Heat and pistol target shootiing

[John G C 1]

I target shoot at 15 and 20 yards. I am looking for small groups, hand held target shooting.

Yesterday was mid-nineties and humid, so of course I went shooting.

I shot a few magazines through my pistol with maybe a minute or so rest time time between and after a few magazines (25 rounds total?) the barrel was very hot and my accuracy seemed to go way down really fast. I went from keeping a two inch group at 15 yards to circling the outer rim of the two inch bullseye with only one or two in the red bullseye.

Do you think it was the effect of the heat on the pistol ........or mainly general lessening of good grip on the part of the shooter?

I know most issues are user fault, so no problem with being told that is the issue.

 

[243winxb]

Ammo comming out of a hot car trunk, then sitting in the hot sun , may have something to do with loss of accuracy.
Some cast bullet lube's may run at 115 F degrees. If lube contaminants some powder, may make a difference.
Your short range time is nothing compared to shooting a 2700 pistol match in the heat.

 

[Tallball]

It might just be shooter fatigue. The summers are brutal where I live. My shooting buddy and I normally shoot two-hour sessions outdoors, year-round. In the summer our accuracy starts to get worse after an hour and a half or so, even though we're shooting in the morning. By two hours it's very noticeable. Some days we even pack it in a bit early, when we're obviously just wasting ammo.

 

[Riomouse911]

I spent yesterday walking around Disney World wearing a backpack. Around 90 deg and humid (rained a bit around 1530). I felt lousy after just a few hours, I couldnt imagine trying to focus on sights, trigger,follow through etc...

 

[John G C 1]

Thanks. I figured it was more likely me than the pistol, as usual.

 

[Jesse H]

We train all day in this heat with no noticable decline in accuracy.

 

[chicharrones]

Heat gets me after a while, too. Like working outside this past Saturday and working in an non-air-conditioned warehouse yesterday.

Of course, if I exercised more it would be easier for me to tolerate. I get by with plenty of water and a semi-full belly. Maybe a small bag of salty chips during a break, too.

I used to drink Gatorade type drinks in the heat, but they give me a bad sugar rush nowadays.

Anyone remember Cramer salt tablets? I haven't seen those in years.

 

[Shimitup]

Anyone remember Cramer salt tablets? I haven't seen those in years.

I remember salt tablet dispensers in the Humble Oil field offices in south Louisiana in the 60's.

I just don't shoot outdoors in the summer, I hate pouring sweat all over my guns.

 

[CapnMac]

Heat is complicated.
Different people react to heat differently. And, of course, what is "hot" differs all the time. Humidity as well as temperature (and, wind, too) matter. As does hydration.
But, some days are just sideways.

 

[rskent]

Yesterday was mid-nineties and humid, so of course I went shooting.

Me to. And after working in the plant all day. On the way home, I had the great idea, stop off at the range and get a little practice with the 22. Yea right. Bad idea.
It’s tough to see the targets with sweat running down your face and in your eyes. So, I gave up and got out a pistol, couldn’t hit anything with it either.
Hard to see sights with sweat in your eyes.

I guess its good practice to see how you shoot when you are hot, tired, and covered with sweat. And I did make it home before the rain started.

You gotta love Florida in the summertime.

 

[Bovice]

People up north avoid being outside during the thick of winter.

Down here in FL, it is almost handled the same. Try not to be outside unless you're in the water.

I have lived here my entire life and this time of year never gets any better. It is brutal.

 

[BSA1]

I target shoot at 15 and 20 yards. I am looking for small groups, hand held target shooting.

I know most issues are user fault, so no problem with being told that is the issue.

Well the first question is what handgun and ammo are you using?

Second is what hold and stance are you using? Classic one hand bullseye stance, two hand weaver stance or ???

Third how does the gun shoot when it cold outside? (Why is the location of the poster always a secret?)

Fourth how well do you shoot when it is cold outside?

What kind of physical training are you doing? Such as lifting hand weights, doing arm curls, squeezing a grip exerciser or rubber ball?

Are you drinking caffeine (coffee, soda, energy drinks) and smoking before going shooting?

How well can you control and slow down your breathing?

How well are you focusing on the front sight?

Finally how much effort and how small of groups do you want to shoot?

 

[John G C 1]

I use an Isosceles stance, feet spread equally at shoulder width, two handed grip and both arms fully extended.

The gun I was shooting was a Smith and Wesson 1911, 45 acp, factory load 230 grain.

I should be putting three out of five in the red.

It just seemed my "accuracy" dropped off suddenly after about 40 rounds. I shoot at 15 yards mostly at 1 1/2 inch red bullseye and after shooting a box my shoots were circling the outside of the red to varying degrees rather than getting shots inside the red.

I was just wondering if I needed to wait longer between shooting magazines in very hot weather to try to keep accurate, but I guess I need to do more hand training to get stronger so I don't poop out after a box or so of ammo. That makes sense.

I notice some of the rifle shooters pause for five minutes after two or three shots and wondered if I needed to adopt some longer pause during hot weather. I have not shot this gun in the winter cold...yet.

Thanks. All these thoughts give me some things to work on.

 

[ATLDave]

Rifle barrel heating and pistol barrel heating are pretty different things... both in terms of barrel bend and in terms of barrel wear.

 

[doubleh]

I'm an outside type of person and I always said "It's hot, so what?" As I've morphed into advanced geezerhood I've found the answer to that question. Can't take the heat like I used to. Seriously can't. My solution is to go to the range early with a travel mug of coffee and a 32 oz. Rtic cup of ice water. I try to get there before sunup and usually make it. It's close to 4000' elevation here and cools off nicely at night. Sometimes I slip on a long sleeve shirt for awhile to be comfortable but have to shed it quickly after sunrise. I usually pack up and head home somewhere between 9 and 10 AM either from the heat or the wind getting up. It's usually the wind that chases me off.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I can stand around in 90 and 95 degree heat and be alright. Add a little humidity, and I'm not good at ANYTHING.

I prefer to be baked rather than steamed, and my shooting reflects that.