Gun Concealment
Copyright © 1998 - 2002 Roger
W. Raisch * Nadine Adele, all rights reserved
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The shiny surfaces
of a gun should be neutralized before heading to the woods. Several methods are
available for doing this. Elastic Camouflage Sleeves or
socks are quick, inexpensive and effective, but may impair your ability to sight down the
barrel correctly. Camouflage Tape is good, but rust
will develop under the tape if it gets rained on. To help prevent rust, spray your
gun with a rust preventer before you apply the tape. Strip the tape off if the gun
gets wet, wipe it down to remove the water and re-spray it with rust preventer. Then
re-apply the tape. Be aware that rust can develop within a few hours of the gun
getting wet.
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Another method of camo is to Parkerize, or Brown the barrel and
receiver of the gun. Usually you would want a competent gunsmith to do this. The result is a dull, matte, non-reflective finish. Another
method is to Permanently Paint the surfaces in a camouflage
pattern with camo-colored flat paints. Start by painting the entire surface with a
base color--usually black or brown. Then follow up with several additional colors
(green, rust, dull yellow, brown) in various patterns. You can create these patterns
by cutting out several different shapes from a piece of heavy cardboard. Then hold
these pattern boards on the surface of your weapon while applying the paint. Paint
will eventually wear off, so touch up the bare spots as needed. Some hunters are
appalled at the idea of ruining the finish of a good gun by painting it. Most serious turkey hunters, however, are toting around permanently
painted weapons. If you do not want to apply paint or tape to an expensive
weapon, buy a good used one and use it only for turkey hunting.
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The most expensive method is to purchase a
new or used gun that the manufacturer has painted in a camo pattern or one with a dull,
matte finish. Most brands and dealers offer specialty camouflaged turkey guns with
short barrels and screw-in choke tubes that are great gobbler getters.
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If you decide not to
camouflage your shiny gun, be assured that turkeys will see the out-of-place weapon
despite your efforts to keep it concealed. Camo that gun! |
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God Bless America
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MARCH
2010
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