Cold! Still Shoot?

[Larry (Omaha)]

I personally find it miserable to shoot muzzleloaders when it’s cold.

View attachment 52917
My fingers get so numb and I can’t even feel the things right and end up spilling powder and dropping balls and it’s just not so nice.

Anyone else out there on the internet still shoot during the winter and if so what are some tips n’ tricks to do it without suffering?

Belong to a club that has a toasty warm target shack with hinged windows facing the target boards
Flintlocklar

 

[11th corps]

So far here in Indiana it has been a fairly mild fall. Usually by next month we will have daytime temps below freezing and on occasion lower then the single digits. We have not had a severe winter for a couple of decades, in the late 1970's we had what those of us who remember still refer to as the "blizzard of the century". 15 plus inches of snow with 60 mph sustained winds. Snow piled so high on county roads that when the v blade snow plows drove it up on an embankment, if slid right back down into the roadway. Everything was shut down for a week. After we had wind chills in the -40 to almost -60. It happened in Feb and the snow didn't all melt until late April. I plan to get out to the range tomorrow to shoot the December members contest. It's supposed to be 40F and sunny.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Below zero F is one sure fire way to have the range to myself...

 

[Omahkapi'si]

So far here in Indiana it has been a fairly mild fall. Usually by next month we will have daytime temps below freezing and on occasion lower then the single digits. We have not had a severe winter for a couple of decades, in the late 1970's we had what those of us who remember still refer to as the "blizzard of the century". 15 plus inches of snow with 60 mph sustained winds. Snow piled so high on county roads that when the v blade snow plows drove it up on an embankment, if slid right back down into the roadway. Everything was shut down for a week. After we had wind chills in the -40 to almost -60. It happened in Feb and the snow didn't all melt until late April. I plan to get out to the range tomorrow to shoot the December members contest. It's supposed to be 40F and sunny.

A few years ago we got about 3 or 4 feet in 72 hrs...my boy and I were on the roof shoveling at 3am because the temperature went from about 5F to 40F overnight...stuff got a little heavy. Warm Chinook winds...

 

[Rum River]

Over ten years ago.

Wife and I had just that year finished a cabin in remote northern Minnesota. Was dead set on using the muzzle loader season to the fullest. No one else could make it happen so went on my own. About a foot of snow cover. Plenty hanging in the white pine boughs. Got up early to find the thermometer at -10 F. By the time I was dressed and leaving the shack it was -15. Was in place on time, got to watch the sun rise on a very clear and still world. Wind picked up, trees are starting to sway. Temperature now down to -18. Wind chill? No idea. Tried mightily to stay in the stand 'til noon. About 9:00 had to climb down to take a short walk, seeing as how I was alone and didn't have anyone handy to chip me loose if I sat too long.

What saved me?

Numbed feet stumbled me into one of those snow-filled boughs and filled the lock on my flinter right to the top. Nobody couldn't say that wasn't a good reason to go back and feed the wood stove, could they?

Come on, could they?

That was without a doubt the most wonderful hot cup of coffee I've enjoyed in my entire life.

My feet?
Only got warmed all the way up just yesterday..........

 

[megasupermagnum]

Over ten years ago.

Wife and I had just that year finished a cabin in remote northern Minnesota. Was dead set on using the muzzle loader season to the fullest. No one else could make it happen so went on my own. About a foot of snow cover. Plenty hanging in the white pine boughs. Got up early to find the thermometer at -10 F. By the time I was dressed and leaving the shack it was -15. Was in place on time, got to watch the sun rise on a very clear and still world. Wind picked up, trees are starting to sway. Temperature now down to -18. Wind chill? No idea. Tried mightily to stay in the stand 'til noon. About 9:00 had to climb down to take a short walk, seeing as how I was alone and didn't have anyone handy to chip me loose if I sat too long.

What saved me?

Numbed feet stumbled me into one of those snow-filled boughs and filled the lock on my flinter right to the top. Nobody couldn't say that wasn't a good reason to go back and feed the wood stove, could they?

Come on, could they?

That was without a doubt the most wonderful hot cup of coffee I've enjoyed in my entire life.

My feet?
Only got warmed all the way up just yesterday..........

The goofy thing about MN muzzleloader season, is it seems 75% of the time it is warmer than the firearms season a month earlier! Last weekend was nice and warm, and I took the whole week off from work starting tomorrow morning. I'm seeing around 40 for the high all week. That would be impressive if firearms season didn't see 70 degrees, which I've only ever seen once before. It's crazy to think that almost 2 months ago I was in ND duck hunting, everyone else was crying "the season is over", because so many ponds and sloughs were frozen over I remember waking up to a nice 10 degrees and snowy, and this was mid October. That next weekend I was snowmobiling! What an odd fall for weather.

Last year was actually one of the colder muzzleloader seasons. I remember a 7 day stretch where it was -5 or -10 in the morning, warming up to maybe 10 degrees, and a few of those days it was crazy windy 25+ MPH steady winds. I often hunt in a ground blind, but that was the first time I had to both bring a blanket, and fire up the buddy heater. The worst part about those coldest calm mornings, the freezing trees made the most horrific cracking noises, and scared the heck out of everything. I didn't see any deer for 2 days straight.

As for shooting in the cold. I have never yet had the temperature stop me from shooting. -10F is normal for much of the winter here, so you either deal with it, or only shoot 9 months of the year (and 4 of them are hunting months). Wind though, I don't even bother in strong winds unless I just want to blast off some rounds. There's nothing to be learned by trying to tough out a 30+ mph wind gust.

 

[Carbon 6]

Belong to a club that has a toasty warm target shack with hinged windows facing the target boards
Flintlocklar

My shop has a window with an attached bench and 100 yard target. Shop has heat, telephone, internet, satellite TV, comfortable furniture, and cold beer. The walk to the target really sucks though, it's uphill both ways.

 

[Canute Rex]

I've been doing the primitive biathlons in Vermont and New Hampshire for a number of years. That's a timed snowshoe run with gong targets. A hit knocks five minutes off your time. Great fun, quite popular, and, of course, a winter sport.

They are always in January/February and it's always cold. Sometimes in the 20s F, which is perfect for snowshoeing. Sometimes below zero F, and that gets me saying to myself, "I do this for fun, right?"

Two important things. First, keeping my head and neck warm. Head but not neck, fingers freeze.

Second, triple gloves. I wear thin polypro glove liners with fingerless wool gloves over them. It looks stupid and feels smart. The thin poly keeps my fingers from going solid immediately, but allows me to handle small objects. Then, over those two, loose gloves or mittens for the non-shooting portion of my snowshoe run (er, purposeful walk).

I practice out back of my place in the woods in the winter. Pick a windless day in the high 20s or low 30s, insulate as I mentioned above, and it's fine.

 

[JamesT]

I personally find it miserable to shoot muzzleloaders when it’s cold.

View attachment 52917
My fingers get so numb and I can’t even feel the things right and end up spilling powder and dropping balls and it’s just not so nice.

Anyone else out there on the internet still shoot during the winter and if so what are some tips n’ tricks to do it without suffering?

Nobody is foolish enough to go out and shoot in the cold. Especially when Mom is heating up some warm milk on the stove top! Stay in and stay dry! Wear your mask!

 

[Carbon 6]

If you are anemic you will not fare well in the cold.

 

[Professor flintlock]

Nobody is foolish enough to go out and shoot in the cold. Especially when Mom is heating up some warm milk on the stove top! Stay in and stay dry! Wear your mask!

Just slide the window open and shoot from a heated shop 25&50 yard bunkers. Some idiot had to build a log cabin behind my 100 yd backstop, so I lost that. Used to have e mountain howitzer. Think if I still had it I'd shoot blank loads every day. You wouldn't sleep through that. Try to shoot every day wind rain snow . It really teaches you how your rifle shoots. Haven"t shot in couple of weeks got the flu or something. So I'm working on my new SMR 36 cal. Look out when I get it done.46 inch barrel swamped to boot.Holds pretty nice. Throw some finish on grey the iron furniture put it back together and she's done.

 

[CaptainKirk]

If you are anemic you will not fare well in the cold.

It ain't so hot when you have Reynaud's, either.

 

[Greg Blackburn]

I might have to find out.......great nephew coming in soon and he is expecting to go shoot!

I have the .45 muzzleloader about ready to go, might make a day of it.

 

[DUNKS]

I am a Brit. We dont get real cold here. If it drops to minus anything I'm staying indoors!

 

[Nazgul58]

Nazgul58, what part of WNY are you from? I grew up in Town of Tonawanda. Live in Amherst now.

Jamestown, still have family there. In Indian near Louisville KY now.

Don

 

[Nazgul58]

First day of muzzle loader today. Below freezing now, will be in the 40's today.

Taking my 58 Hawken fullstock flintlock out for a walk.

Don

 

[Art Caputo]

While it is pleasant to shoot in the warmer temperatures, shooting and hunting in freezing temperatures comes with the territory living in the Northeast, and actually completes the experience for me. With proper clothing and repetition, the body will adjust to the cold. All my loads and cleaning processes are developed with freezing temperatures in mind, and used year round. The LOP of my rifles are about a half inch shorter then my fair weather fitment to accommodate the extra winter clothing.

 

[Ames]

I'll be using my 45 SMR flint this season for snowshoe hare, on snow shoes. Just pick a day with little wind and I should be fine.

 

[nit wit]

I'm in Maine and we still Have Geezer shoots in the winter. Wool, layers and a pair of leather chopper mitts with wool mittens inside them. Some folks use hand warmers also.
Nit Wit

 

[Rodd Boyer]

I've been to 1 "frozen butt" Rondy shoot by Frankfurt, KS. My buddy and I pulled up and parked and the truck thermometer read 11 degrees. My buddy said that he had half a notion to start the truck back up and head home after stepping out to get his cold weather moccasins on. I told him that I was just the passenger and whenever his truck was headed back to Missouri, I'd be in it!!!
We went ahead and shot the match... he shot his. 58 percussion and I shot my .54 GPR flintlock. I'm in the green coat with the white strapped possibles pouch.