Going to give this a look. Thanks, Les.

while i was looking around for info on the Swiss pack i ran across the Swiss Rifle Site and some old photos of damaged barrels.if you blew up your weapon because the barrel was blocked you had to pay for a new one.the Swiss also had muzzle covers.i assume it was a ice and snow issue for them.

+1 on the condom. If the barrel protrude from a horizontal magazine or is small enough flash suppressor, a finger condom may work better.

You can also attach a trip wire detector around the condom and keep it secured over the muzzle, if you use a TWD.

Something like this maybe?

http://www.voodootactical.net/p-34-molle...milar-guns.aspx

Finger cots can work as will electrical tape. I've never heard about nylons but would think they would work. I haven't tried either one. For AR types they do make a plastic cover for them. Look at the web for various slings. You can get multiple options.
One thing if you day take a tumble make sure the muzzle is clear. I've seen people trip well hunting and the barrel can get some foreign material in it. I was lucky the last time I fell I only ended up getting wet(thin ice).

In my experience, snow will get into ANYTHING. Taping seems to do a pretty good job of keeping snow out of the barrel. I've mainly used electricians tape, but I think any tape would do.


Due to polar bears, a rifle is standard equipment at Spitsbergen except within some tiny pockets of civilization and sometimes not even there. (Though nowadays, people are encouraged NOT to enter the bank with a rifle over the shoulder).

The common practice of dressing with face covering scooter masks did not exactly minimize what some bank employees considered a problem...

Those rifles receive very little care and a lot of abuse, but the electricians tape seems to do a very good job of keeping snow out of the barrel.


I have also thought about wrapping the mechanism in some cloth with velcro closure (quick release), but I never got that far while living there. At some occations, the entire locking mechanism has been covered with snow and ice, but brute force solved that problem. Bolt action rifles are pretty sturdy stuff. But I still think it is a good idea to cover up a rifle that spends hours and hours exposed to blowing snow.

US Cavalry has a couple of options for long gun and shotguns. It's been years since I've ordered through them but I didn't have any problems when I did.

Kifaru gun bearer for use with their packs.

I was just looking at the Bore-Tex muzzle covers today made by these folks: http://protexoutdoors.com/

They have an interesting video of a barrel getting split like that in the photo posted above: http://bore-tex.com/videos

I second the Eberlestock. I have the original Gunslinger and it carries a scoped AR (w/20 rnd mag) very nicely; leaving hands free to scramble without trying to keep a rifle sling on my shoulder.