Cloth Camo tape, will it prevent rust? Or make the gun rust?

[Terry1]

Cloth Camo tape, will it prevent rust? Or make the gun rust? I don't want to use it if the gun is going to rust underneath. Thanks

[Robert]

If it gets wet, I try to dry it out real well in a warm place.  It will definately cause some rust if the moisture stays under there,  as it  is hard to clean and oil underneath.  But then it is just my old Mossberg.  The tape certainly DOES NOT help prevent rust.  If you are using it on a gun that you are worried about damaging the barrel, remove it after Turkey season and clean everything.  I dont put it on the receiver, it's the barrel sticking out there that a turkey will see.

[jhm]

Terry 1 :  A un oiled piece of steel will rust, and I dont think the tape will stick to a oiled barrel so I believe that putting the tape on the barrel will cause it to rust over time, if removed after the hunt and re oiled I would think no problem, but I would not advise to leave it on.   JIM

[gunnut69]

There are brands that advertise that the barrel can be oiled before installation but I have not tried them.  You might try a product called SnakeSkin.  It can be removed after the hunt and resued.  I recently removed the camo tape from an older pump shotgun that came from an estate.  It had been in place for years.  It was embrittled and tightly adhered.  I used WD40 to soften the adhesive and scraped it off with a plastic scraper.  This gun had been used for many years as the deceaseds turkey gun.  There was not a single trace of rust!!  I will admit I was amazed.  There is also a product called a barrel wrap.  It is wrapped around the barrel, over lapping the proceding wrap until the end where it's pulled BACK under the last 2 wraps to lock it in place.  They work very well.  Although I've gone to painting and intend to stay there.  The paint is quite easy to remove from the metal parts should I ever wish to and if bow paint is used the wood is also easily cleaned..