Muzzle cover

[jtaustin]

What is the easiest method to cover the muzzle from snow and debris? Is there a method to shoot through?

[WapitiTalk1]

I haven't been a big rifle hunter for quite a few years but we have always just used a piece of black electrical tape on the muzzle; seemed to work just fine.

[Swede]

You won't believe what I hear people are using to protect their gun muzzle now days. But until a few years ago I never even heard of using a muzzle cover. I hunted for years without one and knew of no one that did. I never saw one in the military either. I don't remember ever having any serious problem with debris going down my barrel. On the very rare occasion a little snow got in I would just clean it immediately. Are we inventing a solution to a problem that doesn't exist? It seems to me, the best muzzle protection is to keep the barrel off the ground and pointed in a safe direction.
I suppose RJ's idea of electricians tape would work, but I would need to take it off before I shoot. I would need to remove my glove to do that? Then I remove the scope covers. Is there a round in the chamber or is that another thing to take care of too? Often all that will mean the elk is gone before we are ready to shoot. Bye-Bye elk. Of coarse the bow hunters will get it next season, so it is a small loss. I don't want to invent a problem either.

[WapitiTalk1]

Many moons ago, while at my pops rifle camp in MT, one of the guys in camp mentioned that putting a piece of tape on the end of the muzzle of a rifle would affect the accuracy. My dad promptly had him do the "Pepsi challenge" down the road at a local gravel pit. If I remember right, the shots were only around 100 yards but there was no noticeable difference in accuracy by shooting the rifle with or without tape on the business end of the rifle. I remember my pop saying something like "that tape is gone before the bullet reaches it". Here's a short article I just found showing the same results.

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/accuracy ... tale-tape/

[saddlesore]

I use the cheap electrical tape from Harbor Freight that is a couple bucks for 10 rolls. No it does not effect accuracy. You do not have to take it off before you shoot.The air pressure that builds up in front of the bullet as it moves towards the muzzle, blows the tape off before the bullet reaches it.

There are all kind of scenarios where debris could get in the barrel that one might not notice. Even hunting in the rain,it will stop the water from going down the barrel. Great way to prevent rust. Especially if you hunt with a fouled barrel that no longer has oil in it..

A 5 cents or less precaution.

[Lefty]

,... I remember my pop saying something like "that tape is gone before the bullet reaches it". Here's a short article I just found showing the same results.

My Father-in law states the same thing
He used cellophane tape or kitchen wrap over the muzzle then wrapped the tape and barrel with electrical tape. Mostly when only hunting deep snow and during heavy rain.

[Swede]

Good points guys. I still tent to think it is a solution looking for a problem, but electrician's tape is so cheap that the cost for a muzzle cover is practically $0.00. Maybe it is $0.01 per cover.

[saddlesore]

I run my rifles into saddle scabbards that usually collects some debris in the season. That tape keeps the debris out of the barrel.
Another example is several years ago,I stumbled and my rifle barrel went into the dirt when I was antelope hunting. It filled t 4-5 inches of wet dirt, packed in there pretty good. I had to walk back to the truck about a mile for a cleaning rod to get it out. A penny piece of tape would have prevented that.

[Elkduds]

RE muzzleloaders, you must exclude moisture from the muzzle to keep the powder dry. If not, you will educate any game you try to shoot at. This is what your target will hear: POP..."sh!t"

The column of air between the bullet and muzzle will blow the tape off, as discussed. Accuracy is not affected, whether loose powder or cartridge.

[Waygoner]

I keep a pair of nitrile gloves in my pack. I cut a finger tip off to cap my muzzle loader when the weather is wet.