Shenandoah Valley up near Martinsburg. My first time out with some Ruffed Grouse Society friends.

I like the Ballistol too. When I'm done cleaning the gun in the basement, my wife says it smells like an animal died down there.

I had this discussion with a man I respect on barrel repair and the discussion of weep holes that have been drilled into the lower ribs during bluing and also about leaking ribs, top or bottom. If there is any possibility that there are leaky ribs or there is a hole drilled there from a rebluing job, then there is a good chance there may be rust between the ribs. This individual whom I respect says moisture will find it's way inside the ribs if there is any void in the solder. We all know water will always find a way into anything.

I went to Lowes, bought a 3" PVC pipe, but a cap on it and an expandable plug that has a rubber seal on the other end. Fill it with water displacing oil (Brownells), and after the barrels are cleaned and wiped down after being in a rain storm or even extremely damp weather, lower them down into the water displacing oil. If any oil has made it in between the ribs, it will be displaced by the oil. Let them soak, then slowly remove them saving as much oil as possible for the next set. It will last you for a long long time.

Maybe crazy, but better than rusting from the inside between the ribs.

If I'm taking a Parker out in rainy or snowy weather I always give them a really good Ballistol treatment before I expose them to the elements. And, of course I wipe the gun down with an absorbent cloth when back inside and then give it another Ballistol treatment.

Ballistol will not harm the wood or the finish on the wood, be it original finish or something done in more recent years. Just like Hoppe's No. 9 Ballistol has its own distinctive... shall we say, aroma.

Paul,
You would'nt happen to be going to Prospect Hall would you?
Daryl

I love Ballistol. Every one of my guns is coated with it, inside and out. Rifles, pistols and shotguns. It is far and away the best thing I have ever seen for the internals on any gun. It never hardens beyond the consistency of a very very light grease and will not ever run off. It's good on leather also. They hit a home run in inventing that stuff.

Try filling the barrels plugged at the muzzle end and let stand for a day or two and then empty and see what comes out. You would be surprised. I've used Balistol for 20+ years and it is the best and makes the wood lustorous to boot. Removes all kinds of grit, grime, dirt, and oil residue. Plastic fouling just breaks up and runs out.

I had a 1900 VH develop a small hairline crack in the toe of the stock after drying out from hunting in the rain. I was perplexed because the gun had not been dropped or set down hard. The DHBP was fine. Apparently the end grain below the DHBP soaked up water and the expansion and contraction of getting wet and drying out caused the crack. That's what the gunsmith said who repaired it. He advised me to seal the wood under the butt plate/recoil pad on any gun you are going to get really wet.

I never thought of that, but it makes very good sense. It's like sealing the bottom edge of an exterior wood door. Most people don't think about it, but it's the first place moisture will get in to start cracking and rotting the door.

Dave

Daryl, in my experience, there is not much of a ruffed grouse population at Prospect Hall. I have seen large flocks of turkeys, however. Now that I reread Paul's post, I see that he doesn't mention grouse hunting. A little late in the season, anyhow.