Wet weather Auto-5 question

[bernie]

Duck hunting is way high on my list of "fun things to do", and many times, this means hunting in the rain for me. When I hunt in the rain, I always come back, and break my shotgun down for cleaning. And I mean WAAAAAAY down. Including pulling the trigger group, bolt, all internals, making sure that it is really dry, and then putting a light coat of oil over all parts, and then reassembling. With my 870, this is no problem.

However, I am wanting to pick up a Browning Auto-5 (the original) for some old school hunting next year. As a Auto-5 is not built to be taken that far down by the layman, what is the best way to deal with cleaning a really wet A-5. I know there has to be a way. The old timers used this gun for a long time and I know of one that was worn out and rebuilt twice. If it was easily water damaged, it would not have it's hard won reputation for robustness.

What is the best way to get it dried and and relubed?

 

[dogrunner]

Bernie, pick up a can of 'T9'.......it's a waxy preservative spray developed for the aircraft industry. A light coat of that stuff and your A/5 will not rust..........in fact you'll see water bead up and drop off as tho it was a ducks back!

Last can I bought was from a local boating store & as I recall it was twelve or fourteen bucks.

The singular caution I'd give is to not overdo the coating........still, even if you do it'l come right off with a little mineral spirits.

Used the stuff on my 1954 vent ribbed A/5, while riding in an open jeep while dog hunting deer in very heavy fog..........water just rolled off the gun!!

I regularly use the stuff to coat my Evinrude outboard under it's hood & the darn thing looks brand new..........'86 model!

 

[cota]

As dgrunner says use wax on the metal i use hard wood floor wax simmonize original, it drys matt and repels water and protects. To dry the gun remove the forearm and barrel and clean dry thouse and the rings spring etc, then use a hair dryer to dry out the moisture from inside the action fast dont leave it in any longer than you must, spray with graphite spray it gets in and coats the internals and yet evaporated leaving just the dry lube works for me.

 

[oneounceload]

Boeing's T9 aka Boeshield

 

[orphanedcowboy]

I hunted one 17 seasons, clean it, lightly oil it, and run the snot out of it. I hunted mine more than a few times in pouring down rain, snow and sleet and it still doesn't have any rust any where.

 

[rcmodel]

All you need to do is dry it out when you get home.

Use a air compressor to blow it out.
Or use your wifes hair dryer to heat it up and chase all the water out.
Or set it over a furnace vent and warm it up.

Then oil as normal.

Back in the day, hunters set their Model 12's and A-5's muzzle down behind the wood stove to warm them up and dry them out when they got wet or cold and came inside a warm house.

rc