Safety tips to keep in mind

[Alan]

Discussions around seasonal issues like this can really highlight some key reminders. What winter firearm safety habits do you believe every member should be aware of?

 

[Frontiersman]

Keep the barrel free of snow and ice. Carrying it around muzzle up can build ice in the barrel.

 

[Billybob44]

In the cold temps/gloves on==Cut trigger finger off of glove to avoid premature discharge..
Any type of weather=when crossing fence OPEN Action when transfer firearm across fence.
Just use GOOD sense..Bill.

 

[BarryinIN]

Don't get sloppy. Its easy to take shortcuts in doing anything in the freezing cold, but don't do it with guns.

I don't know how many times I've heard someone say they found a live round in the chamber of a gun they hadn't touched in months. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets accidentally skipped over in the rush to get inside and get warm.

 

[BarryinIN]

Keep the barrel free of snow and ice. Carrying it around muzzle up can build ice in the barrel.

I just remembered I did an experiment a few years ago on taping the muzzle. A lot of people recommend putting a square or strip of tape across a rifle muzzle to keep out snow or other debris.
I was at the range one day and got to thinking that everyone says that might change your point of impact, but nobody ever seems to have tested how much.
Curiosity got me. I had to know.

Here is a cut and paste from writing that up.

Rifle was a Steyr Scout of proven accuracy.

Ammo was my general practice handload with Hornady 150 FMJ, which does 1.125-1.25" five shot groups at 100 yards in that rifle.

I had two kinds of tape with me. The first was generic electrical tape. Unknown brand. The other was 3M blue painters tape, which was lucky on my part because I had read that's what some Alaskan guides suggest their clients use. I don't recall why, if I ever did know.


I shot at 100 yards using a cobbled together front rest.

When tape was applied, it was one strip, approximately 2.5 inches long, centered over the muzzle (horizontally if viewed from the front) then folded back down the sides of the barrel. Obviously, I replaced the tape after each shot.



I fired:

Three rounds with no tape.

Three rounds with 3M blue painter's tape.

Three rounds with black plastic electrical tape.

I shot them into one group. If there was a big shift in POI, I thought it would be obvious and separate targets unnecessary. If the change was slight, then I'd get more serious and repeat the test using separate targets for each group.



Here is what I got

Point of aim was 6:00 on that small (6"?) plate. That's not the most precise aiming point with crosshairs, but since the rifle was zeroed high (2" high @ 100 from prone), I wanted to aim low to ensure the group fell in the plate.

The three shots high and right were shot with the black electrical tape on the muzzle.

The other six were three shots without tape, and three with 3M blue tape. The one shot to the left was my error and I knew it when it happened. Considering the wiggly rest, I'll consider those shots all in the same group.



So from what I could see in this small test:

3M blue painter's tape has negligible effect on POI, if any.

Black electrical tape might.



However...

Even if black electrical tape does alter POI, it is not by a whole lot. A couple of inches maybe. If that was the only tape I had when having to wade through snow, I'd use it rather than risk plugging the muzzle by using nothing.



I noticed the tape reacted differently. When using 3M blue tape, the bullet made a neat cookie cutter-like hole about the size of the muzzle, otherwise the tape stayed in place. I actually found a couple of blue discs of tape on the ground in front of the bench.

When using the black electrical tape, it was cut and thrown off the muzzle so it curled back along the barrel.





Those pictures are typical. Every shot looked about the same. Whether that had any connection with the POI difference or not, I don't know, but it was obvious the two tape types reacted differently.



I should repeat the test with a steadier rest, using more ammo types, and maybe by orienting the tape different ways, but for now, I'll start keeping a few wraps on 3M tape on the barrels of my "usin' rifles". If I need it, I'll have it.

And I won't worry about POI changes from it.



Black plastic electrical tape would have been my first choice before, because I'd expect it to be more water resistant. Until I do more testing, I'll go with the blue stuff even if it isn't as durable. If I keep a few wraps around the barrel, I can replace it if it gets damaged. I suppose even if it got soaked, it would still stop big stuff from getting in.

The blue stuff is more malleable than the elec tape I had, so I could get a better seal. That should be a plus.

I'll try to get some better quality elec tape for the next try. That roll I had was probably dollar store junk. Maybe it will matter, maybe it won't.



At work, we had a really moldable tape that we used to seal off pneumatic ducts on the planes when a component was removed. I wish I'd accidentally left some of it in my coat pocket one day, because I'd like to try it for this. Maybe I'll check around with some who are still there and see if they forgot any in their pockets.

 

[Frontiersman]

I just remembered I did an experiment a few years ago on taping the muzzle. A lot of people recommend putting a square or strip of tape across a rifle muzzle to keep out snow or other debris.
I was at the range one day and got to thinking that everyone says that might change your point of impact, but nobody ever seems to have tested how much.
Curiosity got me. I had to know.

Here is a cut and paste from writing that up.

Rifle was a Steyr Scout of proven accuracy.

Ammo was my general practice handload with Hornady 150 FMJ, which does 1.125-1.25" five shot groups at 100 yards in that rifle.

I had two kinds of tape with me. The first was generic electrical tape. Unknown brand. The other was 3M blue painters tape, which was lucky on my part because I had read that's what some Alaskan guides suggest their clients use. I don't recall why, if I ever did know.


I shot at 100 yards using a cobbled together front rest.

When tape was applied, it was one strip, approximately 2.5 inches long, centered over the muzzle (horizontally if viewed from the front) then folded back down the sides of the barrel. Obviously, I replaced the tape after each shot.



I fired:

Three rounds with no tape.

Three rounds with 3M blue painter's tape.

Three rounds with black plastic electrical tape.

I shot them into one group. If there was a big shift in POI, I thought it would be obvious and separate targets unnecessary. If the change was slight, then I'd get more serious and repeat the test using separate targets for each group.



Here is what I got
View attachment 152

Point of aim was 6:00 on that small (6"?) plate. That's not the most precise aiming point with crosshairs, but since the rifle was zeroed high (2" high @ 100 from prone), I wanted to aim low to ensure the group fell in the plate.

The three shots high and right were shot with the black electrical tape on the muzzle.

The other six were three shots without tape, and three with 3M blue tape. The one shot to the left was my error and I knew it when it happened. Considering the wiggly rest, I'll consider those shots all in the same group.



So from what I could see in this small test:

3M blue painter's tape has negligible effect on POI, if any.

Black electrical tape might.



However...

Even if black electrical tape does alter POI, it is not by a whole lot. A couple of inches maybe. If that was the only tape I had when having to wade through snow, I'd use it rather than risk plugging the muzzle by using nothing.



I noticed the tape reacted differently. When using 3M blue tape, the bullet made a neat cookie cutter-like hole about the size of the muzzle, otherwise the tape stayed in place. I actually found a couple of blue discs of tape on the ground in front of the bench.

When using the black electrical tape, it was cut and thrown off the muzzle so it curled back along the barrel.





Those pictures are typical. Every shot looked about the same. Whether that had any connection with the POI difference or not, I don't know, but it was obvious the two tape types reacted differently.



I should repeat the test with a steadier rest, using more ammo types, and maybe by orienting the tape different ways, but for now, I'll start keeping a few wraps on 3M tape on the barrels of my "usin' rifles". If I need it, I'll have it.

And I won't worry about POI changes from it.



Black plastic electrical tape would have been my first choice before, because I'd expect it to be more water resistant. Until I do more testing, I'll go with the blue stuff even if it isn't as durable. If I keep a few wraps around the barrel, I can replace it if it gets damaged. I suppose even if it got soaked, it would still stop big stuff from getting in.

The blue stuff is more malleable than the elec tape I had, so I could get a better seal. That should be a plus.

I'll try to get some better quality elec tape for the next try. That roll I had was probably dollar store junk. Maybe it will matter, maybe it won't.



At work, we had a really moldable tape that we used to seal off pneumatic ducts on the planes when a component was removed. I wish I'd accidentally left some of it in my coat pocket one day, because I'd like to try it for this. Maybe I'll check around with some who are still there and see if they forgot any in their pockets.

I used just a square piece pressed with my thumb on the end of the barrel, not down the sides. It vanishes when you pull the trigger. I can’t say I ever missed a deer because of the tape. It works.