Makes it hard to recover your brass

 So it was a cold and damp Saurday. About an inch of snow on the ground. Right at the freezing point. 

A great day to go to the range, and spend some time hitting steels, killing the dueling tree and knocking over bowling pins. 

Mostly gloveless too. I mean, it isn’t gonna always be warm, and sunny, and dry when or if you need that pistol. and that coat and sweatshirt is gonna get in the way of your draw…..

Plus I got to make sure the ammo and my firearms were happy in lower temps (nine are but not all guns you can buy are are, all the time). 

Besides, it was time to change my carry ammo. 

My hands got cold, I was cold, and my feet were frozen from standing in the snow.  I figure my performance fell off by about 25% or more. 

I can, however, still get the job done. Sadly, I only recovered about a third of my .45 brass and even less of the 9mm. 

8 thoughts on “Makes it hard to recover your brass

  1. Use a 5×7 or 7×9 tarp to catch brass if u can, the temp should help cool before hitting tarp. Good use of blue tarp from Harbor Freight.
    If you are allowed to use a tarp at the range.

  2. I have never really worried about weather when doing anything really.
    Of course, being a bridge painter for all my life, the only days off we ever got was when it was nasty out, rain, cold, wind, snow, whatever.
    So all my hobbies have always been done in inclement weather.
    As for my firearms, all have performed as expected in wet and/or cold weather. The only accuracy loss was me shivering.

  3. Yep, checking the draw, especially with gloves on. It's those 'seasonal' changes that go beyond just changing the cover garment.

  4. If your guns aren’t running at mild temps like that… get them into a gunsmith because something is seriously wrong. Mine all run at much colder temps without a hiccup…

  5. Glen:

    THe only pistol that I own that has not been tested at temperatures from -20F to over 100 F is my new CMP 1911.

    But I make sure that every pistol that I carry works at temps and in environments that they might encounter while I am carrying them..

    Oddly, I found that Federal Ammo does not like cold weather (Ferinstance, the Hydrashock low recoil is unhappy belo zero with two of my concealable firearms, so I simply use other brands). It isn't the gun, it is the ammo…..But I test every combinaton where my life might depend on it).

    You blow hard and pontificate but I think you are just that, a blowhard. …have you tested every combination of your carry firearm/ammo in every temperature? More than a magazine full? I think you are just talk. Plus an asshole.

  6. I am a gas bag to be sure, B.

    But in this case I am intrigued. Federal ammo is, on average, pretty good ammo. I don’t shoot much factory stuff, but I have shot it in temps down to -30C. Their premium stuff is about as good as it gets. I have to be fast with the chronograph at those temps because batteries don’t last long… and with my rifles all I noticed was that velocity fell off a bit. It might explain your problems with it. In the case of low recoil stuff… my question would be “why are you shooting it?” Unless you have physical limitations I’d suggest that you get the meanest, hottest loads you can for self defence work.

    Finally: if you’re cold at 0C… you aren’t dressed right, or you’re a pussy.😆👍

  7. Oh, I agree…"the meanest, hottest" etc…but it's gotta be controllable, and I ahve some tiny (as I said, concealable) guns that are mall enough that it can be hard to get that second or third shot with the hittest stuff. If I wanna carry 9mm as opposed to .32 or .380 AND have controllability, then I gotta use the low recol stuff, or choose another pistol.

    First rule of a gunfight: Have a gun.
    Second rule: Have ENOUGH gun.

    It wasn't the cold, so much, as the dampt that gets to me. I'd be more confrotable at 10 than 32. And when you've frostbitten yer hands badly enough often enough, the scars start to ache….I aint't 20 anymore.

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