RandallT

I have been doing some hunting this last week and the temps are well below freezing (10 to -10). I would like to clean my gun before driving two hours home, but my solvent is freezing.

What can I use to clean with in these temps? I thought about leaving the charge in it, but my car warms up obvouisly on the drive home and I am very anal about doing this as I don't want to chance a blown opportunity.

I guess worse case scenario is I keep cleaning when I get home.

livbucks

Put it in the trunk. It should stay cold enough to keep condensation off it until you get home. Even better...put it in a plastic bag and put it in the trunk. If you have a truck, put it in the bed in a bag in a cardboard box to keep it from rolling around. I wouldn't even think of cleaning it in the field, especially in those temps. And here I thought I was anal about cleaning my gun. You make me feel better.
I use a CO2 discharger to clear my barrel. If I didn't fire the gun that day, I just swab and oil the bore when I get home.

cayugad

Pure rubbing alcohol should not freeze and can be used to clean the rifle. Another thing you can do is take thermos bottle of boiling water with you. By the time you come around for cleaning, it should be still warm if left in the car. Another thing you can do is get a small bottle of pre-lubed cleaning patches like Rusty Duck sells and so does Thompson Center. Just tuck them in your coat pocket. That body heat should keep them fine plus should you need them in the field for a field cleaning you have them.

All else fails, clean the major fowling out with dry patches and spit. Then when you get home your cleaning chore should be much less...

Tahquamenon

I would keep it in the trunk inaprotective caseand leave it charged and un-primed. Then transfer it to the unheated garage or leave it in the unheated trunk until the end of the season or hopefully after you shoot your deer.

Or discharge it and place it in the trunk and take it home. It will be fine for only two hours. I think it would be fine inside the vehicle for a couple of hours. Just clean it first thing when you get home. If you place it away from the heater in a case, it will not warm up that much.

If need to clean it before you leave the field after discharging it, a 50/50 mix of 99% isopropyl alcohol & windex or justthe alcoholand patcheswill get it clean enough to get home. Run an oiled patch before you leave the field.

Tahquamenon

Black Bellamy

I use 50% isopropyl alcohol 50% windshield wiper fluid - not sure about the freezing point but it works well at 20 degrees.

RandallT

Thanks guys the alcohol and washer fluid is what I was looking for. I drive a small suv, no trunk. I am not worried about it sitting for two hours, I am just a lot lazier after driving a couple hours than I am as I get undressed for the drive home. I have thought about a CO2 discharger. How well do they work with a side hammer?

cayugad

I've read posts that the Co2 dischargers work real good but the small bottles do not last all that long. Personally I shoot the rifle off. I never used one of the Co2 things.

ENCOREMAN

RandallT,
The silent ball discharger works fine, if you're not able to shoot your load out at the end of the day. I haven't used mine in years, but they do come in handy once in awhile.
Like cayugad mentioned, it takes just about a whole bottle to blow out a charge. A word of caution: Blow the charge out into the ground, unless the ground is frozen. The bullet comes out of there at a pretty good clip and you don't want anyone to get hurt!

livbucks

I use one in my flintlock. It will use a whole bottle for one shot. Still pretty convenient. A pack of bottles doesn't cost but a few bucks. You have to buy the adapter for your particular gun. You also have to hold a good bit of pressure on the thing when you blast it. I put a sock over the barrel to catch the bullet. Otherwise, it will shoot the bullet into the ground pretty deep.