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Post by bigbrowndog on Sept 19, 2024 18:31:28 GMT -5
I had been much too busy lately with other stuff going on and hadn’t had a chance to shoot guns that needed to be shot. Due to load changes, bullet changes, optics changes, and new acquisitions. So I made a trip down south to a ranch I can “practice” on when I’m working it, but south Texas is still dealing with summer time temps and humidity. I packed up 3-4 rifles, and 6-8 handguns, several targets for different distances from the same shooting point, chrono, and all my range accoutrements. After getting the work portion done, around 1030am, I was already drenched in sweat and needed 6-8 bottles of water.
I found a nice shady live oak tree to park under, but the targets were out in the sun. One at 50, one at 100, and two more at 150 and 200.
Once I got to actually shooting I has already gone through another 6-8 bottles of water. The humidity was very high and this is where the frustration came from. No matter what I did I could not maintain a consistent grip on my handguns. This was noticed in my groups by the narrow side to side spacing of shots but very tall spacing of shots. All of my groups were strung out vertically. As well as shots simply landing higher than they should on a pair of guns that I know are sighted in and shoot exceptionally well.
Luckily, I realized the futility of my actions and decided to just put it off until I could do it under better conditions, or next month when I’ll be in Idaho. I’ll have a few days before my hunt starts and will just take guns and enough ammo to verify or rezero the guns in. I was able to get my double rifle 9.3x74r dialed in with a nice shooting load, as well as one of my XPs after swapping scopes on it. So it wasn’t a completely wasted outing. I have noticed there are days when I am just not consistent in my groups, those days seem to always be high humidity days.
Trapr
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Post by mcquade on Sept 19, 2024 18:40:39 GMT -5
I feel your pain...
I wrap my grips with batters cloth tape for such times.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Sept 19, 2024 19:23:55 GMT -5
When I shot a lot of archery we used to glue chamois or washcloth to our handles. I considered something like that
Trapr
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sharps4590
.30 Stingray
I'm a Christian first, husband and father next then a patriotic, veteran, firearms aficionado.
Posts: 330
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Post by sharps4590 on Sept 19, 2024 20:19:36 GMT -5
It's hard to do anything well when you're miserable. Heat, humidity and sweating like you're whole body is a sieve is pretty miserable. I have attained the age if it's like that outside, I don't go.
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Post by bula on Sept 20, 2024 5:44:27 GMT -5
I'm a snow belt person. Shooting in temps of 80 and up, are no fun and results will suffer. I will shovel the snow off the back patio and shoot in cold weather.
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nicholst55
.375 Atomic
Retired, twice.
Posts: 1,122
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Post by nicholst55 on Sept 20, 2024 6:18:50 GMT -5
I'm a snow belt person. Shooting in temps of 80 and up, are no fun and results will suffer. I will shovel the snow off the back patio and shoot in cold weather. I went shooting on Thanksgiving Day in Alaska. Once. At minus 20 F, it wasn't any fun. Shoot one round, then run to the truck to warm up. At least I had a GOOD cold bore zero when I was finished! |
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Post by bula on Sept 20, 2024 6:29:16 GMT -5
On a backing trip yrs ago, recall having 22mags failing to fire in my Single-Six, was minus 10-15 degrees. Thinner lube likely would have done it. Over the years I have switched to synthetic automotive type lubes.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Sept 20, 2024 8:56:51 GMT -5
On a backing trip yrs ago, recall having 22mags failing to fire in my Single-Six, was minus 10-15 degrees. Thinner lube likely would have done it. Over the years I have switched to synthetic automotive type lubes. Had a shotgun do that to me during a hunt for deer using slugs. Tried 2-3 times to get it to fire, no luck. While deer stood around tending to does, I disassembled, blew warm air into bolt/FP area and worked pin back and forth, reassembled and killed buck. It was a single digit morning and my normal lube for the gun was a slurry of grease and ATF. A good lube for warmer temps but not for single digits. Trapr |
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nicholst55
.375 Atomic
Retired, twice.
Posts: 1,122
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Post by nicholst55 on Sept 20, 2024 10:20:03 GMT -5
I was stationed at the Cold Regions Test Center at Fort Greely, AK, back in the olden days. Part of our in-processing was a demonstration of what happens to automotive products and lubricants at extreme cold temperatures. It was very enlightening, to say the least! A lot of stuff that supposed to work in the cold turns to sludge at -40 F! We also experienced problems where the aluminum trigger housing and steel safety contracted and expanded at different rates, rendering your Squad Automatic Weapon (M249) useless at -40. The safety would not disengage!
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Post by mk70ss on Sept 20, 2024 10:25:15 GMT -5
When it’s that hot and humid, I hate the sweat rolling down into your eyes/shooting glasses.
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gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,519
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Post by gnappi on Sept 20, 2024 11:20:14 GMT -5
I'm a snow belt person. Shooting in temps of 80 and up, are no fun and results will suffer. I will shovel the snow off the back patio and shoot in cold weather. I went shooting on Thanksgiving Day in Alaska. Once. At minus 20 F, it wasn't any fun. Shoot one round, then run to the truck to warm up. At least I had a GOOD cold bore zero when I was finished! :-) That's really cold! I once shot an IPSC match in Rhode Island the winter while it was snowing, never again! I'm living in Florida since 1977 and I can handle heat, that is till sweat drips into my eyes. |
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Post by bigbore5 on Sept 20, 2024 22:56:23 GMT -5
It very rarely gets to single digits here in NC where I live. But being from Florida and lived in MS for years, it is cold to me!
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sharps4590
.30 Stingray
I'm a Christian first, husband and father next then a patriotic, veteran, firearms aficionado.
Posts: 330
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Post by sharps4590 on Sept 21, 2024 6:13:03 GMT -5
I've lived in Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri and Arkansas. I prefer Wyoming. With proper winter wear I can always layer my clothing and generally stay quite comfortable. I can only get so naked but, you still sweat an' me naked ain't purty no more.....
Coldest I've been in is -35F and the hottest was 110-112. Neither one was enjoyable.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Sept 21, 2024 9:12:54 GMT -5
I've lived in Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri and Arkansas. I prefer Wyoming. With proper winter wear I can always layer my clothing and generally stay quite comfortable. I can only get so naked but, you still sweat an' me naked ain't purty no more..... Coldest I've been in is -35F and the hottest was 110-112. Neither one was enjoyable. That has always been my thought, I can always put more clothes on, I can only take so many off. My original retirement plans did not include staying Texas. Trapr |
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Post by LeverGunner on Sept 25, 2024 23:47:35 GMT -5
I can't shoot worth a darn usually if it's hot and humid outside. Not to mention being drenched in sweat. My spectacles fogging up is a factor. The time before last I went, I didn't even shoot because of it. Got to get me some more Zeiss anti-fog stuff.
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