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Fieldcraft Rain and Scopes

A

Ahbeyra

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 7, 2010
14
0
40
Georgia, USA
#1
I live in NE GA, and if anyone else is in this region you may have noticed a torrential downpour this morning. Well, I was up reloading till the wee hours of the morning and when I woke up to rolling thunder I knew it was going to be a fun trip to the range.

But to the point, as I laid prone in the rain, the wind would kick up occasionally and throw drops all over the objective. At first it wasn't very bad and I just shot around it. Then, it got a few good drops right in the center and it completely obfuscated the reticle. That was a problem. I am soaking wet, in mud and leaves, my pack and everything in the outer pockets is likely soaked, the lens cloth I keep in my stock pack was soaked. I was out of options so after much hesitation I finally worked up to attempt to wipe it away with my thumb. That just made an even coat of watery blob on the whole lens, making it nearly impossible to make out targets past 400 Yds.

What I need to know is, what do the professionals do about this? It seems like avoiding adverse conditions is not an option, and I have lurked here long enough to know that a good deal of you guys really know your stuff, yet in my searches I couldn't even find reference to the word "rain". Does everyone just opt to shoot in the sunshine under a canopy? What about the real deal operators and high speed low drag super snipers? Surely there is a simple solution that is just so obvious to everyone but me that it needs not be said
laugh.gif


Anyway, sorry for the huge post just to ask how to keep the rain off of the lenses, it's my first post after over a year or more of lurking. So, I was nervous and kind of wanted to make a good impression and not be the typical FNG that I laugh at in other threads so often.
 
#2
Re: Rain and Scopes

Ditch the lens cloth...for all intents and purposes I've found them to be useless. I use a Lens Pen for just about all of my optics cleaning...it's not as cool as acetone and q-tips but it's a lot faster and does just as well. Even in the wet a lens pen can do an ok job of drying out lenses but truthfully if it's soaking wet out..there's not a lot you can do.

Sunshades help to a certain extent but eventually water will be pushed back far enough to get on the lens. I've also been out when it's raining hard enough for the water to seep in through the threads of the sunshade so taping that up might help. You're best bet is to get a set of see through flip covers like the Butler Creek Blizzard covers. Not the perfect solution but the lenses on that are easier to clean off then the optical lenses. Weaver has a similar "see through" cover but trust me avoid them like the plague because you can't see diddly squat through them.
 
#3
Re: Rain and Scopes

You know what, I keep a lens pen in my stock pack as well, but I never considered that it would at all dry the lens, gotta go test that out now... Thanks for the heads up on the flip ups to avoid because that was something I was considering.
 
#4
Re: Rain and Scopes

Sleep in!!! Good question though, to take it a step further. If you do soak your rifle/scope while out shooting. Do you take the barreled action out of the stock, wipe down and re-lube or just wipe the outside??
 
#5
Re: Rain and Scopes

i thought about putting rain x on mine, still haven't had the guts to do so.

i figure it beads and runs off the windshield, should at least do the same on a scope without the smear?

i've put drain holes in the sunshade to help with pooling, but still after a round the lens still gets pretty soaked. tried canned air to blow it off, still smears or worse freezes up.
 
#6
Re: Rain and Scopes

A sunshade helps and both of my USO's have O-rings were they mate up to the obj. The next thing is a spare shade cap that has a 3/8's to 1/2" hole drilled into the ctr. If your using the glass for real, or driving rain it pays to keep one with you. Any ARD installed behind the cap with the hole drilled will help as well, but remember to keep the weapon muzzle down when not glassing or shooting.

Thin plastic, rubber banded and cut to a 45* angle works well also. It all depends on the task your involved in and how ready you want to be all the time.
 
#7
Re: Rain and Scopes

The shammy is a good suggestion, part of the idea behind my carrying the lens cloth was for water, but I didn't count on how useless it is at soaking anything up. And, technically shams are meant to be used wet, so it getting soaked with everything else would just speed up being able to use it.

I didn't really have much issue with the front lens, I mean, it was wet, but generally that still works unless it's completely covered, but the rear glass caused all kinds of trouble when it was wet. Just trying to cover my bases because so far it seems like the easiest way to put a scope out of commission is simply getting the rear object wet, and that wont do.
 
#11
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr. Phil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ARD works pretty well...

Don't forget about your chamber though.
If you get water in there you will increase chamber pressures and likely see indicatiors of this on your brass.
(popped primers, ejector marks, etc.) </div></div>

Sounds like a little ASC experience there!! See you in May brother!
 
#13
Re: Rain and Scopes

i gonna start selling some tactical shit that really works keeps the driven rain out whilst still being able to see well enough to take the shot......send your monies now to me BOLTRIPPER, and i'll send along strict instructions and product availabilities



operators are standing by now......................
 
#16
Re: Rain and Scopes

Seriously, ever try women's extra sheer pantyhose (not the toe-reinforced ones), cut and wrap around scope with a rubber band?

PS. Fishnets defeat the purpose...
 
#18
Re: Rain and Scopes

How is this for your super tacticool water removal idea...

Wiper glove!

Good stuff, for snowmobiling and skiing and stuff like that... wiper blade is too big for scope use. Just put it on a sweet armored entry tactical breaching glove, ah, sarcasm.
 
#19
Re: Rain and Scopes

If the issue is with ocular and not objective as i suspect. I do two things, pour or squirt fresh water on the ocular, most of the time that will give you a clear patch to look through, if not then i wipe with a lens cloth. Even wet it will help get the clear spot u need. I use USO scopes and have no worries about them getting soaked.
 
#21
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TOP PREDATOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">used pantyhose as an ARD, but when they are wet they smell like fish. </div></div>

You are supposed to use the leg...not the crotch!!
smile.gif
 
#22
Re: Rain and Scopes

Didn't think to "fight fire with fire" per se, splashing it with some canteen water maybe, I am running an SWFA 10x42... Not nearly as awesome as any USO you may use, but I would like to think that you could rough it up just as much, all the while feeling approximately 10x less worried about the cost of replacement if you do kill it some how.

And yes, I have been using the wrong term this whole thread, thanks for the correct term of "ocular". That was the issue.
 
#23
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 19Scout77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TOP PREDATOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">used pantyhose as an ARD, but when they are wet they smell like fish. </div></div>

You are supposed to use the leg...not the crotch!!
smile.gif
</div></div>

I was gonna say use them after they've been washed not worn.
 
#24
Re: Rain and Scopes

Wouldn't one of these work?
laugh.gif

umbrella-hat.jpg


They even come in tacticool.....
UMBRELLA_HAT.jpg


A microfiber cloth works well when you need to blot the lens, but mostly I just shoot through it.
 
#25
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mudpup</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been using the wrong term this whole thread, thanks for the correct term of "ocular". That was the issue. </div></div>

For a ocular issue in rain, cover your head and glass with a poncho. Do the same thing for very bright days also, as it will save your eyes if your on the glass a long time.

If your into a run an gun and it's raining keep a small "Sham-Wow"(laugh if you want) in you packet that has been damp and just blot the glass. A Boonie hat that's been trained for your setup an sprayed with tent spray works well also.

Think out of the box,... don't get caught in one.
 
#27
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kombayotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use these:
http://www.coretacsolutions.com/products_front_coresightdry.htm
http://www.coretacsolutions.com/products_rear_coresightdry.htm </div></div>
I couldn't quite grasp how these work - are they just an elongation of the scope sunshade? How & with what do they cover the lenses?

Regarding Butler Creek Blizzard - does anybody have the correct sizes for Vortex Razor HD scope?

Tnx!
 
#28
Re: Rain and Scopes

Basically, yes. I don't use the front one when I have the sunshade on.

They stop the rain from hitting your lenses, so you don't need to cover them with anything else. Since they are made out of fabric, the one in the back won't cut you or anything if you have it out too far and it hits you during recoil. It'll just slide forward a bit.
 
#29
Re: Rain and Scopes

With your sunshade on take your poncho and drape it over your head and over the rear of your scope...or stick an umbrella in the dirt beside you.
 
#31
Re: Rain and Scopes

I cut a micro towel up like the ones wimmers use and keep in im my shoulder pocket inside a zip lock bag from an mre and also a lens pen. works fine and when you low crawling in the rain the scops is gonna get wet and dirty big time. the only thing i found that would help alittle is plastic and tap for covers and then before you get into your ffp take off the caps and clean the scope with limited movement and then take it super easy into position
 
#33
Re: Rain and Scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: crumpmd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the issue is with ocular and not objective as i suspect. I do two things, pour or squirt fresh water on the ocular, most of the time that will give you a clear patch to look through, if not then i wipe with a lens cloth. Even wet it will help get the clear spot u need. I use USO scopes and have no worries about them getting soaked. </div></div>

A Boonie hat does a pretty good job of keeping rain out of the ocular end if you fold it right and a reflection hider does a good job of keeping the rain out of the objective end.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2606170474/tru-spec-boonie-hat-nylon-cotton-ripstop

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/810132/sunguard-killflash-ard-anti-reflection-device-3

I hate to use anything from a Rambo movie but it was the only picture I could find showing what I am talking about with the usage of the Boonie hat.
safe_imagephp.jpg
 
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