Insect repellent containing DEET damage a firearm?

[TnShooter83]

I remember reading a post some where on a forum a few years back about a

a hunter reporting a problem with the finish on his rifle was pealing off after a hunting trip.

A few post later, a conclusion had been reached that it was the insect repellent.

As 1 or 2 other people had reports of the same problem after hunting trips.

I did some independent Google studying and it seems to be that it will damage plastics.

...GREAT, all but 1 of my rifles are synthetic, my field shot gun is synthetic, and a couple pistols are "plastic".......

So has any one here had any effects due to repellents, or any other common chemical for that matter?

[andersmg]

I had a friend who ruined the wood finish on his 870 several years back with the deet bug spray. I have not had any personal bad experiences with it although when I use it I usually make sure I DO NOT get it on my hands, I still have to be careful not to get my arms up against the gun too if I am wearing a short sleeve shirt and have applied it to my arms. Most times I have on long sleeve shirts and spray the sleeves lightly. I think the problem comes in if you have it on your hands or skin and it is still in it's fluid state, if it is sprayed onto clothing it is much less likely to do any damage, at least from my experience.

[skipsfirearms]

Use the Avon Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus spray. No DEET and it works great....

[dralarms]

I don't use bug sprays, I'm allregic I guess, spray me down and my throat closes up like the butterfly on a carb.

[TripleDigitRide]

Use the Avon Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus spray. No DEET and it works great....

+1

[EMTRN]

I had to refinish my 870 due to bug juice.

[shaftbass]

Yes as well as automotive paint.

[mrming]

I've done some damage to rubber on a camera before with DEET based products. The stuff seems like a pretty good solvent to me.. probably worth keeping away from anything lacquered as well.

[TGO David]

Makes you wonder what DEET does to you doesn't it?

[dralarms]

Makes you wonder what DEET does to you doesn't it?

I know what it does to me. I may have to try that avon junk to see if it's any good.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Deet is awful for little kids...do NOT have it around small children.

[Will]

Ate the finish off my hunting shotgun down to bare wood,but worked great against

the Wisconsin State Bird. You would have a swarm of hundreds follow you but not touch down. I do not know what it would do to the plastic/rubber stocks.

[Guest db99wj]

Ate the finish off my hunting shotgun down to bare wood,but worked great against

the Wisconsin State Bird. You would have a swarm of hundreds follow you but not touch down. I do not know what it would do to the plastic/rubber stocks.

I assume you are talking about those damned biting flies....

[Will]

No, Skeeters in the backwaters of Miss. River and ponds during early season. The

blackflies seem to be in No MN/Canada have talked to people with bad stories

of them. Forgot the Off one time and had my ears swell up double from so many

bites,took a few days to go away.

[Guest db99wj]

No, Skeeters in the backwaters of Miss. River and ponds during early season. The

blackflies seem to be in No MN/Canada have talked to people with bad stories

of them. Forgot the Off one time and had my ears swell up double from so many

bites,took a few days to go away.

Ahh, I spent two weeks in the boundary water area of Northern MN. Those suckers hurt.

[DWARREN123]

I am not sure if it is the DEET or the carrier agent but I have had repellent eat many different types of plastic and finishes.

[Smith]

I bought some Lancer AR mags and in the packaging was a warning label that said, "DO NOT HANDLE THESE MAGAZINES AND DEET!" It went on to say that it will destroy the magazines! Must be some bad stuff.

[Guest c.a.s.]

I don't know why, but I don't have too much of a problem with bugs. I don't use bug spray that often. When I do, I'm not sure what it is.

I might pick up some insect repellent treatment for my older BDUs and jeans, and maybe my work shirt.