Taping the end of your barrel while hunting

[doyourtime89]

    I have seen on a lot of hunting show and even seen some people do it in the field I have ran into.  The put a piece of electrical tape on the end of their barrel to make sure nothing gets down in there while hunting.  But from everything everyone that does it has told me, it will not mess with your accuracy at all.  Matter a fact I was watching "Hunting the West" last weekend and they talked about that and even showed a guy shot a target like 600 yards with and with out tape and right on both time.  Just wondering how many of you guys do it and what your experiences are with or with out doing it.

[Jamieb]

I do. Theres a pressure wave that blows the tape off before the bullet reaches the crown.

[washelkhunter]

I never take to the field w/o taping the front of the barrel. Dad taught me that way back when. You get excited and start moving on some critter and accidently stick your barrel in the dirt and not realize it you're going to be in for a big surprise, or injury or death. Field & Stream did an experiment with this 2 or 3 years ago. They took 5 different rifles and shot them with and w/o tape. When they taped them the accuracy actually improved. Very interesting experiment should be easy to find online at F&S.

[wraithen]

Wanna know something scarier? For the new 320 grenade launchers the military adopted (replaced the 203, can be shot standalone or mounted on the m4/m16) there is a metal and plastic cap that snaps onto the barrel and it lanyarded to the weapon. They say you can shoot it with the cap on and the cap moves harmlessly from the barrel before the grenade hits it. 

[doyourtime89]

So if you do this, what kind of tape are you using.....it looks like to me that most people use black electrical tape?

[washelkhunter]

i use electrical tape for my modern rifles and camo duct tape for my muzzy

[PolarBear]

I just stuff my muzzle in the dirt to get a good plug in there.

[jaymark6655]

Wanna know something scarier? For the new 320 grenade launchers the military adopted (replaced the 203, can be shot standalone or mounted on the m4/m16) there is a metal and plastic cap that snaps onto the barrel and it lanyarded to the weapon. They say you can shoot it with the cap on and the cap moves harmlessly from the barrel before the grenade hits it. 

Round shouldn't arm for 15 to 20 yards, but I wouldn't want to try it. 

[woodman]

Been doing it for over forty years and wish I could blame any misses on that I have harvested many animals that way. It keeps snow, mud and twigs out just fine. Feels very odd if my rifles does not have tape on it in the field.

[gotshot]

I use a small rubber balloon on my muzzy.

[JimmyHoffa]

I've been using a piece of grocery bag and then tape or rubber band.  Because of a muzzlebrake there is a bit more to have to cover up.  The brake acts like a cheese grater and can collect all kinds of nastiness.

[Cascade_fisher]

I use electrical tape.  Try it at the range and you will find no difference as previously stated the pressure wave removes it.   you may want to carry a few extra pieces since it is gone with the shot.

[Biggerhammer]

Wanna know something scarier? For the new 320 grenade launchers the military adopted (replaced the 203, can be shot standalone or mounted on the m4/m16) there is a metal and plastic cap that snaps onto the barrel and it lanyarded to the weapon. They say you can shoot it with the cap on and the cap moves harmlessly from the barrel before the grenade hits it. 

Wouldn't matter, the grenade has a gyro and has to make so many reevaluations before it arms it's self. So accidental discharges like I have seen don't destroy a BlackHawk or Bradly. The Grenade has to travel a min distance before it arms.

[Biggerhammer]

I haven't had the need to use tape in 26 years of packing a rifle in the field.

[brush hunter]

I just stuff my muzzle in the dirt to get a good plug in there.

LMAO

[Bofire]

  I do not think it will hurt any thing, but I also think the chance of drops of water actually going down your muzzle is non-existant. I dont and wont do it.
 Carry your gun muzzle down in the rain.
Carl

[WapitiFreak]

i got some finger cots from the 1st aid kit at work those work great ( they look like little tiny condoms)

[Bob33]

Electrical tape.  Works great.  Absolutely no reason not to use someone on the muzzle.

[Rob]

Anything in a pinch...

I found myself in pretty nasty weather in the Blues last elk season (no one told me there are no elk in the blues or I would not have been there...)

Nasty rain, wind and snow was making me nervous to have the barrel exposed but I had no tape.  I broke out the first aid kit and used band-aids.

[Ingwe]

I always use tape. If you fall down you won't plug the barrel with dirt or twigs.

[high country]

I am a taper. I also keep a bit on the barrel to replace the muzzle cover or help hold my tag on the horns.

[MadHatter]

i got some finger cots from the 1st aid kit at work those work great ( they look like little tiny condoms)

 

Use these and some tape if its raining hard and I want a good seal on it...

[JohnVH]

Yep. Electrical tape


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[elkontherun]

My dad started taping my barrel when I first started hunting 15 years ago and I still do it today.  It would really suck to be miles from the truck and fall down and plug your barrel and not be able to shoot that once in a lifetime trophy.  Then again I am probally the only one who falls down while hunting.  I have killed a lot more animals with tape on my barrel than without.

[high country]

I have measured groups fired with and without electrical tape on the muzzle. It takes a bench gun and a hell of a shot to see any difference.

[zackmioli]

i always tape my barrel as well.

[hunterofelk]

After cleaning the barrel,and firing three sight in shots, I but electrical tape, duct tape or scotch tape over the muzzle.  Use to get teased by my hunting pards, but it always seemed common sense to me.

[bobcat]

I have only done it when hunting during a heavy snow. Never felt I needed it otherwise. In over 30 years of hunting I have never stuck my barrel in the dirt. Not saying it's not a good precaution to take, I just don't do it.

[martin1]

i always tape my barrels with electrical tape saved me along walk back the the truck a couple times 

[high country]

Tape one rifle and carry it in the field for a week......do the same uncovered. Now have a peek in the bore. It's amazing how much crap ends up in a bore. If you take a spill, the odds of plugging the bore are low, the odds of putting a ding on the crown are much higher.....and that can hurt. There is enough reasons for me to do it and none not to.....except perhaps that bling factor, and my go to rifle looks well worn already....a little tape won't keep me from taking it on a date.

[lokidog]

My dad started taping my barrel when I first started hunting 15 years ago and I still do it today.  It would really suck to be miles from the truck and fall down and plug your barrel and not be able to shoot that once in a lifetime trophy.  Then again I am probally the only one who falls down while hunting.  I have killed a lot more animals with tape on my barrel than without.

Wish my dad had done that for me... when I was 13, I was hunting and tripped on some barb wire in the snow.  The barrel went into the "ground", as I was trying to clean it out, a huge, especially back then, Wt walked by at about 60 yards.     I did not take the shot.  Got back to our camp, crying a bit, and all that was in the barrel was about a half inch of snow.  Oh well!  Shot a little forky a couple days later though.

BTW, every time I seee the title of this thread I think about morse code or something while tapping on the barrel instead of taping the barrel.   

[washelkhunter]

A small piece of tape is cheap insurance.   

[Atroxus]

I don't, but I am going to start. Last year I slipped and got a little dirt down the barrel of my rifle. Good to know this can be prevented.

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[Alpine Mojo]

Does the extra small size come in non-lubricated?

[Huntbear]

tape, balloons, finger cots, condoms.. they all work well.

[dscubame]

Taping is a great solution for solving the consistent cleaning issue I have with the muzzle brake on my 30-378.  I do not see the need on a non brake or for my muzzy. 

[lokidog]

Taping is a great solution for solving the consistent cleaning issue I have with the muzzle brake on my 30-378.  I do not see the need on a non brake or for my muzzy.

One day my ex forgot to tape her ML barrel, hunted through the wet snow all day... had to pour the powder paste out of her gun to clean it.    

[dscubame]

Taping is a great solution for solving the consistent cleaning issue I have with the muzzle brake on my 30-378.  I do not see the need on a non brake or for my muzzy.

h

One day my ex forgot to tape her ML barrel, hunted through the wet snow all day... had to pour the powder paste out of her gun to clean it.   

Loki,  I hear of this concern often but the projectile seals the barrel well.  In my backyard I have poured water down my  loaded muzzy full then emptied water and fired with no issues.  I guess that makes me the