Ice/snow comparison between rifles

[mxgsfmdpx]

I have a few thunderbird long range scope/action covers, they have a great idea but sizing/materials need to be refined a bit. I wish this design would be picked up by a company with the resources to optimize it. View attachment 492381

My wife made me a blaze orange version of this that covers barrel, scope, and most of the action. Works great for my minnesota and Wyoming hunts that tend to get real snowy/icy every year.

 

[Ram94]

Generally bolt fluting allowing more debris and ice to accumulate on the bolt which causes more problems. On Tikka’s... personally, it’s stupid. It doesn’t reduce weight, it makes the action less smooth, and allows debris to accumulate and cause issues.

But it looks cool

 

[Dobermann]

But it looks cool

Only to some!

 

[eoperator]

My wife made me a blaze orange version of this that covers barrel, scope, and most of the action. Works great for my minnesota and Wyoming hunts that tend to get real snowy/icy every year.

What material did she use? Seems like a thin neoprene or soft shell like material would be quieter than the stiff Cordura and nylon versions that I have.

 

[fwafwow]

Is it possible to know how much of the problems is from water or snow getting in that can be protected by a cover, vs from condensation that can’t be prevented from getting into the action?

 

[alpine_troop]

@Formidilosus any known issues with the KRG Midas Tikka trigger when it comes to environmental ingress and failure?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

What material did she use? Seems like a thin neoprene or soft shell like material would be quieter than the stiff Cordura and nylon versions that I have.

I thought about that the problem is those soft quiet materials wet out quickly. The material she used is water proof. It’s not horribly loud.

 

[RussDXT]

Normal waking around hunting with Tikkas, no. It’s strapped to the pack. Riding a snow mobile and the like, yes I’ll try to cover it.

This was opening day this year. Rain, turned to ice, turned to snow, then back to rain, then back to snow-


View attachment 491721


View attachment 491720

That was strapped to the pack and covered by a wing and it still looked like that. It worked fine btw.



Last year waiting for it to break to shoot an elk-

View attachment 491722


Now, I couldn’t/wouldn’t do that with almost any other rifles. With any rifle that uses a 700 compatible trigger, I wrap them completely and also carry a small can of de-icer… and still end up with a non-functioning rifle at some point.





I don’t have those here now, but they generally don’t do well. Savages are as bad or worse than Remington based actions and triggers, kimber has the same issue that M70’s do- people believe the open trigger is a good thing- it’s not. Open triggers just make it easier for snow and ice to get to the trigger. Weatherby and Browning have been about like Howa From what I’ve seen.


From doing this a lot and hunting in winter conditions that tend to cause issues 100 plus days a year, reliability would be ranked pretty close to this-

1). Properly built AR15- not even close.

2). Blaser- have never seen one that failed, though haven’t seen nearly as many either.

3). AI- almost never have a failure due to ice/snow

4). Tikka- almost never have a failure due to ice/snow

5). Sako TRG- almost never have a failure due to ice/snow

6). Winchester Pre64- not many issues, though the claw extractor and trigger will freeze with ice often enough.

7). Kimber- about the same as the M70.

8). Howa/Browning, Weatherby- issues are common in bad conditions. Would cover and make sure to work the bolt and dry fire the trigger often.

8). Savage- lots of issues and would not choose one based on that alone.

9). The worst- any rifle using a Remington based trigger (all the customs). Not only do most actions do very poorly in ice/snow, but they can not overcome the trigger. The triggers freeze and lock up or become extremely unsafe (as this TriggerTech is) when debris or snow/ice gets in there.

Along the lines of the AR how would the Sig Cross rate in what you have seen?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus any known issues with the KRG Midas Tikka trigger when it comes to environmental ingress and failure?

No known issues, but I haven’t seen one “tested” like this either.

Along the lines of the AR how would the Sig Cross rate in what you have seen?

I’m not sure. That’s not just a bolt action AR. It could do better due to the dust cover, or the other components could cause issue s

 

[Macintosh]

I hunt in very cold, wet, snowy weather most years. Mostly day trips which makes it far easier, but (knock on wood) have never had a problem hunting. Where I HAVE seen quite a lot of problems is at our local winter prs matches, especially on windy days. Everyone sits their rifle on the ground sitting on the bipod with a chamber flag in/bolt open, and if left uncovered (or even sometimes covered) the blowing snow works its way into everything. There have been a few days where virtually every gun on the line was shut down. I could see sitting a gun down while glassing could be similar—could make a good realistic test on a windy day to sit em down like that and fire a few to warm them up, then repeat, etc.

 

[Formidilosus]

could make a good realistic test on a windy day to sit em down like that and fire a few to warm them up, then repeat, etc.

That’s just called a “Tuesday” for those I shoot with.

 

[Macintosh]

Well, enjoy your tuesday then, and let us know how all those guncicles handle it!

 

[Formidilosus]

Well, enjoy your tuesday then, and let us know how all those guncicles handle it!

Haha. I didn’t mean that rudely, just that those conditions are normal and what started this.

 

[WesternSlope]

Where do Ruger 77’s fit in the spectrum of reliability? Similar to the Win M70?

 

[Formidilosus]

Where do Ruger 77’s fit in the spectrum of reliability? Similar to the Win M70?

Generally not as reliable or forgiving as a controlled feed M70. Better than Remington based triggers, but the action itself is pretty clunky and gets ice and snow build up pretty bad.

 

[DavidReed]

Do you have any thoughts or experience with Steyr's Scout rifle/SBS actions in this kind of testing?

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you have any thoughts or experience with Steyr's Scout rifle/SBS actions in this kind of testing?

No. They aren’t popular, and hey don’t offer anything tangible over what is available.

 

[RussDXT]

How about the Sako S20’s?

 

[Formidilosus]

How about the Sako S20’s?

Same/same as Tikka. The S20 is literally a magnum length Tikka action with integral picatinny rail and KRG/TRG chassis.

 

[Helislacker]

Same/same as Tikka. The S20 is literally a magnum length Tikka action with integral picatinny rail and KRG/TRG chassis.

While we’re at it…..Have you played around with the Blaser much in these conditions to see how they compare to a Tikka/Sako? Also what are your thoughts on the detachable trigger with the Blaser?