Its too cold to shoot!!!

[GARD72977]

I have been wanting to shoot for a week or two. It is just to darn cold to mess with a ML right now. I may have to just "Cowboy up" and go. I wonder if we should use "Pilgrim up" when were talking about the old guns?

[rhbrink]

So just how cold is it down there in Mississippi Pilgrim? I had 4* here with the wind blowing already but suppose to break 32 tomorrow.

RB

[dondiego]

Minus 11 right now in southern Michigan. Nice sunny day.

[winchester 71]

was out shooting fox yesterday..................-11 degrees............gotta use varget

[Fly]

I agree, I hate the cold.This global warming thing is bull ****!Warming is good.(wink)

Fly

[MarkP]

My favorite days are when it is calm and sunny and around 0 F. I would rather shoot in cold weather than a humid 90+ deg day.

[bigted]

i take this opportunity to get my six shooters out as i can load em in my pickup or in the house and slip outside to shoot. then back inside to load another round.

however up here when it gets cold it is REALLY cold. when i cant get a spit patch into the bore for a cleanup before it freezes solid ... it be too cold to shoot the rifle. then out comes the revolvers in C&B and the black soot still rolls on. it be the way i can get my BP fix when it be a bit chilly up here.

try the six guns and see if the waiting for fairer weather gets a bit easier to withstand. if you are getting in and out of your pickup to shoot and load then that wonderful smell is going to permeate your closed in area. the grin will be the OTHER reward for your BP fix.

[rhbrink]

Talk about the wonderful smell one day a long time ago before I acquired much knowledge about things I was squirrel hunting with my flinter. It wasn't too good where I was at so decided to move I dumped the pan put the rifle in the cab of my pick-up and headed down the road. I didn't get too far when I spied a ground hog standing in the corner of a field I stopped and carefully managed to get the 42" barrel out the window primed the pan and touched her off. I never did that again but did kill the ground hog then spent several minutes cleaning smoke of the inside of the windshield before I could see to drive.

RB

[bigted]

Talk about the wonderful smell one day a long time ago before I acquired much knowledge about things I was squirrel hunting with my flinter. It wasn't too good where I was at so decided to move I dumped the pan put the rifle in the cab of my pick-up and headed down the road. I didn't get too far when I spied a ground hog standing in the corner of a field I stopped and carefully managed to get the 42" barrel out the window primed the pan and touched her off. I never did that again but did kill the ground hog then spent several minutes cleaning smoke of the inside of the windshield before I could see to drive.

RB


now THAT'S funny !!!

[johnson1942]

this winter is too long , too cold and just plain nasty. however im building a easy carrying muzzle loader to carry when i walk the creek bottoms when the weather turns. also ordered all my garden seed, guy and gals only 6 weeks and the weather will turn and we will forget this winter.

[tacklebury]

I know I'm going to have a nice ammo stockpile after this cold.... 8D

[GARD72977]

I cannot even cast bullets right now so stock pile is not growing. Im thinking about shooting a lot but I don't think that is making me any better.

I know that up north is colder but for us single digit and low teens is not normal for this long

[RU shooter]

Was -5 in western Pa this morning, didnt even want to go out to start the car let alone go shoot, besides I think my spit patches with freeze up mighty quick!

[Plastikosmd]

I love to go to the range in the cold( under 20 deg.) generally I am the only one there and don't have to mess with waiting on others etc. the only issue is I clean with windex and swab between shots, darn windex turns to a block of ice quick. At times I bring 2 bottles and leave one in the truck under the heater, switch when needed.

[Socal147]

It got down to 36 here last night. Only getting up to about 71 this afternoon. "F" ing socks.

[Captain*Kirk]

Too cold to shoot? Hell, last night it was -21F......too cold to take the trash out to the garbage can, IMHO. I'm passing the time by fondling my BP revolvers and watching westerns. Oh, and wishing for spring.

[rhbrink]

It's warmed up to 34* this morning suppose to get up to the low 40's but the dang wind is now blowing 30+ with gust to over 40mph! Ain't going to shoot in that either!!:(

[CastingFool]

A couple of weeks ago, it was so cold here that the battery in my truck froze! I don't drive the truck much, and I suspected the battery got pretty weak, not being run often. Just to give you an idea how often I drive it, a fill up will last me 6-7 weeks.

[dondiego]

Same here. I don't drive my truck much either. It is used to being in the garage but I left it outside a couple of nights in zero degree weather. The battery gave up the ghost. Won't charge back up. It was only 10 years old!

[mooman76]

A weak battery is more susceptible to freezing weather.

[Omnivore]

Gard; just bite the bullet and go out. You'll be glad you did. Some of my most memorable (in a good way) shooting sessions were in the winter. One time I had to snowshoe in to a place I'd normally drive to, so I had to take the bare minimum as it was down to what I could carry. You get valuable experience that way, and some good exercise.

Spit patches may freeze, but there are alternatives that won't. How about a little alcohol? It's been used as antifreeze before.

Anyway; my ML hunting season overlaps November and December, so I've been hunting in the snow more than once. If you hunt in the cold it makes sense to practice in the cold. Also I have come up with a kneeling position while wearing snowshoes that works OK. Lots of stuff like that, which you may not consider until you get out and try it.

Also; in the cold there are no bugs, and you don't get over-heated.

[johnson1942]

it is really a bad winter and i wont dispute that but it isnt as bad as where i was 17 years ago. i was on the canadian border and this time of the year it got down to 60 below zero on the thermometer and it was 125 degrees below zero wind chill. we were gone in three week, as that was enough of that. thank God my wife and i were working for the feds then and they needed nurses at pine ridge and they moved us. when we got here it was 40 above zero and we thought we were in paradise. gets cold here but not like were we left. up their it will freeze the ---- off of a brass monkey. shot 3 shots to day off of the deck, loaded and cleaned in the kitchen, better than nothing.

[GunnyJohn]

Here in NE Oregon we are having a pretty mild if not wierd winter. Tommorrow I'm taking the day and plan to get my rifle figured out. It's cold, but hey it's better than T.V. by far. And what is it with the smell of burning BP and branding smells? Born to late???? Oh well enjoy the smells, and shoot straight.

[220]

To hot here in Aus and BP is not an option at this time of the year.
In the past 3 weeks we have had 10 days above 100 topping out at 109, had a little rain last week so the temp dropped into the 70s and we were looking for warm clothing. Next few days were mid 80s and then just kept climbing, back over 100 the past 2 days and will stay there until mid next week.

[John Allen]

I have been wanting to shoot for a week or two. It is just to darn cold to mess with a ML right now. I may have to just "Cowboy up" and go. I wonder if we should use "Pilgrim up" when were talking about the old guns?


Larry, I know what you mean. I can not bring myself to go out.

[Omnivore]

...BP is not an option at this time of the year.

I didn't know it could get too hot for BP. Or are you referring to fire hazard?

[220]

Yes fire danger, with temps approaching 110 in the shade and everything tinder dry it's just not worth the risk, not to mention it's just to bloody hot to be out in the sun.
Here's something that might be of interest, while they are salting the roads over your way they are dropping sand on them around here, the ashphelt gets that hot it melts and they need to sand them to stop them being pulled up by car tyres.

[lars1367]

I was shooting in -20 something below once in MN after I bought my first AR. I just kept pulling the trigger until the barrel heated up enough to be used as a hand warmer. On a side note, it is possible for your finger to actually freeze to a trigger.
-Lars1367

[GunSlingerNM]

Got so cold the other morning I had to jump start my dog.

[bigted]

I was shooting in -20 something below once in MN after I bought my first AR. I just kept pulling the trigger until the barrel heated up enough to be used as a hand warmer. On a side note, it is possible for your finger to actually freeze to a trigger.
-Lars1367


YES it can !!! same as yer bumm freezing to a hard seat in the crapper ... its the why of why they sell foamboard insulation up here ... toilet seats in winter ... LET FOAM BOARD REIN !!! [smilie=1:

[GARD72977]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I made out to shoot today. I know the worrying was getting to everyone :mrgreen:

had a great time, shot like **** and cant wait to go again!

[Squeeze]

It got up to 28 today, Had the day off so I ran for the range. Bit more work walking back and forth 100 yards to the target in the snow, But I loved every second. Going to need some more time to get this load dialed, but every new target was getting better. Got a bunch of factory blemish hornady .45 JHP 300 grn from midway on a sale (they all look fine to me, couldnt find a thing wrong) HPH/24 sabots went with 80 grn goex FF in the triumph got about 3" groups at 100 yd but I think I can tighten that up. Going to try to up the charge next round. Good fun. and there was really NO waiting for barrel cooldown. Just swab and repeat :grin:

[johnson1942]

its colder than a well diggers behind here in nebraska. no shooting but building a new custom muzzle loader. got the barrel channel routed to day, glued in a bone inlay and used a large wood file to shape the stock.tommorow going to glue another bone inlay in the stock. waiting on the barrel from oregon barrel co. its going to be easy to carry, accurate and hit hard. will post pictures when it is done. it will shoot a 300 grain .440 paperpatch bullet. if i cant go out side i can work on the new gun.

[waksupi]

its colder than a well diggers behind here in nebraska. no shooting but building a new custom muzzle loader. got the barrel channel routed to day, glued in a bone inlay and used a large wood file to shape the stock.tommorow going to glue another bone inlay in the stock. waiting on the barrel from oregon barrel co. its going to be easy to carry, accurate and hit hard. will post pictures when it is done. it will shoot a 300 grain .440 paperpatch bullet. if i cant go out side i can work on the new gun.

It sounds like you're getting WAY ahead of yourself! Inletting the barrel completely is always the first thing you do, and inlays are the very last thing!

[Plastikosmd]

Not to cold but wanted to shoot off of something dry was the issue. Shooting at the pistol range. Rl Morris custom .41 pistol. (Same guy who made the set of bench guns that I have shown here before)


http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/argo/22e2b3b2bcf6a1edfbad4e066a1da219_zpsa7b69950.jpg


http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/argo/074d29d19a895162f1a5dc6bb3aaf891_zps25f2fb43.jpg

It is also good for my 'woods walk' where I have clay pigeons set up at many sites to shoot at variable distances and around various natural obstructions. Argo was great for getting around, going across the frozen swamp instead of around today

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/argo/fb1cb8e56ea4003779669fbbbdfee04c_zps1372e884.jpg

One station from afar
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/shooting%20at%20cabin%20and%20facilities/b7e4bbe2e7447e3fe17655fdbe7f2999_zps370b9a94.jpg
Another closer
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/shooting%20at%20cabin%20and%20facilities/b416f5f246aaa6d4c77f1e2855b460bb_zps35e31316.jpg

A clean hit! Snow still standing
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/shooting%20at%20cabin%20and%20facilities/7d9bca6bc7d46a3c311bff443f037f71_zps6b45ca59.jpg

[johnson1942]

why not put the inlays in when the stock is now shaped. the butt plate is on and the stock is fitted to it perfectly. when i get the barrel, ill bed the channel, carve out the lock and trigger and then just the final finishing is left. i routed the barrel channel 1/16 over size so i can glass bed it for perfect fit. anyways we are all finding something to do in the cabin so we dont go nuts in this weather. in 6 weeks it will be diff. out side. usually the 15th of march my chives are tall enough so we can have them chopped on top of home made chile.

[Huntsman]

Cold!! Was it ever!!
I got the urge to go do some shooting last Saturday (Feb 8/14). I picked up a Norinco M14 and just installed a scope and was itching to to give it a go. I also toted along a TC Firestorm.
The temperature was -29 Celsius (-20.2F). I got 4 shots from my TC and I think the cold was affecting the flint. I attempted to swab the barrel and my bore cleaner froze in the barrel.
M14 shot beautifully and was able to get 1.25" groups at 100yds
Next trip out should be in the -10 C as its suppose to warm up, I'll take my TC .58 Big Boar out this time ;)
Cheers from the Great White North!!