Shooting in the Cold

[kudu]

In the tradition of the Dave Mc. threads I thought I would touch on shooting in the winter months.

If things weren't difficult enough cold weather throws added troubles the shooters way. The added thickness of a coat, jacket, or a combination of both can add considerable percieved length to the stock dimensions. This can be overcome by just being aware of the problem and adjusting shooting form.

Now I hate wearing hats when I shoot, I know that I am in the minority in this situation, but I have come to rely on just a fleece head band that covers my ears and forehead. This is fine untill it gets in the single digits on the thermometer, then the sock hat comes out and a bandana around my neck to keep the cold from migrating down.

Gloves are another thing I usually don't wear but need when it gets below freezing. I wear a Bob Allen insulated glove on my left hand and unless it is really cold nothing on my trigger hand. I have a glove with the trigger finger cut off for cold days.

A good pair of insulated boots is great if your going to be out with a full squad of guys standing in the wind for 20 minutes. It wouldn't be the first time I looked like I was going ice fishing on the skeet field. Decked out in insulated Carhartts with LaCrosse iceman boots on and a heavy shooting coat. You can't run very far with all them clothes on but you don't freeze your toes. Layering is a good way to control how many clothes you have to wear to keep warm.

Many shooters have a hand heater that they keep in their pockets to warm their fingers when not shooting. I occasionaly use one, or the disposable ones when handy. I even have seen some of the battery gloves used.

If shooting autos it may be necessary to completly clean all the oil out of the gas system and bolt and use a dry lubricant or a graphite to keep the oils from turning thick in the cold and gumming up the works.

Some powders can be adversly effected by cold and loose quite a bit of velocity. Green Dot comes to mind as one of the worst affected by cold temps, but there are others that are effected to lesser degrees.

Going in and out of a warm club house can build up condensation in and on guns that need to be attended to at the end of the day to prevent rust problems. Sometimes a complete tear down is in order to get into the actions to be sure. A good moisture displacing penetrant is good to use after such times. I prefer CorrosionX for this job.

It's kinda neat shooting in a heavy snowstorm and seeing your shot pattern tearing through the snowflakes. Just one of the joys some of you southern shooters don't get to enjoy.

I think I have covered most of what I can think of. Any comments or additions?



kudu, in the soon to be great white north, kinda.

 

[TrapperReady]

Let's see...

My wife and I both shoot in the local winter trap league. It starts after January 1, and for much of the time the temp hovers in the low single digits. There have been many times when I've looked at the thermometer on the dashboard as we near the range, thinking... "Gee, at least it's not below zero this week."

So, I've got some experience.

In any event, I tend to have better luck using #7.5 shot in the frigid temps than the more typical #8.5 I use in the summer. People smarter than I have figured out why this works... but I just go by results.

Three things are critical. Keep your fingers warm, your toes warm and have something that can cut down on the wind. I've found that if my digits are toasty and the howling crosswind doesn't cut right through my clothes, I can handle it very cold (at least for the duration of a single round of trap). I've tried a number of pairs of gloves and boots until something works. HINT: If it works for deer hunting or duck hunting, it will probably work for clays.

The caveat to all this is that you may be adding a lot of bulk to your clothing. If so, you will need to alter your gun fit. A thinner recoil pad, or the removal of a slip-on pad can take care of this. Personally, I tend to dress "light" with a turtleneck, a wool sweater and a simple windbreaker, covered by my shooting vest. This doesn't add much bulk, but is sufficient for a short period of time.

If you use muffs for hearing protection, beware the fact that wearing a knit cap underneath can cause the seal to break. For this reason, in the winter I almost always use plugs and a knit hat.

NOTE: If you have actual trappers pulling targets for you... TIP THEM WELL. They don't have to be out there freezing their butts off for your entertainment.

As mentioned, condensation is your enemy. I always make sure that I let the gun come up to room temperature, and then wipe it down (inside and out) with Hoppes. I've yet to have one rust.

Keep a scrap of an old cotton t-shirt (or underwear) in your pocket, so that you can clean your glasses everytime they fog up.

I'm sure I'll think of more later, but my wife just called me down for dinner.

 

[kudu]

In any event, I tend to have better luck using #7.5 shot in the frigid temps than the more typical #8.5 I use in the summer. People smarter than I have figured out why this works... but I just go by results.

Yea, I knew that, but in skeet it is less of a worry than trap. Targets tend to get much tougher in cold weather for some reason, withstanding the shock of smaller pellets, especially with the longer yardages involved with trap and sporting clays. Good catch TR.

 

[sm]

kudu

Great Topic and Thread my friend!

Yes it gets cold in the South. [oh shut up ]

Even tho I know most heat is lost through the head, I too don't wear a hat often unless very hot, wet, or cold. Personally I prefer a Wool "cowboy" type hat, keeps that cold wet rain off the glasses, and OFF the neck - baseball style hats don't do this.

Gloves, umm...I pitch a fit if it gets "that cold", ( I hate to wear gloves for cold weather, work gloves is another matter around farm/ ranch) Fingerless wool glove on weak hand and I will , reluntantly put one on shooting if need. REALLY serious environs (example : - 5* with the wind chill , wet and snow...a full finger glove on weak hand...that shooting hand with the fingerless wool glove gets put / stays in a pocket more often)

Some powders are inverse, even though I prefer hard #8.5 and #8 for clay birds , I too will go with hard #7.5 shot. kudu is correct, kinda neat to see the pattern through the snow...or really heavy rain, sleet.

RIG Grease or Good Quality Car wax with Carnuba to protect the exterior of the gun

...Minwax paste wax ( my preference) or Johnson paste wax to protect wood stocks. I don't own any synthetic stocks - don't want them.

Degrease Firing pins - I used Zippo Lighter Fluid - forever, still do. Granted CRC Brakleen will do the same thing and cheaper than Gun Scrubber. We always kept a tin can of Zippo fluid in the duck blinds, on the range, truck, ....etc., seems like there is always one person who didn't know and hears a "click" instead of a bang. Aerosol cans do weird stuff when left out in freezing weather... so does plastic...Get the Zippo in the metal can. Many a hunter / shooterhas been saved by lighter fluid and a pipe cleaner.

Now I have...or had some newfangled thermal underwear. Didn't use it/ gave it away.

. I recall what my elders / mentors taught, Brister and Misseldine spoke of the same. This being bulk is not good. Most folks get so bulky they cannot shoot. They did not dress in layers, get hot and sweat walking in / during shooting ...yes one sweats when cold...sweat makes one really cold when activity stops.

If you dress "right" and in the proper layers...you don't need a lot. I have shot in 30* weather,no wind, sun shining and not used a coat. Yes I was comfortable.

Silk. Go ahead and laugh. Silk is thin and keeps the moisture away from skin, so do silk socks , long pants and T shirt your first layer. Then use natural fibers to keep warm. For instance Wool will keep you warm even if wet BTW. Also silk socks first then wool will prevent blisters on one's feet. What happens is your feet sweat , socks stick to feet and bunch up and rub "you the wrong way". Silk keeps foot dry, and prevents this.

See the Elmer Fudds with Wool Makenaws and silk underwear knew something.

Afield - okay anywhere , anytime ...I prefer heavy Duck Field coats like LLBean, with a wool button in liner. I prefer the Barbour - ( or since mine was stolen) my current Woolrich Waxed Canvas Coat with again the wool button in liner for really wet environs.

I get a tear in these, I re-sew the tear , if the waxed jacket, I re- wax and back in business. Can't do that with Gortex.

Hypothermia sets in at 40* F , know the signs and symptoms. Not only watch yourself, watch others and have them watch you. Know what to do. Slurred speech and shivering are your body's ways of telling you something...and that about the folks you are shooting with.

Stay hydrated. Caffeine...hey I like my coffee and hot tea too, these are Diueretics - better to have warm broth / soup to warm from inside out.

Remember -

Grin as you emerge from the smoke - it makes folks wonder just what the hell you are up to - Dave Robichaux.

Well Grin when your frozen, wet , covered in snow...folks will still "think" you are crazy ...they don't have have to know what all you have been up to...or about to get into.

 

[WEPS]

Now I hate wearing hats when I shoot, I know that I am in the minority in this situation.



I have to agree with you. Wearing hats while shooting is a safety issue. Most peoples first reaction when a hat blows off or something falls is to pick it up. Maybe not an experienced shooter but a bystander.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Great thread. A few small additions....

Shooting at the range in your hunting clothes makes sense. It can illuminate problems, like a coat that binds the swing too much or a a hat whose brim blocks vision when we're in position.

I've gotten to the point where I use 8.5s in the summer and 7.5s from October to April. My winter loads also get more powder when the mercury plummets.

Polypro under wool works for me.

 

[Smoke]

I'm even further south than sm. While it can get pretty cold here at times, it isn't that often. Nonetheless I do make a few changes in my shooting regimen for the cooler days.

For me, I adjust when the temp drops below about 40 F. I start a fire in the fireplace and spend some quality time cleaning my guns or get a hot Dr. Pepper and read THR.

Winter trap league in the single digit temps

You guys are nuts

Smoke - doesn't do cold weather

 

[TrapperReady]

Smoke - The funny thing is, I typically shoot (shotguns) a lot more during the winter. The past couple years, I've been shooting highpower in the spring and summer, so that eats up most of my range time.

Also, if I'm hunting a lot, I also like to shoot clays so that I can make the most of the shots opportunities I get. The winter trap league is a lot of fun. It is cold, but the die-hard group that shows up is very friendly (more than summer), and it is a lot less serious. Anyone who even bothers to show up automatically gains a lot of respect. People who show up a second time are greeted almost like brothers.

Besides... when winter hits, you can either hole up in your house and slowly go crazy, or bundle up, get outside and have fun. I choose the latter.

 

[nico]

to the guys who recommended a dry lube for winter; which do you prefer?

 

[Smoke]

Besides... when winter hits, you can either hole up in your house and slowly go crazy, or bundle up, get outside and have fun.

Or down here, wait a few days and you'll catch a nice warm 60 degree day. Even in January.

Our cold spells don't last long.

Smoke

 

[fecmech]

Here in the western NY area we seem to have a better turnout of shooters in the winter time as opposed to the better weather in the summer. I think it has to do with guys doing more family oriented things when the weather is good and having weekends in the winter more to themselves. I shoot mainly Sporting and my changes for the winter are as follows:
1. I put a 3/8" shorter recoil pad on my 390 Beretta
2. Use a 3" spacer for my shooting vest ( piece of cloth with half a zipper on each side ) to make up for the bulk of my coat.
3 Put a disposable handwarmer in each of my vest front shell pockets for my hands and the shells.
4 wear some of the high tech thin insulated gloves with the pebble grain gripper thingys on em.
5 Being a real candyass I wear an lightweight insulated baclava over the head to keep warm (kind of like what construction workers wear under hard hats only thinner.) and thats about it.

The thing about sporting is you tend to be outside for about an hour or so and I find I shoot a lot better if I'm comfortable. My scores tend to drop a little for the first few weeks with all the clothes but after a while you get used to shooting that way and the good scores come back.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Although I am no serious trap shooter, I have done a fair amount of shotgunning in lots of cold weather clothing. I must be an anomoly, because I find most field-grade shotguns to be short stocked in July, but they fit fine when I add a coat and a sweater! (I can also handle your average 14" LOP from sitting position, though my thumb does make contact with my nose more often than I care to admit.)

My favorite winter shooting sport is a local .22 falling plate match, but after my field performances so far this duck season, I think I may be spending some time at the trap range!

 

[Brian Dale]

Lots of great stuff here. Only one tip to add:

If your feet are cold, put on a hat.

{If they're still cold, do what I did and move to North Carolina for 10 years. Now that I've warmed up, I'm moving back. Daytime highs of minus 12, here I come.}

 

[pax]

Disposable heating pads are a wonderful thing.

pax

 

[cracked butt]

Its really not cold until the snot freezes in your nose every time you inhale.

If you keep your core body temperature warm, you won't get as much vasoconstriction in your extremities and yoru hands and feet will stay warmer. Drink warm liquids, wear a down vest or a fleece/wool jacket under a windbreaking/waterresistant shell, along with polypropylene/silk underwear, and you should be ok.
Staying dry is much more important than simply dressing warm. -10 doesn't bother me much as long as I'm dry, if I'm wet, I can become shivering cold in a hurry at 50 degrees.

Moisture/condensation? it won't kill your shotgun. Just stand it up in the open at room temperature overnight and it will dry out, then wipe it down with a silicone cloth.

Chemical handwarmers are a Godsend- I usually wear wool gloves that are insulated with thinsulate- they are very functionble, yet are warmer than most gloves with the exception of bulky ski gloves.