Winter Shooting

[Freedom]

So how cold is too cold for you fellas to break out the flintlocks? I think I reached my threshold this morning..-37° F!
The wind chill said it was -53F LOL
Had to feed the livestock with a hand sled this morning. Sure is beautiful in Montana!

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

So how cold is too cold for you fellas to break out the flintlocks? I think I reached my threshold this morning..-37° F!
The wind chill said it was -53F LOL
Had to feed the livestock with a hand sled this morning. Sure is beautiful in Montana!

Coldest I have shot in my younger years (actually dumber years ) was -13. Now, if it is below freezing I prefer to decline.
Larry

 

[TDM]

43F is my personal limit.

 

[sheriff john]

5 degrees here this morning. Basset pup went out on the porch, turned around, and went back inside. Apparently below his rabbit chasing limit (and mine as well).

 

[jdw276]

Kinda rough today,

 

[waksupi]

I notice the spark isn't as hot when it gets down around 10 degrees, or at least I get more miss fires from the prime not igniting.

My friend up at Olney, Mt. had minus 50 this morning without wind chill added in.

I don't miss feeding cattle in the winter!

 

[waksupi]

 

[Freedom]

I notice the spark isn't as hot when it gets down around 10 degrees, or at least I get more miss fires from the prime not igniting.

My friend up at Olney, Mt. had minus 50 this morning without wind chill added in.

I don't miss feeding cattle in the winter!

Do you think that there is a risk of breaking lock components when the temperatures are this cold?
I was hoping to shoot our December postal match target that I have printed out.
Snowshoe up to the range and build a little fire to keep my hands warm enough to load 10 shots.

 

[ord sgt]

If I can't feel my fingers, it's too cold to shoot, I worked outdoors in all types of weather for most of my career. Cold fingers don't work so good. Forget #11 caps Priming the pan becomes a challenge when it's cold.

 

[waksupi]

Do you think that there is a risk of breaking lock components when the temperatures are this cold?
I was hoping to shoot our December postal match target that I have printed out.
Snowshoe up to the range and build a little fire to keep my hands warm enough to load 10 shots.

Cold weather can certainly weaken steel. Axe blades shatter when they get too cold.

 

[user 53891]

Cold weather can certainly weaken steel. Axe blades shatter when they get too cold.

I was putting a front seal in a Allison Transmission at a coal mine up in Steamboat Colorado some years ago. -40 and was going to tap the seal in the front cover bore. Knew I screwed up as soon as I hit that seal...shattered. Also broke my 3/4 wrench that morning while tightening the bolts....snapped in half without any effort. Experienced actually temp of -54 in Maybell CO. that same year. Fun!

 

[TDM]

No thank you. In my younger years and travels I've been in below 0 temps a number of times, the coldest being -30F. Makes me shiver now just to think about.

 

[Sean E Bug]

I am happy down to about 10F but will keep shooting all the way down to 0. I have poor circulation in my hands and feet and below zero I don't have much feeling and am not having any fun. The good thing is that below freezing I get the range to myself.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I recall trying the gear lever to see if tractor was in neutral to start and the rubber boot over the gear lever shattered.
Tractor was plugged in but it was 40 below.
Was minus 42 here a couple of days ago.
If no wind not bad, but get your hands wet and it can be!
These days I think about mainsprings when it's that cold.
An old neighbour froze his lungs when trying to feed cattle some years back. Tractor all tarped up and heated, but froze on him about 200 yards from the house.
Walking back home he froze his lungs and it was years before he got right.
it was minus 70F with the wind.
I wouldn't have gone shooting that day!
a lot of cattle froze standing up that winter.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Shot my flintlock at the range at -18F last winter. Shooting is the easy part. Loading was tough on the hands.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

It used to not bother me much in my youth. Now 40-45 is about my limit and still be able to enjoy myself. We have -5 today with 30-50mph winds . Have no idea what the wind chill is. No thoughts of shooting, other than some cartridge reloading.

 

[mushka]

Arthritis and neuropathy don't like the cold so when it gets below the upper 30's I don't go out much unless it's really necessary.

 

[Crooked Creek]

-6 here in southern Indiana this morning. Don't think I'm going to the range.
Hiked in Missouri with a -8 air temp/-25 wind chill. As an assistant Scoutmaster we held our '93 winter Klondike Camp and it was about -5 air/-30 wind chill at night. If I recall correctly, it was the record for the coldest Klondike Camp for our Council.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I hope to get out and shoot next week. Supposed to be in the 30’s.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I have no problem going out hunting or ice fishing when it’s way below zero but I’ll wait for a bit warmer weather to go to the range.