Carrying in the COLD

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Shadow hit on an important point. Warm to cold and cold to warm will cause issues.
Test your gun in these situations. Condensation will become ice and can mess with things. I have tested this with my carry gun and have been happy with the results. Glock 26.

I would think that handguns with polymer would be the best choice for cold weather carry.

If you are going to be going in and out a lot (warm - cold/ cold - warm) A polymer gun will acclimate to the environment faster. If you are coming from the outside (cold gun) the longer it takes to warm up the more opportunity there is for moisture to condense and build up on the gun. I like choosing a small polymer gun that will warm up quickly and dry out fast. A warm gun will be a dry gun. And when you bring it outside it will be less likely to freeze if it has come up to room temperature.
 
I work outside and spend several below zero days every winter, and I have found that the dual layer gloves work best for pretty much everything. I have to open metal latches and snaps on gates, and the inner layer keeps my hand from sticking to metal. If I'm also going to get wet (watering cows) I put knit "one size" gloves, a pair of latex exam gloves, then chilly grip knit gloves with the textured rubberized palms.

But the most amazing thing I have found for keeping hand warms is those one-use "hot hands" TOE warmers. They are flat to fit in your shoes, unlike the little pocket hand warmers, so they can stick to the back of your hand outside the inner glove but under the outer gloves. A pair in my Bog boots, as well, and I'm good to go in subzero temps for hours.

I can do pretty intricate tasks with the knit gloves with exam gloves over them; I will have to try shooting with them sometime :cool:
 
cool luke, kinda, but NO
think about it

ALL the important parts are metal, the only advantage Poly has is that it takes less heat from your hand, so the frost bite isn't as bad.
 
i have a j-frame in my weakside pocket. there is a divider in the pocket so my car keys and the gun can not touch. if i have to fire fast, than history has me with a fire in the pocket caused by the gun. coats are replacable.

my strongside pocket has a slit cut in it ( overstitched for strength) so i can reach through to my belt for my primary with my hand in my pocket.

for ammo i go with ball in the heavy coat wearther. now there is speciality ammo but my supply of gold dots is plentiful and im content.
 
ONLY shrouded revolvers in a pocket without lots of loose material will allow a second, maybe 3rd shot, otherwise you end up with a gun, revolver and auto lock up and STUCK in your pocket if you do choose to fire it in your pocket.
 
My G26 loaded is about 19 oz. A loaded 1911 is 44 oz on average. This is a lot more metal that needs to come up to temperature. This is my only point. I know a poly gun has metal parts still. (duh) :rolleyes: A 1911 will stay cold longer and will therefor have a longer period where it will condense moisture and give more opportunity to freeze.

If you take you gun off your nightstand and head out into freezing weather it wouldn't be a bad idea to rack the slide once or twice once the gun gets below 32 deg.

I don't think most people are outside in freezing weather all day but are in and out most of the time. Since this is likely the case for most, I think a small light weight gun is the best option.
 
I would think if we are looking to the past for examples of fighting in the cold we should think of the war in Korea. For sure the men there suffered and fought in frigid conditions.

After reading this thread, I don't recall the OP made any mention if he was concerned about going indoors then outdoors and how it would affect his carry option with respect to a carry position or holster. It might need two holsters; one that stays with the coat and one that stays on the belt perhaps.

Also, with respect to polymer or metal frame weapon. I carry SIGs and they have polymer/plastic wrap-around grip panels. So the only metal I am exposed to the slide and trigger assembly. At any rate I use Hogue Wrap-around grips on all my SIGs, even if they do have all metal frames I'm insulated from the cold.
 
Once again luke, interesting idea, and well, that's nice and all but PRACTICALLY (have much time out in deep cold, and by that, lets just say it's a bit past 0*F

dude, you don't get it, the how cold, or how long it's going to be cold when you bring it in isn't a consideration in the whole of things, rather LEARNING how to prevent the ice build it is. The fact that you are being distracted by this point and belaboring it tells me of you inexperience in deep cold. What I am speaking of is the habit of some to leave a gun in a vehicle for long periods of time, having two warming/freezing cycles a day, to and from work.

as for the 'rack the slide' thing, um, buddy that's just all wrong
it does NOTHING to remove condensation in the firing pin channel.
keeping your gun and powder dry is the key
 
I live in maine. I work outside sometimes. I carry a full size 1911. With gloves. If im not working and dont need gloves. I carry a makarov
 
I live in such conditions (several months of the year in well below zero, like -30 to -50 before windchill) and I keep with the same method I use in the warmer monts, a Ruger SR9c. If I've got a regular jacket on I'll stay with my IWB, if I've got my parka on I'll transfer the ruger to a chest pocket where I can actually reach it. If you can brush aside a full parka and draw, more power to you, I can't.

My real problem with the setup is that to draw and fire, I'd generally also need to drop a glove since I don't know too many guns with trigger guards big enough for winter gloves.

I use a shoulder rig on the snowmachine with somthing more substancial when trapping/hunting, usually a .45, either a 1911 or Sig P220.
 
I'm only making the points I am to show ways to prevent condensation buildup. I know racking the slide won't take care of all condensation issues. It certainly can't hurt.

I have a great deal of experience with cold weather. I live and work inside and outside in sub 0 weather every winter. We routinely have weeks with sub -20 without windchill and have had it as cold as -50 without windchill.

I have tools that I use that I bring in and out all day long. They then sit in the truck and freeze over night. The tools with the most plastic tend to warm up fastest and have the least amount of frozen moisture problems. Pipe wrenches for example will stay cold and condense for the longest time when brought inside. They also don't like being adjusted when cold do to the frozen moisture.
 
I am going to suggest a pocket revolver, like a LCR or a small Smith and Wesson in at least .38 with a shrouded hammer. The reason being that they can be carried in the pocket of your outer jacket, you can get to it easily with a gloved hand, and it can be fired from the pocket. The best part of it is that you can be holding it in your hand in your pocket and no one is the wiser.

It doesn't mean I cannot carry a full sized pistol under the coat, such as my 1911 in .45.
 
I'll throw another vote in for a 3" K frame .357. The .38's handle pretty stout loads if that's all you can find.

3" barrel gives a decent sight radius, full length ejector rod and the medium frame isn't heavy, but gives a full grip on the gun for accuracy and follow up shots. Recoil is nothing serious even with pretty hot loads.
...and no one will argue that 6 rounds of .357 is anything to sneeze at. Serious power and penetration, nice and flat shooting.
 
I remember seeing an under arm rig for that 3 round 12g pistol/shotgun which held an additional 24 rounds opposite the gun to counter balance the rig. Wonder if I can still find the pic.....that would seem like a good choice to me.
 
Walther P99AS, IWB, at 4 o'clock.

I am very fit, so I'm not bringing much padding to the table. Even when I bundle up, I tend to quake a bit in extreme cold. I want a DA/SA style trigger, in those conditions.



This is, of course, hypothetical. I will never move to that type of environment. I love Oregon, but any climate change from here would be to someplace warmer, not someplace colder.
 
Probably not new news here, but the winter season means you can carry anything big. Those insulated vests are great at hiding the irons. I do not prefer longer coats, but if you do, then carry the 1911 or 44 mag OWB.

I used to wear a lot of suitcoats year round, and IWB or Mexican style worked for me everytime.
 
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