Idaho-Proofing a rifle

[Oldtrader3]

At one time, I had several Tupperware rifles. I either sold them or converted all of them back to wooden stocks.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Yeah I too use the Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil for finishing and sealing. Thanks for all the advice guys! Think I will leave it alone! (after checking to see that its sealed of course!

 

[PJGunner]

I had a Ruger Model 77 (early model) that had the stock severly warp and was more than a foot off at 100 yards. The stock turned almost white from a week of Washington Olympic Peninsula hunting in driving rain. This was back in the late 1960's

I have quite a few Ruger rifles, mostly various Number One models. Many years back, I did an elk hunt with my #1B in .300 Win. Mag. and got caught in avery nasty rain storm with winds so bad it damn near ripped my rain gear off and even the got soaked to the skin. I heard later that the John Day airport recorded winds in the 100 MPH range. at least I was on the right side of the ridge and didn't get the full force of that breeze. Had my usual elk hunting luck, had a bull tag and saw only cows.
On the way home we stopped to spend the night at a ranch that hosted a private hunt club. One of my hunting partners manages the place so the next morning he put out a few pheasants for us to hunt plus we also got to hunt a few ducks off the pond at the ranch. While pheasant hunting we spotted a coyote who nabbed one of the pheasants and as I had the only rifle in the truck I had the honor of shooting the coyote. Yup, a .300 Win. mag. shooting the od Nosler semi-round nose Partitions. :roll: I got four shots off and never touched him. None of us could even see bullet strikes on the ground. :?:
Well, to make a long sad story short that stock had absorbed so much water on the hunt that when I checked it out at the range, it was shooting 6 feet high. :shock: I took it out once a year to see where it was hitting and it was about eight years before that stock dried out enough to hit anyware near where I aimed. I collect Ruger #1 rifles and when I checked them out, absolutely none, not a sincle one had any kind of sealing where the wood didn't show. Not under the barrel and not where the stock and forearm abut the action nor under the little red butt pad. :x Then I checked the few Ruger M77s I had and they too were not sealed anywhere on the guns. All I can say is for what they charge for a #1, they damn well should have at least sealed the stocks. I never have bothered to seal those stocks and limit their use to being fair weather rifles. Two, a .358 Win. and a .35 Whelen have been restocked with synthetics, a McMillan on the .358 and a Ramline for the M77.
If you have a Ruger, don't take my word on it. Check it out for yourself.
Paul B.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Paul, I have only owned a couple of Number One's and a couple of Mod 77's and a 77/.22 Hornet but I noticed that the stock on all Ruger my rifles have not been sealed inside. That is why my M77 stock turned white hunting in Washington. Presently, I have a Number One in 9.3x74R which is a safe queen and fair weather rifle so far. I will probably a least wax it with Birchwood Casey Stock Wax to seal it as a fair weather rifle..

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I heard later that the John Day airport recorded winds in the 100 MPH range.

I was born in John Day's Hospital. Thats my old stomping ground Paul!