Rifle Scopes Shooting in the rain and wet optics

[Ricker]

I shot a match this last weekend and in typical Coastal Oregon fashion it rained all day. I unsuccessfully attempted to keep my rifle and scope out of the weather. How do you guys deal with wet optics?

The issue was mostly caused by the sideways rain when attempting to shoot. One of the other shooters had a sunshade installed but it didn't seem to help. Towards the end of the day it got to the point where the water droplets on the optics were interfering with my sight picture so I used a rag to lightly blot the water off.

Any advice or products to recommend?

 

[Denys]

Your riflescope should always wear a sunshade; it protects the objective from being touched or hit and can keep the rain away. Sometimes. I use a microfiber cloth to wipe the lenses when wet. I also use a lenspen for removing dirt, mud or anything that may get on the glass. I use the same cleaning equipment as I do for my camera and lenses as well as spotting scopes. BTW, I found Nanofiber towels at Amazon recently and have been using them to clean glass using my prescription glass as test. They do a great job.

 

[Sheldon N]

Lol... there was no hope at all that day. There's rain, then there's RAIN.... all day 20mph sideways blowing mist and rain and fog. My gear is still wet.

I ran flip up caps as well as a scope cover and tried to wipe the front and rear optic before the stage started. Not much success... as soon as you flipped open the caps things were soaked. Ended up wiping the optic mid stage during transitions even. Just shoot despite the limited sight picture.

 

[SEMO Shooter]

A lens puffer helps. It will blow the water drops off, then you can use a lens cloth to dry the lens. If it's raining hard enough nothing works very well.

 

[Denys]

Yeah. We got rained on at the F-Class worlds up in Ottawa this past summer. I got to use my rain gear for the rifle. It covers the action, the scope and the ammo box so I could continue to fire in the rain. I didn't have the chance to put on my rain pants so the back of my legs was all wet. The rain wasn't too horizontal so the sunshade was sufficient to keep the objective lens dry and it was easy to wipe the ocular as needed. I finished firing, picked up my gear and then the clouds REALLY opened up and the match was cancelled. All that wet shooting was for naught.

 

[Rudy Gonsior]

A sun shade can help but some times its not enough, so I usually keep a micro cloth lenses wipe attached to the optic just in case.

In the attached pic you can see the wipe hanging off the optic (spotter in this case).

 

[Jimichanga]

That was a torrential downpour coupled with gusts. Unable to range targets or see the targets at times. There is no solution to conditions like that.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

In hard rain a obj cover on a 4" shade with only a 3/8 - 1/2" hole centered works good. The ocular just wipe off, if you don't wear a hat big enough to shield it.

 

[mgoodrich]

For hunting I use the butler creek see though covers.

These will get wet obviously, but I have found that by keeping the water off the lens I could see quite a bit better.

 

[eicas]

Im no help on the subject, but Rudy’s spotter set up gives me the “Happy’s”. Thats a tripod of awesome right there...one stop shopping!

 

[demolitionman]

I've toyed with the idea of running the butler creek see through for conditions like that but haven't tried it..... at least you could wipe them and not worry about scratching your lenses.

 

[MilDot1960]

I use a waxed cotton Boony hat with about a 3-4" brim and I also have a camo waterproof cover that was made for my NV scope with extra Velcro on it so it can also fit over the end of my spotter which adds about 4" extra protection,

"BRAINWAVE" If you use your sunshade and then screw an ARD on to it or your spotter it will restrict any direct rain drops,

hope that helps,

John.

 

[osu92]

There is no solution to conditions like that.

For that Tillamook match, the only solution would have been to stay inside by the fire. There was no getting around wet glass that day. A dry wipe stuffed inside your shirt to use right before and during your stage was about the only hope to get a sight picture at times.

 

[BangBangBlatBlat]

Steel City was in the rain too. It just sucks. I used a Walmart bag at first but gave up. Used some paper towels to wipe water off before a stage. I think good glass paid off because I could find all my targets.

 

[koshkin]

For the objective, a sunshade with a limiting aperture is a good idea. Sometimes, you have to stack a couple of sunshades to make the whole thing longer. For the eyepiece, a rubber eye shield helps (kinda like what old russian scopes used to have).

Staying indoors is the best idea, especially if you set up a CROWS system you can run from there.

ILya

 

[Diver160651]

Actually I get more worried about the chamber and keeping the rounds dry..

 

[LawnMM]

Actually I get more worried about the chamber and keeping the rounds dry..

Went to a rainy SHC one year, bored snake was your friend, dry out chamber and barrel before the stage

 

[smoothy8500]

Does a wet cartridge or chamber dramatically increase pressure? Or is it allowing the brass case to "slide back" against the bolt with excess force?

 

[OLD308]

Pressure increase on wet chamber as liquids do not compress. I though about applying RainX or some such to my scope one time due to a rain issue. For some reason I chickened out, scared is might do something to the lens coatings. Maybe so maybe not. Interested to hear others view.

 

[spife7980]

Does a wet cartridge or chamber dramatically increase pressure? Or is it allowing the brass case to "slide back" against the bolt with excess force?

Both and possibly more.

 

[just browsing]

Seen many guys get their bolts stuck from having water in the chamber. Doesn’t take much water and it doesn’t take a stout load either.

Regarding the scope, a shade, some flips caps, and a dry towel are about the best you can do.

 

[wigwamitus]

I shoot in the rain several times a year ... well when I'm out shootin' and it is raining ...
Haven't had any of my guns blow up (yet).

As to optics, I keep them covered as much as possible. And this is one case where I tie a sock around the rear end of the clipon and the front end of the day scope ... I've had it get so covered with wet, that I couldn't take a shot.

==
This is a fairly light rain ... ISPC (2/3) steel at 750yds ...

==
Heavier rain at 500yds ... I think I had to "dab" the objective with a rag this day ...

==
Another heavier rain back at 750yds ...

==
The most negative result I've had from shooting in the rain was about 3 weeks ago I went down and shot some groups at my neighbors and when I came home I left on 6.5G(18) stoner in the pelican. When I opened it up there was some rust here and there. I got it all off and let the working parts soak in kroil for a few days ... but lesson learned. Don't leave wet guns in pelicans !!

 

[502Chevelle]

Rudy I really like your set up. I RO at a few matches, so if you don’t mind I’m going to steal some of your ideas.

 

[morganlamprecht]

i keep a dry chamois cloth in my pocket in a zip lock and hit my lens before a stage, and try my best to keep my rifle horizontal the whole stage

like mentioned above tho, sometimes there is no answer if its bad enough

 

[jd65]

Pressure increase on wet chamber as liquids do not compress. I though about applying RainX or some such to my scope one time due to a rain issue. For some reason I chickened out, scared is might do something to the lens coatings. Maybe so maybe not. Interested to hear others view.

Rain-X on the clear butler creek covers?

 

[OLD308]

That’s a though. Thanks.

 

[jbailey]

lots of zip lock bags deep in the ruck. Each bag has some TP in it, and each piece of TP is one use: soak up some water on lens and then get thrown in the mud. Move to next bag on the next time. TP has other valuable uses as well

 

[trophyhunter]

This is going to sound ghetto af but it helps. One of the things I’ve done while on the range is take a smart water bottle and cut out both ends. It gives me a 8” clear plastic tube for rain and it still lets as much light in as possible. On a rainy day usually it’s cloudy and rather gloomy, I want as much light as possible, the clear bottle helps.

 

[19Scout77]

Just wear an ankle length skirt and squat over your rifle...