Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about how the Glock 48 is the new standard in concealed carry. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, with all the storms hitting the northeast part of the country these past few weeks, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at some ways to protect your gun after moisture creeps into your gun. Let’s take a closer look at weather hazards to your carry gun.
Coverage Is Key
When it comes to keeping your carry gun in the best possible condition, keeping it covered really is the absolute best way to keep the vast majority of moisture and debris out of your carry gun or any of the carry optics you may have installed on the gun. Even if your carry gun is properly cleaned and lubricated, adding a large amount of moisture will cause issues with the finish and overall performance. Having a proper amount of coverage with a quality cover garment will ensure your carry gun doesn’t get excess rainwater on it.
One of the most immediate problems is for those who have an optic installed in their carry gun. Having any sort of moisture or rainwater on the glass or even on the red dot illuminator can create star bursts, which can make your carry gun almost impossible to use when the red dot becomes so obstructed by water. Out of everything, having your optic star burst is probably the worst case scenario when it comes to a self-defense situation. A quality waterproof jacket can deflect almost all water away from your carry gun, where a shirt or cloth garment may deflect some before becoming soaked and allowing water onto your carry gun. It may seem like a pretty straightforward idea, but rain can still cause problems for you in the long run.
Extra Maintenance After Rain Storms
Obviously, if there’s heavy rain in your area for a prolonged period of time, you need to do an extra round of cleaning to ensure the finish does not sit with prolonged exposure to water. That moisture, over time, can create surface rust and start to damage the external and internal parts of the handgun. If it’s a humid, wet day, I will at a minimum just take my gun and wipe it down to make sure everything is dry. At that point, you often have to reapply lubricant, so I will usually pull my bore snake out and just give my gun a quick cleaning as well as a fresh lubricating because often times you’ll need to do a quick field strip anyway.
Since you’re already putting the extra work into maintenance, it’s only one more step to give it a proper cleaning on top of a quick inspection. I know it can sometimes be a pain to clean your handgun, but you will be thankful in the long run when you have a well-taken care of istol instead of having surface rust starting to develop both externally and internally. Having a quick bore snake as well as CLP and a synthetic lubricant can keep your handgun running in tip-top shape, no matter how humid or stormy your area may be.
Specific Jackets For Concealed Carry
There are a number of jackets on the market that are great rain coats for the concealed carriers. While First Spear and other companies make a number of great choices, one of my personal favorites is the Viktos Range Jacket. Over the years, I have ordered around 3-4 of these jackets in various colors with great luck. One of my favorite aspects of the Viktos Range Jackets is the fact the have a full-length side zipper for those of us who carry on our hip, making for an incredibly fast draw stroke since you don’t have to push the jacket to the side and can immediately draw the firearm with the side zipper.
Having pieces of gear that are specific to carrying concealed really does make life easier when you carry a handgun daily. Having rain gear that’s specifically built for concealment not only allows you to have a well-made cover garment but also tailored for carrying a handgun which really makes all the difference.
Overall Thoughts
Even small things like humid, rainy conditions can eventually cause damage to your carry guns if left unchecked. A simple cleaning and using a quality cover garment can keep your carry gun safe and dry when the weather is at its worst. What are some things you guys do to minimize the risk of surface rust on your carry guns? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.
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