walking arsenal
Member
Winter is upon us again up here in Minnesota.
A quick check of my local weather tells me that the outside temp is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sweatshirt weather for some, unlivable for others.
The wind is blowing at a brisk 24 mph causing me to shiver and my mind wander while I relax in my warm apartment. Its weather like this that causes a fellow to think.
My favorite carbine is an AK with a three point sling and a surefire flashlight.
My chosen sidearm is a Springfield XD sub-comp in 9mm.
As far as being cold weather guns I am satisfied with them. My Ak was designed with low temps in mind and I can run my XD with shooting mittens or gloves on.
But then I hear my neighbors apartment door doors slam and I look out my window into the busy street of the city and cringe.
If I was forced to fire that AK here, in this environment, the over penetration would be a huge risk to all these people. My Xd too, though not as much.
I do own a shotgun, (a Mossberg 500) and a 20" barreled AR-15 and sometimes wonder if I shouldn't switch to either of them as my primary "go to" gun.
After all, 0000 buck or a 55 grn soft point aren't nearly the penetrators that a 123grn 7.62x39 FMJ is.
If I stayed indoors either would be fine. But what if, for whatever reason, we had to move the party outside?
The chances of this are minimal but lets entertain the thought and discuss our three top long arm defense platforms. The AR-15, the AKM, and the 12 ga shotgun.
Personally I've found it difficult to run my AR in winter with its small controls and buttons. And with the AR platform being the lubricant hog that it is I that the chances of it seizing in the cold are good. Information on running an AR in a cold environment is scarce as most of the conflicts it has been involved in since its inception have been either jungle or desert climates.
My shotgun's safety and trigger can be run with gloves on but only for six shots and then I need to reload. The gloves that are meant to protect our digits are now the enemy here. They have to come off and risk being lost in order to top off the gun. Or do they?
My AK is good to go. It cares not about the weather but its cartridge is a heavy penetrator and presents a liability. It's certainly reliable and remains my favorite option for winter use. This year I even used it for hunting so I know it is good for taking game if I need to use it for such. But I live in a city where the "game" is stored in the freezer isle of the super market.
Those are my thoughts now lets hear yours. Its a cold night and a good one for banter.
Which platform do you feel is more viable when the snow flies?
Does your location effect your choice?
Do you have any tips, tricks, or yearly changes of habit you make when it gets cold when it comes to defense?
Share them here. Lets learn.
A quick check of my local weather tells me that the outside temp is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sweatshirt weather for some, unlivable for others.
The wind is blowing at a brisk 24 mph causing me to shiver and my mind wander while I relax in my warm apartment. Its weather like this that causes a fellow to think.
My favorite carbine is an AK with a three point sling and a surefire flashlight.
My chosen sidearm is a Springfield XD sub-comp in 9mm.
As far as being cold weather guns I am satisfied with them. My Ak was designed with low temps in mind and I can run my XD with shooting mittens or gloves on.
But then I hear my neighbors apartment door doors slam and I look out my window into the busy street of the city and cringe.
If I was forced to fire that AK here, in this environment, the over penetration would be a huge risk to all these people. My Xd too, though not as much.
I do own a shotgun, (a Mossberg 500) and a 20" barreled AR-15 and sometimes wonder if I shouldn't switch to either of them as my primary "go to" gun.
After all, 0000 buck or a 55 grn soft point aren't nearly the penetrators that a 123grn 7.62x39 FMJ is.
If I stayed indoors either would be fine. But what if, for whatever reason, we had to move the party outside?
The chances of this are minimal but lets entertain the thought and discuss our three top long arm defense platforms. The AR-15, the AKM, and the 12 ga shotgun.
Personally I've found it difficult to run my AR in winter with its small controls and buttons. And with the AR platform being the lubricant hog that it is I that the chances of it seizing in the cold are good. Information on running an AR in a cold environment is scarce as most of the conflicts it has been involved in since its inception have been either jungle or desert climates.
My shotgun's safety and trigger can be run with gloves on but only for six shots and then I need to reload. The gloves that are meant to protect our digits are now the enemy here. They have to come off and risk being lost in order to top off the gun. Or do they?
My AK is good to go. It cares not about the weather but its cartridge is a heavy penetrator and presents a liability. It's certainly reliable and remains my favorite option for winter use. This year I even used it for hunting so I know it is good for taking game if I need to use it for such. But I live in a city where the "game" is stored in the freezer isle of the super market.
Those are my thoughts now lets hear yours. Its a cold night and a good one for banter.
Which platform do you feel is more viable when the snow flies?
Does your location effect your choice?
Do you have any tips, tricks, or yearly changes of habit you make when it gets cold when it comes to defense?
Share them here. Lets learn.
