Weather Get Too Bad To Shoot?

[wrench]

Here in Minnesota, if you don't go shooting in bad weather, you don't get to go shooting much.
I've been out in -20 degF, dress right and it's not too bad. In summer, if it's over 90 and humid, I can think of something better to do. I hate the sweat dripping off my nose.

 

[justgoto]

I shoot every day. In high wind, rain, hale, snow, high and/or low temps, whatever Ohio throws at me.

 

[rozziboy18]

How bad does the weather have to be to keep you from enjoying a day at the range?

hey bud, i feel your pain i live in knoxville tn. if my 2x4 dodge can make it to the range, i go! ive shot in the 20+ day freeze with temp below 10 and in this years hottest summer with 54+ days over 90 and several of them days over 100 with all kinds of flying critters!!!

simply put, when the trigger finger starts to itch, i got to scrach it!

 

[bannockburn]

Like others on here have stated, where I live we experience the whole gamut of weather conditions, sometimes all in the same day! I have gone to the range to shoot trap on days when it was 100* in the shade, and sight in my rifle when it was -10*. I don't even want to know what the chill factor was that day; at least the wind was to my back. Not necessarily the most comfortable times to go shooting but sometimes it's the only time I get to go; and besides that, you usually find you have the place all to yourself.

 

[danweasel]

I also abide by the -20 rule more or less. I stay perfectly warm in my bunny boots and I actually like to spread out a poncho and lay in the snow. Plus when the river is frozen range is unlimited! The coldest I have shot was -53. My XD .45 worked flawlessly.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Memphis ... bad weather ... LOL. Seriously?

I'm from Nebraska. Last winter I shot for fun when the ambient temperature was about -10 F and the windchill was well below -30 F. Granted, we didn't stay out for hours and hours and your trigger finger gets a bit stiff, but we still had fun. In the summer, we regularly have temps and humidity levels in the 90's. I usually prefer cold weather to warm, but I'd rather shoot in warm temps than cold. I don't know about the 135 degrees or whatever it was that the guy a few posts back talked about in Afghan. but anything up to 100, I'm in.

 

[hardluk1]

You can always tell a non-hunter when its to cold or to hot to shoot. I to grew up hunting in florida swamps and shooting in general. Now live in the NC mountians and well go hunting or shooting if it's realy cold out if its dry, no problem . Sat stands at 5* and shot deer. Its a sport . Enjoy it. Go join a out door shooting club and you will learn the best days are the when its around freezing or the rainy days . Get under roof and enjoy.

 

[Hardtarget]

The OP is in Memphis...I'm in Nashville. Last year I went to the range on a day with about four inches of snow. Wifey thinks...knows in her heart, that I'm a little crazy.

I must say, there are limits of both high and low temps that I enjoy, but I'll still go if I can find another nut to brave the day! However, If we have rain, I'll wait. If it starts raining while I'm there...well...depends on how hard.

Mark

lets go shooting

 

[InkEd]

Yeah, I live in Memphis the winters are too bad. I laugh when people come from out of town and think 94 with 104 Heat Index at 90% humidity is an exageration. It's not.

Here we just call it June, July and August. You sweat like a pig just going to get the mail.

Typically, when buying a central A/C unit for your home around here, it is recommended that you get one that can do minimum 1 1/2 times what you need based on square footage. My experience days 2x is the real minimum if you want your house below 80 during the day. If you have a 2 story home, you better have a seperate unit for each floor. It is sweltering here. It already pushing 90 by 8:30am.

 

[CapnMac]

Mostly it seems to be in the mindset of the shooter. I've gone out when it was cold enough that I preloaded magazines so as to not risk sticking a bare finger on metal magazines.

Some of which also comes down to the quality of your "snivel gear" too. If your winter gloves let you feed rounds into magazines, and also keep your fingers warm, then you are ahead of the curve. (Or, if you have invested in stripper clips to take a bunch of the "fumble" out of magazine loading.) But, it's the little things, like boots that keep your feet dry. Or not relying on cotton socks. Having use-able rain gear and some way to keep range bags and cardboard ammo boxes dry.

(Most of the ranges here in Texas will shoo you off if it's a thunderstorm, as lightning hits on the customers seems to not be a covered liability.)

At the other end of the spectrum. Hydration is key. Both before and after the trip out to the range. Choosing breathable clothing, good shade, shading clothing and the like are key, too. Like not wearing shorts and open-toe shoes when you know you are going to be in a prone shooting situation (unless you have a superb shooting mat).

And, being in a hot humid climate, weapon care versus salt sweat can be more of a task than coping with sleet or snow or rain. (And each of those deserves the special attention they need, too.)

For me, around here, the limits are going to be around a Heat Index of 100º and then down to around a Wind Chill of 20-30º. But, those are both extreme sorts of climate conditions, here, too. If the "jerk quotient" at the range is low enough, I can better tolerate HI of 90º+; if we've not had an "ice event" then I can go out in colder conditions, too; if the jerks stay home.