The value of a balloon.

Muir

Well-Known Member
I rode my 2x2 motorcycle far into the nothings today to keep watch on some cattle and new borne calves that were being stalked my wolves and coyotes. The place I hunted was 40 miles from the nearest major road and another 15 miles up a ranch road to where I unloaded my bike. From there, I logged 50km on my GPS with my 204 Ruger CZ Varmint in the gun rack on the front forks. I have never gone down on the bike while carrying a rifle but have favored placing a childs balloon over the muzzle just in case. I buy the ones that state they are rated for helium as they tend to be tougher: they run about 10 cents each at the local store.

Well. Today it paid off. I had ridden up a soft soil hill to a rock outcropping to check out a cave that might possibly be a den. As I approached I turned my bike sideways to the hill and braked. The front wheel broke loose some soil and the bike went over with me glimpsing the muzzle of the CZ being buried a few inches in the silt as i began the first of a couple somersaults down the hill. Common wisdom says to carry a cleaning rod but I tend to travel light when I'm doing this kind of work. If I had, and left it at the Jeep, it would still have entailed an 8 mile trek across rugged terrain to get to it: roughly an hour each way. The balloon however, did it's job. When I pulled the bike upright the balloon was intact and all was well. Today it proved to be the best 10 cents I'd spent in quite a while.;)~Muir
 
That's an idea , I've not thought of that one, I have heard of & seen guys stick a bit of electrical insulating tape over muzzle ... Doing same job , but guessing that most aren't as remote as you !

Paul
 
Do you remove the balloon before you shoot I have heard of people using tape on the end to stop snow but never sure what would happen if you forgot to remove it
 
I would only take it off if I was planning on firing a sequence of shots (in case I melt plastic onto the barrel). Otherwise I would just shoot through as it makes no discernible difference.
 
After the events described the zero most likely would be disturbed and i personally would not shoot at any living thing until checked so what good did the balloon do?
 
It saved the barrel getting plugged. Like you I'd still want to check the rifle hits the mark but I'd be very surprised if Muir didn't think similarly.

What sort of 2x2 is it Muir?

GH
 
We used french letters over our rifle muzzles when in the Malayan Jungle.
It was a sure fire method of birth control and stopped the leeches or any other weirdie taking up residnce in the barrel.
 
After the events described the zero most likely would be disturbed and i personally would not shoot at any living thing until checked so what good did the balloon do?
\

In this instance doubt it. Besides, when it's a coyote killing a $600 calf and it's $2800 mother, I don't care if it's spot on. I want it to go away. ~Muir
 
It saved the barrel getting plugged. Like you I'd still want to check the rifle hits the mark but I'd be very surprised if Muir didn't think similarly.

What sort of 2x2 is it Muir?

GH

The rifle muzzle was pushed straight into soil that had the consistency between loam and ash. The rifle never even got dislodged from its cradle. I'll shoot it tonight, but I doubt it took too much abuse. Dropping the rifle any distance would have been far more violent with regard to zero disturbance.

The bike is a Rokon two wheel drive.~Muir
 
I use a condom over the mod'.

Trouble is, that leads to two problems. One, trying to explain to the Missus why you're buying condoms, and two, trying to calm your shooting buddy down when you pull one of them out of your pocket :lol:
 
also muir a makeshift pullthrough ,,,,a length of heavy duty strimmer nylon/plastic works and coils up to nothing, doug,
 
otis thats where my head kicked in and i use a strimmer nylon/plastic or for a better fit .22 up but not sure if you have over there, a plastic coated curtain wire coils up just the same ,atb doug,
 
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I also carry a brass or combination brass/delron muzzle guide that reduces the chance of wearing the muzzle when pulling a flexible rod through the bore.

SS
 
The real question is did you get any coyotes? :)

Nope. But they coyotes didn't get any calves, either. I patrolled the perimeter of the feeding grounds, frequenting the spots where a cow had gone off by itself. I had one coyote at 500 yards on the sky line so we just eyed each other. I haven't heard what the morning calf loss-tally was. I'll find out later this evening. Next time I'm bringing my SU16-R in 223 with the Trijicon sight..~Muir
 
I recall an incident when aged 10 years, my first trip up to Perth on the rabbits. I was gifted a .410 my pride and joy. I slipped on a steep bank and filled the barrels full of earth. Since then a pull through has been worth it's weight.

Before I get any smart comments about Perth not even reaching the highlands I was born and raised in York...
 
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