:

This .375 was built for Africa, but somehow Alaska is calling.

Guy

 

[muleman]

I hear lemmings charge in a herd! :grin:

 

[Elkman]

This is the one that I took, if it got any new dings or damage I was unable to find them!! I do need to get this one blued "again".

 

[preacher]

I've never been to Alaska, but I do use wood/blued guns a lot, though my Whelen AI is set up for wet weather. It has a baked on moly based coating, and set in a Brown Precision High Country stock. I put a NECG rear sight on it and use QD mounts with a 1x5 VIII. Now, I use a good wax on wood stocks, everything from Feed N Shine to Bore Butter and all inside the inletting/trigger area too. I like plain ol Outers Tri Lube spray on first I don't let it get into my trigger housing, etc, but the outside of it gets it wiped down. The rest of the barreled action I spray it down to dripping, set aside a few hours to dry, go from there. In the field, I use a small bottle in my kit and a spray can at camp. I use them to wipe it or spray hard to get to areas and it displaces water very well. I tape the bore ( wiped with EezOx) . I have taken some good rains and snows with this set up and had no issues. You can also get you a nice, thin waterproof slip case ( modern (Gunslicker) or elk hide) to carry it in ( ala Mountain Man or John Wayne "The Searchers" style) I think even Elmer Keith did that up in the Selway, not real sure. I know Elmer wrote about wiping their rifles down with a heavy coating of RIG gun grease in heavy rain. Hal Waughs "Big Nan" Mod 70 375 Weatherby was wood/blue remember. He had/used it for years. I hope you get to go though, whatever you take!

 

[Thebear_78]

I've heard really good things about this stuff

http://www.fluid-film.com/


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[Thebear_78]

Remembered this good comparison test on gun lube/protectant worth checking out

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/sho ... evaluation


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[Paul Barnard]

I am a strong proponent of using any excuse you can to invite a new gun into the house.

 

[.300winmag]

McMillan for sure! I love wood stocks, but in my opinion, wood stocks belong on trap and skeet gums, not hunting rifles and shotguns. I'd do stainless for sure, but if it were an extended hunt, i'd do a titanium cerekote on the action and barrel. One thing I'd do as well is keep a light coating of hoppe's to protect the bore as well.

 

[300 H&H]

I've heard really good things about this stuff

http://www.fluid-film.com/


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This works really well. I use it all the time at work. Spray it on rust, bubbles up and eats it.

 

[jmad_81]

Guy, I would have a hard time taking that beauty up there. Most of my guns I don't mind a few battle scares, but if I had one that nice I would be having second thoughts about it.

Good luck either way!