Cold Weather Outdoor Shooting?

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Cactus

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Thunder Bay ON
Got out to the range Boxing day with the snow blower and the pistols. It was very mild here with what seemed like never ending snow fall. I cleared a good size area down to the grass and shot my three pistols. Glock 17 Nork M213 and Sig Mosquito Sport. All worked very well but my shooting at 20 yards was all over the target. It was sure nice to get out and try out the pistols.

Since the snow was falling, when I got home I wiped down, cleaned and oiled all of the guns. On Monday, I took the Glock and the Sig out again for a couple hours. No snow this time but a little colder, I wiped down and cleaned the guns again when I got home.

I bought some CCI Mini Mags this afternoon, and was going to hit the range tomorrow. It is forcast to be a lot colder than the other days I was shooting and was wondering if the -18 + windchill is going to be hard on the guns and if there is anything else I need to do when cleaning them after I get home? Tomorrow, my plan is to shoot on the range where the shooting bench is inclosed to stay out of the wind, not from a table out in the open like I did Monday and last week.

Can the cold weather be harmful to the pistols? I was thinking of using a hair dryer on them before cleaning to warm them up and dry any condensation that may form.

The other thing I don't want to do is over lube them, they are all semi autos. How often should I be putting a drop of oil on the moving parts slide rails barrel etc?

BTW, so far the Sig Mosquito sport has been great. Only a few FTFs with Winchester Black Box and Fed Bulk pack ammo. I am curious to see how well ti eats the CCI Mini Mags.

Thanks,
Cactus
 
Warm them slowly after shooting, then clean after they are up to room temperature. For shooting in the cold, you definitely want to use the bare minimum lube to ensure functioning. I've seen some guys even use brake cleaner and go fully dry for the really cold stuff. I wouldn't use the hairdryer, just let it all sit in the case until it warms up, then disassemble and clean fully.

I've no idea how well you shoot, do you think the shots all over were a function of the shooter, or the cold affecting the ammo? Personally, I've not noticed any degradation when shooting to temps as low as -30 (not saying I'm awesome, just that I suck the same in plus or minus 30 :p).

I've only heard good things about the mini mags, they should do very well. Fed bulk pak is my usual brand, they've never given me any grief, except for the box that got left out in the rain for a couple hours.
 
Should be fine to shoot in the cold. You can't normally choose to shoot in ideal conditions as these guns are all made to handle whatever you can throw at them. Just make sure to use minimal lube, and allow to warm up on their own. I wouldnt put it in the case as, when it warms you could get condensation in the case. Just sit it on the table in a controlled area of course, and let warm for a few hours, then oil, pull through, oil again, and you should be good to go.
 
-18 + windchill is going to be hard on the guns
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Windchill has no effect on anything other then you...

I was once at a gas station in northern BC and the attendant told me that Id better be sure of the coolant in my engine because at the current temps the windchill could freeze my lower radiator as most coolant was only good to -55C and as it was already -40C ambient the speed on the highway would have a windchill of -75C or better... I couldnt believe he didnt know what windchill was...

in a nutshell, if the temps are -12 with a -18 windchill (or windchill -50 for that matter) the temps on your guns is only going to be -12.

The wind chill factor is the method used by weather forecasters to tell us how much colder the wind makes unprotected skin feel...note, thats unprotected skin - put on gloves and something to cover your face and the windchill factor for you will be altered.

Now, more specifically -18C is nothing... Im going to be out shooting today in -33 with a -50+ windchill and dont expect to do anything any differently then I would at +30... other then bundle up...
 
Great info guys...

I am heading out shortly and will leave the guns out of the case to warm up when I am done. As for my shooting, I think it was all me getting cold and not the guns. My main concern was the cold having an effect on the guns performance or causing damage.

It seems that you guys have shot in much colder weather without problems.

Thanks
Cactus
 
I bought a new SIG from Questar, with some extra magazines, and it came in the mail during one of those minus 26 degree cold spells.

I had to return the 4 plastic SIG magazines that came with it, as they basically fell apart in my hands in regular use.

Questar was great, exchanged them for steel magazines and I had no more problems.

I have to think being out in the severe cold, while being delivered, must have weakened the magazines somehow.

Now when its really cold, I keep the gun bag inside the car and not in the trunk when going to my indoor range.
 
take them out of the case when you get home and before going into the house - put them into a plastic bag and seal - take into house. Let the package warm up for a few hours - take guns out of bag and clean as normal. Any condensation will form on the outside of the bag not on the cold metal. My son and I were at the range a few days ago it was -33 with a -41 windchill. After two hours we were both very cold even though we had sorel boots and Resolute parks on. Temps like that when you wear glasses are a real b*tch as they fog up constantly. :mad:
Cactus said:
Great info guys...

I am heading out shortly and will leave the guns out of the case to warm up when I am done. As for my shooting, I think it was all me getting cold and not the guns. My main concern was the cold having an effect on the guns performance or causing damage.

It seems that you guys have shot in much colder weather without problems.

Thanks
Cactus
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4570 said:
take them out of the case when you get home and before going into the house - put them into a plastic bag and seal - take into house. Let the package warm up for a few hours - take guns out of bag and clean as normal. Any condensation will form on the outside of the bag not on the cold metal. My son and I were at the range a few days ago it was -33 with a -41 windchill. After two hours we were both very cold even though we had sorel boots and Resolute parks on. Temps like that when you wear glasses are a real b*tch as they fog up constantly. :mad:
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Went out today and everything went well. I left the pistol on the table to warm to room temp and then cleaned as normal.

The CCI mini mags were great in my Mosquito only 1 dud round and about 5 that had to be ejected but they fired fine when reloaded into the next mag.

I got pretty good at reloading mags with my gloves on and put 80 rounds down range into a laundry jug filled with snow at 25 yards. The biggest issue I had was my glasses fogging when I got into my stance and aimed a shot. Unfortunately there is no fix for that except to shoot indoors in cold weather LOL.

Thanks again for the advice guys.
Cactus
 
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