When is it too hot to shoot?

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Never too hot. It hit 115 here on Sunday, and I went out and shot a .22 pistol match in the morning. It'll be 110+ here on Wednesday, and I'll be at the range practicing.

All that heat keeps the posers and wannabes away and makes a match go faster. ;)

Besides, out here in Phoenix, we have a word for 115+ heat: "Summer". :D
 
I have a hard time seeing the target at 200 plus distances. There is just to much mirage. I find that most of my scopes have to be set for minimum magnification at 3x or 25x for my spotter. I end up just shooting at rocks and clay targets and give up on precision shooting.
 
When you can light the range on fire without using tracers, incendiaries, or steel core ammo. :uhoh: Running up and down with water and extinguishers when it's 110 out REALLY takes the fun out of the trip.
 
I live at 9200 feet up in the Colorado Rockies, the national forest is 5 minutes away. During the summer, 80 degrees is a hot day, humidity is usually 10-20%. It doesn't get any better than this.
 
Weather not an issue. Of course wind and rain will be me pause.
I shoot(at the range) early and am done by 10 am. It`s just starting to get hot and I`m done.
 
If it makes the gun to hot to handle, it's too hot to shoot. That is my general rule of thumb.

Also, like M2 I had heat stroke last year and was hospitalized. It is not fun at all, and it does sneak up on you VERY suddenly. And the most bizarre thing about my experience was I was in air conditioning most of the day when it happened. I had just eating a large burger 45 minutes before it happened, and the body uses a fair amount of water to digest protein. So that is probably what pushed my body over the limit. The Dr at the hospital stated that I had likely been chronically dehydrated for weeks or months before.

Since that time, I tend to no enjoy going out when the heat index is above 95. But almost every day of this summer as been 100+, which is highly unusual for my area, even in the south east (we get days over a 100, but not for frickin months on end).

If you are going out, carry a gallon or three of water along with you. And I know a cold beer is great after a day of work or shooting in the heat, but if you are going to do that drink plenty of water before and after. Alcohol is a diuretic.
 
A related question to you all in the SW; have you noticed a difference in ammo performance after it's been baking in the blazing sun? I've always been leery of letting ammo get very hot.
 
Here in Florida during July and August the outdoor ranges do good business before noon. After that time, the ranges empty out. Same with the golf courses, the parks, even the beaches. Only the snowbirds sit on a Florida beach at 3 pm during July.
 
Question for the guys that got heat stroke.
Did the doctors caution you that you will be more susceptible to heat stroke in the future?
 
Question for the guys that got heat stroke.
Did the doctors caution you that you will be more susceptible to heat stroke in the future?
Click to expand...
I'm 73. As I got older I noticed I couldn't take the heat OR cold like when I was younger. A younger friend has been saying the heat and cold has been bothering him for years but I could take it pretty well up to about ten years ago. You feel a lot colder and a lot warmer than when you were younger.

The Doctors said, whatever I wanted to do, don't push it, at the first sign the heat was bothering me, quit what I was doing and go cool off.
Drink LOTS of water, even if you aren't thirsty.

In my case, like jad0110, it didn't hit me while I was in the heat, but the third night after three days of too much heat.
Even though I wasn't thirsty I was badly dehydrated to.

To make it a lot worse, that night I also got a bad case of vertigo, so I was really knocked on my butt.

Don't push the heat, especially as you get older.
 
When it isn't fun for me to be outside. Same with cold.

It gets humid here, and it usually isn't fun for me above 90. I can tolerate being outside in much hotter, but I don't like it at all.
 
If i'm not comfortable after being outside for about 1/2 hour, I give in and get out of the sun.

85 degrees plus means that ammo and gun surfaces get very hot when sitting in the sun. I don't like burning my hands trying to load a gun.

On very hot days, I keep a rag handy to put over ammo so it doesn't get as hot baking in the sun.

One thing hot sun is good for - cooking cosmoline out of milsurp guns :D
 
Depends on the type of shooting. For precision/accuracy/benchrest type rifle work, I stop having fun in the low 80's. Handgunning... another 15 degrees or so and I'd rather be doing something else. Shotgunning/clays also lacks enjoyment in that mid-90's range. Often though, if I'm motivated enough, I can shoot in temps above these ranges and have some fun.

Cold though? There is no temperature too cold. I love the cold. I can do any and all of it in the freezer. But I hate the heat.
 
When I retired from the Army I said to myself that I would no longer tolerate conditions, whether hot or cold, wet or dry if I could not enjoy myself. This also applied to fishing.
I guess I have become less tolerant.

My reason for asking was that when it is this hot I do not know whether it is me or the rifle that begins to shoot fliers when shooting for groups. As everyone might have expected I do blame it on the rifle that has gotten too hot.
 
If your scope glass melts into little puddles... it may be too hot.

If your barrel droops like a wax candle over boiling water... it may be too hot.

If your paper targets spontaneously combust... it may be too hot.

If your ammo starts to pop like popcorn... it may be too hot.

If your... okay, I'll stop the punishment.
 
Hopefully I only ever need to shoot for one thing "FUN", when it getts so how I'm no longer happy, I'm no longer having fun.

I remember Basic Training back in then 60's and Range time when the temps were over 100 degrees, wasn't fun then, isn't fun now.
 
I will shot in 99 degree heat, but if I'm dripping sweat all over my gun and "stuff" I quit.
In some dry climates the heat won't stop me from shooting because I stay dry..
Yes, I know I'm a wussie
 
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