Old Soldier
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Posts: 331
Location: North Pole, Alaska
Joined: Oct 17 th, 2015
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Re: using old scopes in cold weather
Reply #6 - Nov 19th, 2025 at 10:51pm
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So, I thought I had an answer to your question, but was not sure. Now I think I have a good fix. I got the idea from the instructions with my digital camera. They say to put the cold camera in a zip lock bag before bringing it into the house. I do, and it works. Today was supposed to be 15 degrees F. I did not check the temp, but went out and shot my Remington model 37 with a Spot Shot R.A. Litschert scope on it. I shot probable 20-30 minutes. My hands got cold. My hands don't get cold at 15F so I checked the temp and it was Zero F. The rifle was cold, not so cold it burned me, but was cold enough to be uncomfortable to touch steel. I got a big black heavy duty trash bag, like you put leaves in. Put the rifle in it, twisted the top shut, folded the top over and rubber banded it to the barrel, and brought it into the house. Then I thought of this post. Darn, I did not plan it as an experiment, so questioned if zero was cold enough to frost a rifle, so I put a different rifle out and let it get cold. When I brought it back in, it did not frost like they do at 20 below, but it wetted up quickly. When My Model 37 was warm, I opened the bag to a dry rifle, and no apparent leakage in the scope. Again, I did not design this as an experiment, I was trying to prevent a screw up, so my control rifle was out side longer than my sample and may have been colder than the sample. Maybe the sample was not cold enough to frost up. Maybe it wouldn't work as well at 20-30 below, but it worked for me at Zero. Good luck
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