Cold weather shooting....

D

Duxman

New member
Went to Fredricksburg, VA this weekend for the last IPSC shoot for 2006. It was a busy work week, so I did not get my usual dry fire time in. The weather was a little cold in the early going. Hands were numb. Feet and legs feeling really cement like slow.

So the day went rather badly: :eek:

1) Many hostage (no shoot targets) killed. Perhaps in 5 of the 7 courses of fire at least 1 hostage hit.

2) Accuracy down the tubes.

3) Speed not too good either. Probably 7-10 seconds per stage slower than my usual times.

So the question to the professional shooters out there:

Do you change your shooting habits / techniques in bad / cold weather? If so what special things do you do to perform better?
 
I'm not in the 'pro' category, but I have issues with shooting in the cold as well.
Keeping your hands warm so that they work well enough to handle the gun in the cold is critical.
I like to keep my hands warm by wearing gloves and/or having those chemical based hand-warmers in my jacket pockets (usually both).
I keep the rest of the body warm (relatively) by wearing several layers, beginning with insulated long undies.
I also try to stay moving as much as possible (taping targets, shagging brass, re-setting steel, RO'ing).
Folks may look at you oddly, but doing between 5 to 10 'sprints' of 10-15 yds will get your body warmed up nicely.
 
We set up Saturday for our IDPA match held Sunday. It was 18º when I left the house. It warmed up quite a bit as we set up, it only took 2½ hours because we had a lot of help. We then shot though, it was snowing and blowing for about a half hour as we shot. I went back Sunday and shot the match with a different gun and it was a beautiful day, in the 50s.
We have one more match next month and that will be it for the season. Our last match last year we had a foot and a half of snow, we ran a snow blower for alleys to paste and run. It was a lost brass match if your running an auto, or come back next spring when the snow melts.
A warm pair of gloves, and only take them off to paste, pick up brass or shoot, also ear muffs instead of plugs keep the ears warm, thick socks in insulated hunting boots keep the feet warm. For me, if I keep the hands and feet warm, I am usually comfortable. I still shot like crap, but had fun, and thats what its about. ken
 
No pro here either, but I shoot regardless of the weather.

I have a LOT more trouble with rain than I do cold, EVERYTHING gets slick when it is raining!!

In the cold, I haven't shot a match below about 15*, but here is what I do. I clean my gun for each match, normally I clean it every couple or 5000 rounds whether it needs it or not but in the cold a tightly fitted match gun needs to be clean. I oil with a light oil, FP10 is what I like. Light oil that doesn't thicken is needed to keep a tight match gun running normally. I dress for the cold, IN LAYERS. I will wear jeans with thermal underwear underneath, I will wear a long sleeve shirt with an undershirt. I will wear my gun belt over this setup. I wear a big coat, the longer the better for the coat, over all of this with a good warm hat and extremely good warm gloves. The little chemical handwarmers are used by many, and would really help a lot if your gloves don't keep your hands toasty warm. Run your planning time slowly, don't get sweaty. Formulate a plan you can execute without falling down in the snow, aggressive but not so much that you are on the ragged edge. When on deck do your mental rehearsals while the shooter ahead is shooting. When they are taping his run drop the coat and the gloves, step to the line when the RO is ready, LAMR then go. PREPARE before you are on the line, step up, LAMR, then GO!! Traction is the only difference between my runs in a 15* match and an 80* match.

Mud is another matter all together......
 
My USPSA club has shot once a month year round in Iowa for almost 26 years without a cancelled match for any reason, weather or otherwise. Of course, I haven't been with them the whole time:p . They've got a cabin at the range with a woodstove and usually a big pot of chili or something. I've only shot matches for one winter. The coldest weather I've shot in was about 0* with a wind chill of 30 below. I found that a polymer framed gun doesn't get nearly as cold as a metal one. Also, any speed you lose from a cover garment is well, well worth it for the added dexterity and speed you have with fingers you can actually feel. I definitely prefer to shoot in cold weather that I'm prepared for than to shoot in rain that I'm not prepared for.
 
Keep your feet warm, your head warm and your hands warm!! That's really it. Dress in layers, wear a hat (no matter how silly you feel) and some gloves. I've learned to shoot WITH gloves on, and it's not nearly as difficult as some West Coast gunwriters might have you think. ;)

I'm no pro either, but I agree with the above posters; I'd rather be prepared and shoot in the cold than to get caught unaware in the rain. Of course, I'm a Highpower shooter, so much less running involved in my sport. I've been at matches down to about 30 or so, but practiced in far worse conditions. I only stay away from the range in sub-zero weather. :o
 
Thanks guys this is good stuff.

I gotta remember that everyone else shot pretty badly. :rolleyes:

Just got so used to improving from match to match, because of dry fire practice, reading and advice from TFL. It was kinda weird to see my time, accuracy and everything else get affected by something so trivial as temperature.

But I guess gotta get used to it, because winter is coming! :D
 
As above plus wear long underwear. While you lose less heat from your legs than your head, being uncomfortable is no fun in the cold.

Take Care

Bob
 
since '95

Coldest match set up at -25F; started at -17F (warmed right up, ay?).

Only match canceled: this year (NOT my local club), rained so hard (as in "Quick, build an ark!") with such high winds (as in "Toto") that targets literally blew away. Had to stop, as shooting where targets USED TO BE was pointless. Could NOT paste, either, because any targets still stapled had become sponges. As did the pasters.

Cold weather requires pocket handwarmers --at least two pair per pocket-- (most common difficulty = limp-wristing), warm feet and warm head.
Lubrication requirements can change, too, as (apparently) some lubes don't.
Too cold, certain lubes stiffen. Many, in fact.

Ammo often loses power in the deep cold, too, so be aware and test first for function.

Fogging eyeglasses is the second major woe LOL.

So, advice: Hang on tight. Stay warm and hydrated. Ensure reliable function. Shoot more slowly (to enhance potential accuracy of each shot, 'cause it's cold, and you're shivering, and your glasses are getting steamed, and your feet burn from standing around, and your fingers don't work).
 
One thing I do and some other shooters have tried since I did is to wear coveralls. I have coveralls that zip down at the hips so you can get into your pants pockets. I open it up and pull my holster through and two mag pouches on the other side. Keeps me pretty warm.

Shooting gloves are a little harder to find a good fit on.
 
I learned my lesson at the last cold weather USPSA shoot: Don't ditch your cover garment in hopes of improving your draw/reload times. If you do elect to forgo the warmth, do your precision shots first.
You simply can't shoot accurately when you're shivering.
 
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