Too cold to shoot?

[Distant Thunder]

After the snow we got Monday there was very little wind and I thought I'd go out and shoot my .44 - 2 1/4. With the temperature hanging at 19 degrees I set up my target at 200 yards and started shooting for a group. The first shot went wide left! Ok…., the second shot went wide right! Crap! The 3rd shot was near center, but the 4th went high!

At this point my wet wiping patches were freezing into one clump and my fingers, especially my thumbs, were aching like buggers, but I decided to shoot #5 anyway. Bad idea, it went wider right!

Now I knew I wasn’t breaking really good shots, but the flag was just hanging there dead. Only one shot was even close to center. So I decided to move to another target and start over again. After 4 shots the target wasn’t looking too bad but my fingers were so stiff and hurting pretty bad. It’s handling the wet, frozen patches that really makes my fingers cold.

I decided to go retrieve my little propane heater from my shop. The walk warmed me up and of course I wore my gloves which eased the pain in my fingers. Twenty minutes later I was back in my shooting shack ready to shoot my last 6 shots. The 4 shot already on target where in about 3 inches and just below center, not the best but a heck of a lot better than the first target!

I find that taking a break from shooting in the middle of group and then returning to finish the group never really works out and it didn’t here either. The wind, what little there was, was coming from 6 o’clock and was now very gently blowing. It was hard to see in the flag since it was only pushing it just a little and straight away from me. In my 6X scope I really couldn’t tell there was a difference, but there was.

The last 6 shots stayed inside 2 3/4 inches but were mostly above center. The 10 shot group was nothing to brag about and I packed everything up and headed back to the house grumbling about never shooting unless it’s much closer to 30 degrees. My heater will remain in my shack until spring and warmer temperatures. It doesn’t warm up my uninsulated shack with the window wide open, but with it sitting on the bench close to me it does keep my patches from freezing and I can warm up my hands between shots.

I did notice that with the heater I could see a fair amount of heat rise when I was looking through my scope as the warm air was escaping out the open window. Probably not good, but definitely warmer.

As pretty as winter is, especially after a snow storm, it just isn’t conducive to good shooting when the temps dip below 25 degrees.

The 1st picture is just one of my trails through the woods behind the house.
The 2nd is back up the hill toward the house.
The 3rd is from in front of my shack down range toward my targets. There is about 18 inches of snow on the ground now, but the snow has melted away returned 2 times this winter or it would up to my butt!

[Gussy]

Looks about the same here!! Except it is 14 right now. I've had frostbite in the fingers. No way I would shoot in that temperature!

It's snowing hard right now!

[Kurt]

It's getting cold here finally. With the blanket of snow it will reflect the heat and start dropping. It will be 0 to 8º in a couple days here also.
Jim, that snow sure makes a black target stand out and it makes everything look clean,

[DirtySteve]

I would love to see some 25 degree temps.. I am all out of degrees here and am running negatives for the passed week.

Glad to see some hard folks are facing these temps..

[Kurt]

Well Steve I'm getting acclimated slowly. I'm in my mole den loading some .30-40 Kraig brass with 15 gr of Unique with a 1/4 heaping teaspoon of corn meal I can shoot those loads with gloves on when I get my rifle.

[Distant Thunder]

It didn't seem too cold when I went out and it wasn't while I setting up but once I started shooting and my fingers got wet handling the patches it very quickly became uncomfortable. I did dry my hands after wiping each time, but it only helped so much. My wiping solution was probably a little warm at the start having just come from the house but just before the patches all froze in a lump I could really feel the cold go into my fingers as the tips got wet.

It's sunny and 25 degrees today with a bit of wind. I just finished clearing the 2-3 inches of snow we got last night. The sun never gets very high in the sky this time of year and the shadows are long even at midday. The sun starts to set by 2 o'clock in the afternoon and it's starting to get dark by 3:30. The days are short, but getting longer now.

We are headed into some colder temps by Friday, with highs in the teens and low below zero. It's a good time to work indoors and I have a lot to do. I doubt I'll be doing much shooting for a little bit.

[J.B.]

Bit hard to concentrate on shooting when ones body is concentrating on keeping warm. I'd say pretty good effort all things considered Jim. Stay warm... stay well....everyone. Perhaps good casting weather ? Great photos regardless though and that range would be a great asset to load development. We're still enjoying your journey Jim...even if you need a break to restore circulation.
all the best... G.

[Gussy]

My shooting bench about 10 minutes ago.

[Don McDowell]

Shooting in the brr cold like that won't do much for you except to give some trigger time.
The air is heavier, and the light will be a bit different, but if you can stick with it long enough to get the gun barrel warmed up some good groups can be shot.
But still days like that are better left to casting, wrapping bullets, or doing some case prep etc....

[Distant Thunder]

Gussy,

I laughed at your shooting bench when I saw the picture! That is exactly why I built my little 8 ft. by 10 ft. shooting shack many years ago, that and the rain that seemed to wait for me to haul everything out there to shoot and then start up. I shot from a bench very much like yours for a long time, not any more. Stay warm.