When is HOT to HOT to shoot?

[Finch]

I know this little place in the desert about 25 miles outside of vegas. When I got there is was about 3:00 in the afternoon. I think my GPS unit said it was something like 112. Didn't stop me though. I spent a few hours out there. Took a while for my defender to cool off though .

 

[entropy]

"If the rounds start cooking off before you load the magazine, it's probably too hot to enjoy your range time." BDTD. Ft. Ord,Hungry Lizard, Twentynine Palms, NTC. I'll take dry heat over 100 and 100 any day, though. Ft.Jackson, DFW.
Now ya wanna talk cold....

 

[sendec]

I do not beleive in black-flagging training due to weather. Innovate, adapt and overcome (Thanks, Clint). I have always had a difficult time with glasses fogging, but then i am grateful that I do not have to wear a gas mask, Rain , heat, snow, we deliver - Press on and build some character.

Having said all that tough-guy cr*p, I also swear by a couple books, and The Navy SEAL Fitness Guide and Performing in Extreme Environments both of which go into much detail about the physiology and adaptation of exercise in sucky climates. Great info to both stay healthy and optimize performance.

I am reminded of an Alaskan PD whose officers were having trouble with the synthetic straps on their holsters during qualifications. Apparently they started really stiffening up and slowing the draw, at 40 below zero

PS, one of those cheesy space blankets makes a great gun cover on sunny days. Keeps the dust off and there's no sizzling sound when you hit your cheek weld.

 

[shep854]

Feanaro, I feel your pain.

I live not far from you, up in Center Point. (for the furriners, it's a community on the NE corner of the Birmingham area. Feanaro is down in the SE part of the plot. FOP is over on the other side of B'ham.)

I used to shoot at the Heritage range (about 15 mi further NE from me), but as trailers began apprearing on the ridgelines overlooking the range, I just got too uncomfortable and quit going there. The only other range I know about is the JeffCo Sheriff Dept range, which occasionally has open range days.

PS; it ain't hot 'til it breaks 100! 90's with high humidity is a pretty good warm, though.

 

[halvey]

Hot is good training though. You never know when you may be in a match or a SD situation where its really hot.

 

[Psssniper]

My friends and I did a little shooting one day when it was 125 degrees
out in Palm Desert. Being the stupid beach dweller that I am I had my .45 holstered and needless to say someone got a very nice blister on his hand!

 

[Rockrivr1]

"You made me laugh by saying that you left a rifle in the bag because you're afraid to sweat on it. I thought you were joking. Then I realized you were serious. I stopped laughing. Good grief."

Ok, I'll admit it. The M4gery is brand new and I didn't want to take it out. The main reason I didn't take it out was that I was just to damned hot, wet and tired. Up here in the North East high heat with high humidity is an exception to normal weather. We don't get it enough to be used to it. I guess you can call me a high temp wuss or something.

BUT, on the other hand, I have no qualms with getting out to the range in the winter with low temps and wind chill factors. I love the winter.

 

[TechBrute]

LOL. If we didn't shoot in extreme weather, we wouldn't shoot.

 

[MrMurphy]

Rockriver, my M16 in basic got rained on, sweated over, covered in mud, smashed into gravel, trees, rocks, other people, and once into the M60 and never even whimpered. Don't be afraid of a little sweat. It didn't even get scratched. (Tough finish!)

On a sidenote, I ran a combat assault course in a light rain, crunched the rifle into the ground and dirt, flipped on my back to go under barbed wire right into a deep puddle (my mouth was sticking out, but everything else, including my rifle, was mostly underwater) which was normally dry and crawled through a bunch of funky wet bushes, and yet even working with blanks, (notorious for jamming with low power in them, unlike live ammo) I only had a single jam, quickly fixed with a tap rack bang (the M16 version)..... The M16 is unreliable, huh? yeeeeeeahhhh..... it can be, but not if you do your part. This was Fort Knox in the summertime too, so it was 95 degrees and 90 percent humidity during all that. Hydrate or die... we had a guy pass out.

Note to others: when you've put 60 rounds through an AR and it's hot out, the delta ring holding the handguards is &#@(&(!&(!!!! hot!!!! I burned myself by mistake when my hand slipped back a little too far.

 

[halvey]

On a sidenote, I ran a combat assault course in a light rain, crunched the rifle into the ground and dirt, flipped on my back to go under barbed wire right into a deep puddle (my mouth was sticking out, but everything else, including my rifle, was mostly underwater) which was normally dry and crawled through a bunch of funky wet bushes, and yet even working with blanks, (notorious for jamming with low power in them, unlike live ammo) I only had a single jam, quickly fixed with a tap rack bang (the M16 version)..... The M16 is unreliable, huh? yeeeeeeahhhh..... it can be, but not if you do your part. This was Fort Knox in the summertime too, so it was 95 degrees and 90 percent humidity during all that. Hydrate or die... we had a guy pass out.

Now that sounds like fun. Seriously.

 

[GE-Mini-Gun]

The most fun I have shooting is on bad weather. It gets in the upper 90’s here with high humidity 80+% and the lows can get into the single digits, but both are not too common. However we do seem to get more rain than normal lately and do I ever love to shoot in the rain. I hate cleaning the guns after, what a mess, damn what fun!!

 

[wmenorr67]

As for weather extremes, anyone who has spent anytime in the military has more than likely shot in all kinds of weather. Think about WWI, WWII, the soldiers at Valley Forge, Korea, Desert Storm, current Iraqi problems, etc, etc.
The best time I had shooting was in Basic. We were out for practice qual and it started snowing big, giant, fluffy, white flakes. Range Control decided to shut us down. I was having fun. The next day it was great because the ground was a pure white and that made the green targets stand out.

 

[AZLibertarian]

As a rule around the AZLib homestead, this time of year, I do yardwork until it reaches 105. If I let the heat prevent me from working, I'd never get anything done. I'd be OK with shooting out to 108-110 or so.

Of course, it is a dry heat here, but some here may not know that Arizona has a monsoon season from late July through mid September where our humidity rises considerably.

The biggest key, of course is water. If you're feeling thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Drinking as much water as one needs takes persistence and practice. It's kinda gross, but I watch the color of my urine. If I get much yellow at all, I reach for another glass of water. BTW, folks--it's water. Not soda, coffee, or sports drinks. Water only.

The other key for me, is shade. Believe it or not, year-round I wear long sleeve shirts while at most daytime outdoor activities here. If I'm outdoors for any length of time, you can recognize me as the one in a long-sleeved t-shirt, giant straw hat, shades, and sunscreen.

 

[sendec]

If It Ain't Rainin', We Ain't Trainin'

I really enjoy watching steam rise out of handguards and off pistol slides. And then draining the mag tubes on shotguns.

 

[45crittergitter]

I witnessed Jerry Miculek set 3 world records with revolvers one summer day here in Mississippi. It was 108 F in the shade at the time, and he was in the sun. I don't remember the humidity, but probably over 75%. I guess if you're good, it doesn't matter....