Salt Proofing Parkers
 

I am going duck hunting in Currituck Sound this season and wanted some advice on protecting my Parker from the elements. This is one that has seen much hard use, but I just want to keep it in stable condition. Any advice appreciated.:bigbye:

Spray on Ballistol and wipe it in good.

Mills
I have a DHE I use. I had the inside packed with grease to keep out the elements. I am told this is an old time solution. I then use BLU corrosion preventative on all exposed metal. It has worked well so far.
David

David, a good gunsmith could probably drill and tap a hole in the frame to accept a grease fitting... kinda like having "Bearing Buddies" on your boat trailer :rotf:

Wax, but I also look real carefully at the guides boat some are not safe for anything much less a Parker. Use a good waterproof case no matter how good his outfit is. Once in the blind not real hard to keep the gun dry. Currituck is mostly fresh depending on the wind direction, not Ocean salty anyhow.

William

I have a waterproof case for the ride out to the blind site.

good luck on the hunt mills...charlie

good case until you get to hunting spot, than a good cleaning after you get home, I hunt salt water all the time and that's what I have been doing. And pics of your hunt too:corn:

One word: WAX. Pure carnuba wax such as IBIZ is best but any non-abrasive car wax will do. And put lots on. No such thing as too much. I wax all my duck guns, salt water exposure or not. Lacquer thinner will take it off when/if the time comes.

After a hard day of gunning in the salt marshes it's always a good idea to spray it off with fresh water. Or is that for the motor ???

I agree with all the above, and will add Aero Kroil as an excellent penetrant oil to help resist the rust. One other thing I do is carry a can of WD40 and liberally spray the gun down after getting off the water.

Tom

The guide has the boat, so that is his problem. I rinse my motors off religiously at home.

I used Stevens 311's for years 20 G for rail bird hunting 12 G Ducks and Geese, Waxed before each hunt wiped down with Hoppes after, sold them with no rust on the guns at all. Questionable boats, Canoes, Rickety blinds & walking the marsh.

If one gets dropped overboard it's a total strip, hot water, then dunk in kerosene. Finish with the air hose. Otherwise wax and wipe.

William

As mentioned by others above I strive to keep it covered and out of the spray while motoring.
For protection I'm a bit stuck in my old ways and apply Rig generously.

I use Eezox.

http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html

Be careful with eezox- a buddy of mine had some and we were hunting in the rain, so I tried it- it took the case coloring lacquer off the action my freshly restored LC .

I've never tried wax, but I've found CLP to work really well. Use it on all my guns and never had a problem in the rain- it holds up pretty well in the salt spray test referenced above.

I don't know what happened with your gun Jeff but I've never had a problem. I have taken a few of my Balchelder restored LC's duck hunting exposed to salt treated with and cleaned with Eezox with no issues you mention.

i ve never hunted in a salt water area but have hunted in the rain and mud over the years.wd 40has always done a good job for me i use it on stevens lc smiths and the parkers..all the guns look as good or better than the day i got them...charlie

Got my waterproof case and gun oil, so should be set. This is not a mint condition Parker by any stretch anyway.

salt proofing
 

Good luck on your hunt. That area holds some of my fondest memories. I fished there with my dad in the late 70's. We fished off Knotts Island, Back Bay and Swan Island. At that time it was one of the best Largemouth Bass fisheries in the country. I've never hunted water foul, but if I ever do, that's were I'll go.
Merry Christmas, Dave

I have wanted to go there ever since reading that old book Duck Shooting that we had at the farm when I was growing up.

We had our hunt today. Shooting was slow but we saw a bunch and wound up with two ruddy ducks. Weather was too good to get them flying. The old parker did it's part well. Thanks for all of the advice

GREAT JOB!! any pics ?:corn:

Don't expect to pick those ruddies, they are impossible. Just breast them out, they've good to eat for sure.

Were you just hunting the one day?

DLH

Just one day. Will post pics when I get home. Got a bunch.

Ruddies the original butterballs are definitely on the top of the list, we had a pretty big storm last year that blew a few up here, they are easy to skin, put them in a quick oven at 500 for 15 min = PERFECTION!

Here are some photos. It was a slow day, but I got two Ruddy Ducks and our guide got one Ring Neck. Could not have asked for better scenery. My son had a good time which was the whole point anyway.

Nice!

We call buffleheads down here on the Chesapeake butterballs.

that boys gona be bad on them ducks some day you are proud of him i know..not many dads that would take a son with him duck hunting as young as your boy is..my hats off to you and others like you... charlie

He is with my brother now and talking up a storm about the hunt. It does make you feel good.

Destrey is correct on picking a Ruddy Duck. I only attempted to pick one.