Shotguns homesteaders retire early after one bad night in the rain

A lot of shotguns look “farm ready” sitting in the store. Then they go through one cold, wet, muddy night chasing a raccoon around the coop, and you realize they don’t love real barn life. Sometimes it’s rust, sometimes it’s cycling issues, sometimes it’s you deciding, “Nope, I’m not doing that again with this gun.”

Here are the types of shotguns that often get quietly retired after that first miserable night in the rain.

Budget pumps with minimal rust protection

The cheapest 12-gauge pumps—think house-brand Turkish imports or ultra-budget pumps with thin bluing and basic hardwood stocks—look fine on day one. After one all-night rain, you start seeing orange freckles on the barrel, magazine tube, and even the action if you didn’t wipe it down immediately.

If you already know you’re the type who forgets to clean a gun right away, these ultra-basic finishes can make you retire a shotgun faster than you planned.

High-polish wood and blued guns you’re scared to scratch

A glossy Remington 870 Wingmaster or pretty Browning BPS with deep blue and shiny walnut can function just fine in bad weather, but most people don’t really want to drag them through wet straw and lean them on a metal gate. One wet, muddy night is all it takes to decide, “This is staying in the safe from now on.”

If you cringe at every ding, you’re not going to keep using it as your main barn gun.

Older doubles with soft, worn bluing

Classic side-by-sides and over-unders with worn finishes—older Stevens, Savage/Fox, and similar—are already thin on protection. Take them out in steady drizzle, let them ride in a damp truck, and rust shows up fast along the rib, under the forend, and around the hinge.

They’re fine for controlled hunts, but one rough weather night on a homestead usually convinces folks to grab something newer and less fragile next time.

Guns with leather slings and fancy add-ons

Leather slings, shell cuffs, and decorative wraps soak up water and hold it against the metal. After one soaking, you may find rust blooming under the sling or around the swivels. It’s not that the shotgun is junk—it’s that the way it’s dressed makes it miserable in real-world rain.

When you’re tired and cold, that’s enough to send this one back to “nice weather only” duty.

Single-shots with slick buttplates and no grip

Light single-shot 12-gauges with hard plastic buttplates and smooth wood feel okay on a sunny day. Add cold rain, heavy clothing, and numb hands, and they’re easier to slip, mount badly, and smack your shoulder harder than they need to.

After one wet, painful night, a lot of people quietly swap these out for something with a decent recoil pad and more grip.