[CWL]

Y'all,

I wear self-winding watches and am wondering if shooting firearms imposes any harmful shock upon these timepieces.

Any opinions?

[Greg L]

Probably depends (if it does affect them) on if you are shooting a .22 or a .50 DE. The higher quality watches probably not.

Greg

[ke6guj]

I don't have a self-winding watch but I don't wear my hand-wind Omega Speedmaster Pro while shooting any more.

A couple times after shooting, my Moonwatch has been knocked out of regulation. On one occasion, it went from running +-1 second/day to over 30 seconds fast. My watchmaker reregulated it back to normal, but after that, I decided that Speedy don't go shootin' anymore:D

Jack

[Jim Watson]

I quit wearing my good selfwinder shooting after I made a fast draw at an IPSC stage, brought the support hand up, the watch clasp slipped and I saw something bright and shiny go down range. If I had been a little faster on the trigger, my best watch might have gone up in a cloud of smoke and come down in a shower of little gears. So now a Casio or Timex goes to the range.

[Art Eatman]

Ya don' wanna move so slow that the ball-bearings on your self-winder freeze up. Happened to a buddy of mine. He was one of those guys you had to line up with a fence post to see wuz he movin'. However, he never set his beer mug down hard enough to put any shock to his Waterbury.

Art

[dfariswheel]

All modern mechanical wrist watches have shock-absorbing mechanisms built into the balance assembly. This is the only part that can be damaged by shock.

USUALLY this is enough to prevent any problems caused by the shock generated by shooting.

The self-winding mechanism isn't affected by shock unless it's badly worn.

In 40 years of watchmaking, I never saw a shooter's watch damaged by recoil, but I guess anything is POSSIBLE.

HISTORICAL NOTE: There's a law on the books in Missouri that states: A sexual perversion is a sexual activity that generates enough force to "regulate a self-winding watch".

[sm]

dfariswheel nailed it.

I've shot with mine for years.

[JohnBT]

I have a self-winding Omega Seamaster I got in 1972 that still runs.

I looked into trading it in on a new one a few years ago, but the shop owner/watchmaker told me to keep the old one. I don't know if he didn't like the newer ones in general or if he didn't think they would tolerate the shock of shooting. One of the good guys I guess. I was on my lunch break and didn't have time to chat with him.

John

[Jspy]

No problems yet with my GMT Master or my Explorer.

[Kentucky Rifle]

My wife purchased it in Zermatt, Switzerland as a birthday gift for me. I take it off and wear a LL Bean Military Watch when I go to the range~"JUST in case".

KR

[geekay]

but no-one would let me. So I use my imagination, is that the same thing?

[riverdog]

When I did wear my Rolex Submariner shooting it didn't seem to suffer any damage and stayed right on time. But regardless of whether or not it's bad for the watch, I leave that heavy stainless steel brick in the safe and a wear a Casio G-Shock shooting. Besides being lighter, the Casio keeps much better time. I started wearing the G-Shock while running years ago because it's lighter and has a good stopwatch function; and if I put it down and don't wear it for a while, it still keeps good time. With self-winder's, you have to wear them all the time.

[webley455]

No problem with my O&W

[Gabby Hayes]

A always wear a plastic watch when I shoot my plastic guns. :cool:

[telewinz]

I don't wear my Rolex for shooting or anything else. It cost me $150 just to have it cleaned 15 years ago and that was a bargain at that time. Its like owning a Colt Phython with the Royal blue finish, way too expensive to shoot on a regular bases and run the risk of damaging the finish. The Timex is a much better value and keeps better time. When it breaks, in the trash it goes with no tears shed.

[TechBrute]

In most cases, it won't be much effect. However, a .460 Rowland will just about kill anything. I know this for a fact.

[txgolfer45]

I think your Rolex is overdue for a cleaning if it has been 15 years!!!

Scott

[telewinz]

I'm not going to morgage the house just to clean a watch. It works fine and looks just as good setting on its shelf as my wrist. If I need to take it with me, I'll take a picture.:D

GEE I wander if the moderators would allow us to show pictures of our watches. The history of watches and guns are very interwoven, some say even closer than guns and knives. Did you know Wild Bill Hickok was killed because he may have stolen a man's Timex?:scrutiny: Yep, lets show them watch pictures (you can throw in an old pistol alongside if you want). There's an idea, lets have a WATCH/gun forum. You can tie a piece of chain to you watch and gun and we will call it a watch frob, it will fool them every time. OOPS, time for my medication, gotta close.:D

BTW, IIRC, did you ever see that old commercial where they shoot a Timex with a 30/06 and it keeps on ticking? Try that on your Rolex or Omega, I dare you.

[tex_n_cal]

I always got more compliments on cheap fashion watches than I ever got on expensive watches, so don't have any more expensive watches.:neener:

The mechanical watch afficianados claim that they are more resistant to shock than a quartz watch, but I tend to doubt them, myself.

[sm]

dfarriswheel and my dad share the same ocupation. Mechanical watches to me represent craftmanship. In this present day of stamped out , planned obolesence, quanity not quality... I appreciate craftsmanshp. I appreciate those things that can be repaired and retain the art of a time gone by.

I guess that's why the 1911 style , and K frames interest me so much. Just two examples of fine craftsmanship that have stood the test of time . Shoot, repair if need, repeat.

[PATH]

Shot for years now wearing my Seiko. No problems as of yet.

[bedlamite]

My Zodiac SeaWolf has never had a problem. I don't wear it much, as I usually go through a timex a year at work.

[CZ-75]

Did you know Wild Bill Hickok was killed because he may have stolen a man's Timex?

Not quite correct. This sounds like the story behind his 1866 gunfight in Springfield, MO. He won. The watch was HIS, and the other guy took his watch as collateral to settle a debt. I believe it was a Waltham.

[Vladimir Berkov]

Also, I believe there is much speculation that the reason we have watches at all is because of guns. Apparently, the technology to produce the springs necessary for watches, is only a by-product of the wheel-lock design, which also needed a similar spring.

So once the wheel-lock was invented and perfected, you had the springs necessary to produce watches as well.

[CWL]

True, there is even a line of belief that the springs were invented in Japan. They were used as wheelock fire-starters. These popped-up in the 1550's after the Portuguese and Dutch started trading with feudal Japan.

It was the dutch who intorduced the first reliable working snaphaunces (flintlocks) in the 1600's.

[Lone Star]

There is a watch thread/forum on www.knifeforums.com Scroll 'way down the main index page after getting to the forums list.

Evidently, knife fanciers like watches, too.

I had the same experience that another fellow here did with Rolex. My Explorer I had to be regulated a couple of times (not due to shooting) to get it to maximum accuracy, which meant that it ran about 30 seconds fast per week. Then, it cost $150 to clean, and I eventually sold it. I now wear either a Seiko or a Tag-Heuer, both quartz models. Neither seems fazed by gunfire to .44 Magnum level, or while grasping the stock of a .30/06. They are also far more accurate than the Rolex.

Anyone know if quartz watches need cleaning? Maybe they blow dust out of mine when they change batteries and seals, but I've never heard it mentioned.

Oh: Peter Capstick said that a leopard can hear a watch tick if it's worn in a hunting blind fairly near a bait in a tree. He asked his clients to go without their watches until they got back to camp while hunting leopard from a blind.

Lone Star

[keyhole]

Have problems with the sand getting stuck in the hourglass while shooting. Recoil keeps breaking the glass also.:neener:

[telewinz]

Quartz watches are a much better value than any "mech" watch. But there life expectancy is much less. The main reason is the electromagnetic field generated by all quartz watches. Over a period of years this constant "field" works against itself and the watch wears out. This is one of the big differences between a cheap quartz watch and an expensive one. A Seiko is heavy because of the "heavy" shielding that buys you time against this losing battle. I own and wear a Citizen Navihawk now, its survived much longer than any watch I ever owned (daily wear), just one scratch on the cystal and I did that the first week I owned it.:cuss:

I also wear a sundial, its shock, water, and anti-magnetic proof. It has a luminous dial so I can tell the time at night.:D

[Cactus]

There is also a watch section on pistolsmith.com. It is called "Horology".

I just find mechanical watches more interesting than quartz watches. A mechanical watch is a tiny machine that has been meticulously assembled versus a mass produced electronic module. It's like the difference between a fine custom 1911 and a Glock. They both perform their function yet one seems devoid of "soul".

That being said, I don't wear any of my mechanical watches when hunting or fishing. I wear a cheap $20.00 Lorus that I've had for years!

[txgolfer45]

If you want tons of watch info, go to www.timezone.com

It is the equivalent of The High Road for watches.

Scott

[Hemicuda]

I havew a couple nice dress watches (one by Montana Silversmiths W/ a Seiko Kinetic movement, and a SWEET flight/ dive Chronograph by Rolex...)

NEITHER goes to the range... for daily wear, I have a 25 year old Timex dive chronograph watch that looks ok, and still works like a million bucks... and it doesn't seem to mind recoil at all... even from my TC Encore in 30-06, or my 50AE...

[mcole]

30 some years ago when i as in the service i wore a stainless steel omega seamaster chronometer. "it took a licking and kept on ticking. dropped, kicked, hit, banged into things, shot just about everything, dive to 100'. still have the watch and it still runs and functions; although had to have it cleaned a couple times and the mainspring broke a few years ago (this cost many times what i paid for the watch when i bought it in guam. don't wear it much any more.
when i shoot, it wear a rolex and a sunnto vector.
mcole

[Luv my 1897]

I really agree with everyone saying get a cheapo watch for shooting to avoid problems with a good watch.

[DRYHUMOR]

I'm right handed, watch is on the left. It doesn't get too much shock when shooting.

But on the flipside, a watch that takes a year to build and costs a few grand should be able to withstand some recoil.

IMO ;)

[MT GUNNY]

I know this has little to do with the Q but I haven't Worn a Watch since 94.
:neener:

[Larry Ashcraft]

I know this has little to do with the Q but I haven't Worn a Watch since 94
Which brings up the point, this thread was started in 2003, six years ago.

Nighty-night.