I performed a severe weather test on my Stevens this weekend...

Just finished up cleaning my Stevens 200 in 223. This is probably my "most abused" rifle in the stable. We went on a camping trip this weekend in N. AZ, and I took it along for coyote repellent. We went up Friday, and Saturday morning it started raining. Hard. Drenched and soaked everything we had, including my rifle. By Saturday afternoon, there was no letup in sight, so we packed it in and came home.

My rifle was so soaking wet, when I picked it up in camp, water poured out of it. I had no way to clean it or dry it while up there, so I put it in the case and brought it home.

Like I said, I just now finished cleaning it. There was not one single spot of rust or blueing discoloration anywhere on the rifle. The bore also cleaned up fine with minimal effort, no rust there either. Oh, and the Nikon scope is fine too.

So much for blued rifles rusting in the rain.

Gotta love those Savages!

been reduced to shooting water!!! lol!!

Your weekend was childs play for a real battle rifle.

Mud on the Kokoda trail New Guinea 1942

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/39.jpg

Crossing a river.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...edp51/170a.jpg

The Lee Enfield was painted under the wood line to keep the rifles from rusting during WWII.
(Savage made more No.4 British Enfields during WWII than any other manufacture in any country)

[img width=600 height=152]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/Page-10.jpg[/img]

[img width=459 height=450]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/Page-11.jpg[/img]

Unpainted Enfields rusted when used in the jungle. ("So much for blued rifles rusting in the rain") ::)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o.../No5rust-1.jpg

You were lucky.

more credit should go toward your cleaning products and regiment