Alaskan Brown Bear hunt + Rain + Wooden Stock = ???

[TX mountain hunter]

I'm looking at going on a brown bear hunt in Alaska next year. I'm planning on taking the only caliber I own, that I feel 100% confident will do the job; my 30-378 weatherby. The problem is its a custom rifle with a wooden stock. Will this be a problem when I expect it to rain on my most of the time I'm there? Are there any tips or tricks for preparing for this?

Thanks

 

[J E Custom]

I'm looking at going on a brown bear hunt in Alaska next year. I'm planning on taking the only caliber I own, that I feel 100% confident will do the job; my 30-378 weatherby. The problem is its a custom rifle with a wooden stock. Will this be a problem when I expect it to rain on my most of the time I'm there? Are there any tips or tricks for preparing for this?

Thanks

If it is a laminate you should not have a problem because of the construction and the resins used
to laminate the wood together.

If it is a fancy wood stock just keep/carry it in a waterproof soft case as much as possible, only
removing it during the hunt/shot.

There are some good canvas soft cases with a shoulder strap for carry, and after a good treatment
of scotch guard are very water resistant.

I have done this many times for fine shotguns and terrible conditions in the marshes with no
problems, and it also protected the wood from nicks and bumps.

Have fun.

J E CUSTOM

 

[TX mountain hunter]

I will keep an eye out for one as you described. I do have a wooden, not laminate stock. I was hoping I could simply treat the gun somehow so it would be ready for a quick shot. My only soft case now has a poor handle with no shoulder strap. Thanks

 

[HARPERC]

None of the Weatherby wood stocks I've been around held up well in coastal conditions. If you folks get rain again, take out a canoe, and use the rifle to paddle that will tell you for sure if it's gonna make it. It could be all bluebirds and sunshine, but with the cost of hunts these days, a good synthetic is cheap insurance.

 

[angus-5024]

Im assumeing its a Mark V, ANd those dont come cheap. If you think theres gonna be alot of rain I would buy a cheaper, stainless gun before I took out a fancy grade walnut stock.

 

[TJAY]

Why not get a composite or laminate put on for this trip? Then you would have a tuff stock for those nasty weather hunts and hunts that would beat up the nice stock.

 

[Jerry M]

Why not get a composite or laminate put on for this trip? Then you would have a tuff stock for those nasty weather hunts and hunts that would beat up the nice stock.

+1

It rained for three days on my black bear hunt in Quebec. In one of the downpours the rifle got completely soaked. There was a puddle under it where I hung it in the cabin.

Thank God for fiberglass stocks.

 

[TX mountain hunter]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I am in the process of looking into a composite, at least for this hunt. That hadn't crossed my mind until now. It does sound like I don't need to risk taking my rifle the way it is now. I appreciate the advice from all.

 

[Sully2]

WAX! Pure carnuba paste wax and rub it off to a high gloss. You cant put too much on and if you have room....Id even take the can with me...and scraps of an old soft bath towel to buff it off with.

It wouldnt even hurt to wax a coat of two down inside the barrel channel.

 

[wasgas]

The wax sounds like a good idea, you may even take it apart and coat the barel chanel. You aren't the first or the last to use a wood stock in the rain I have never had an issue, I have used wood stocks on two hunts in Alaska one of which it rained every day. The last thing I would do is trapse thru the woods in brown bear country with a rifle in some type of case or sock that I could not use, most bear chrges start and end very fast, in a seconds time you may have to choose to have a bear on the wall or be in a bears mouth.

Where and when is your hunt?

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Ya, guns in socks is a real bad idea for a bear hunt. It's not the same as
a duck hunt. . The 30/378 isn't a great bear rifle but it will kill one. Not an upclose and personal rifle but a dead bear is a dead bear. Where r u planning on hunting? Who is the guide? What bullet will you use ??

 

[SidecarFlip]

I second the paste wax on the stock. In fact, I use Minwax in a can (carnuba paste wax) on my wood stocks and Eastlake furniture all the time. It's available at Lowes. Menards and most lumber yards. Best stuff for water repellancy on wood there is.

 

[captacademy]

It rained every day on my Brown bear hunt, my rifle was wet the entire hunt. However, I was using a McMillian stock, not wood. Very glad I had one! Oil your riffle well and often out there if you get rain.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Just my thoughts, my life is more important than a rifle stock. I want mine out and ready to go at a moments notice.