Prevention

[walt53]

I am curious as to what you gents who build long guns put in the barrel channel and lock motice to keep out moisture/ water snow ,rain.As to protect the wood and metal.thanks walt

[Daryl]

Finish, same as on the outside, for me - barrel channel only, though.

[Bill in Md]

beeswax

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I use Tung Oli Finish on my rifles as of late, and I coat all surfaces with two applications of the finish to seal the wood.  I especially soak the end grain of the butt plate inlet ...  that's the end of the rifle that stands in the snow when I load.

[Daryl]

Or mud, wet grass, etc. Forgot about under the butt plate, the most important part.  As our barrels get removed for cleaning (except on Taylor's SMR), the barrel channel is always wiped out and dried, if wet. so is less important than under the butt plate.

[flinchrocket]

If you’ve noticed a lot of older guns are usually cracked under the buttplate. I think that’s a good reason to seal it good underneath.

[Top Jaw]

Agree with sealing under buttplate.   And also in patchbox cavity (and lid) if you have a sliding wooden box and lid, or a metal patch box lid that extends to the butt.  Same principle for moisture when loading in these cases. 

[Bill in Md]

During the hunting season you can avoid moisture simply by running a minute bead of beeswax along each side of the barrel flats where they touch the forestock....Same with around the lock and you can use it to seal a butt plate.........Beeswax is God's caulk if you ask me.....

[RVAH-7]

speaking of moisture prevention, just my two cents worth; because I hunt with my rifle in sometimes ugly weather,  when I'm done cleaning my rifle, after wiping things down with that lightly oiled patch or rag, I push that patch through the thimbles or oil on a q-tip swab. Then wipe down the ramrod or a light coat of beeswax. And THEN while hunting I check from time to time to be sure the ramrod hasn't taken on too much moisture to swell tight in the thimbles.

[axelp]

good advice. I have had my ramrod swell and stick in the thimbles during a wet hunt.

[Darkhorse]

I use Chamber's original oil finish on my rifles. I use the same product to seal the entire stock. Under the barrel, the buttplate and inside the lock mortice and anywhere else I have bare wood. I also use a piece of cloth to push some finish down holes and cavities. I want everything possible sealed.

[hanshi]

In the past I've used True Oil, paste wax and Rig grease along with maybe a couple of others.  I don't hunt but when I did it was sometimes in pouring rain.

[Panzerschwein]

A bee’s wax.

[Pukka Bundook]

Axle grease or water pump grease protects the metal as well as the wood and won't dry out.

Deer tallow under the buttplate good and thick stays put too.

Best,
Richard.

[Daryl]

I found synthetic grease "stays" better than the petroleum products. I wash my flintlocks after shooting, with a toothbrush and in the bucket of water
I use for the barrel. I shake them off then blow of the excess water, wipe them down with a towel, then spray them all over with WD40, shake then blow off the excess
WD40, then wipe and replace in the gun. I only have to lube them once a year, cleaning them this way.  They have never picked up any rust - never & remain lubricated for the year.

[Waksupi]

I bed my barrels in Johnson's Paste Wax.

[barracudadave67]

I'll probably catch it from you guys,.......... but I "glass bed' all my barrels. It works, BBL goes back in stock the same every time, and it is good stock re-enforcement, and for sure is water, and weather proof.
I only glass bed rifles I have built, not originals.

Dave

[Daryl]

The maker, A. Hunkeler glassed the barrel channel of this 1/2 stock flint 20 bore. It's a perfect job
and cannot be seen unless the barrel is removed from the stock. He used a bedding compound from
Brownell's called "micro-bed", seems to me. The brown die used, matches wood very well and is not
noticable. It toally seals the barrel channel.

[Darkhorse]

To add to my previous post; For the last 10+ years I have used no oil to wipe down my guns, That means flintlocks and others. Instead before each season I take my flintlocks apart and give ALL surfaces a heavy coat of Johnsons paste wax. Other waxes might work better but Johnson's is what I keep on my bench. I hunt a lot. In bad weather sometimes and my wood and barrels look just like they did when I started using paste wax.
When I come in from hunting I take a soft cotton cloth and buff the gun until all fingerprints are gone and that's it. Of course after wet weather I reapply the wax.
The only place I use oil is inside the barrels and as a lube for moving parts.

[Rusticbob]

I am not a builder, but I take the barrels and locks out of all my hunting guns and give them a liberal dose of beeswax. I have never thought about sealing the buttstock, but it sounds like a good idea.

[Dphariss]

I am curious as to what you gents who build long guns put in the barrel channel and lock motice to keep out moisture/ water snow ,rain.As to protect the wood and metal.thanks walt

I seal the stock  inside and out with a Linseed Oil based varnish. The barrels bottom 5 flats can be waxed with floor wax if its going to be left in the stock for a long period. Never coat these with oil or grease or excessively lubricate the lock.  Its really bad for the stock. And you cannot completely keep it out. If the rifle gets wet its wet. But I carry the rifle in a full length cover. Pure wool or leather. Though leather is a little “sticky” compared to wool in removing the rifle quickly. But with the leather is possible to lay the rifle down in the snow when hunting without fear. Some places I hunt there is nothing to lean the rifle against to field dress a critter.

[Longknife]

When I build a gun I apply two liberal coats of Thompsons Water Seal to all the wood, Inside the barrel channel, patch box and rr hole.  Let it dry between coats. I then mix TWS with my finish 50/50 and apply two more coats. Then apply finish as required and inside barrel channel, etc....It is then water proof!!!!  ...LK