Training in comfort.

[LUNCHBOX]

I figured since this thread covers equipment and weapons that it might fit here better. The question is...Do you train in the attire needed for the season represented at the time? Example, I went out over the weekend and put a couple mags down range in a coat, hat and most importantly--GLOVES. It is alot nicer to go to an indoor range and t-shirt shoot all day long but are you going to function the same when your bundled up like a burrito. I shoot with gloves often, even in the summer so I don't worry to much about it and shotgun is the worst in my opinion when re-loading.

Also, if you don't train weather sensitive you might want to start. (just saying)

[GunnerMax]

I trained shooting trap for 2 hours utilizing a coat, hat, my new Z87+ prescription glasses, my battlebelt, and dump pouch.

So, yes I train for the season

[Sniper-T]

lol... that's typical fall hunting up here. spent 1/2 the weekend in the bush popping chickens and squirrels.

-10C - 2 jackets, insulated pants, boots, gloves and a toque.

[realist]

Well Sniper you do not count. If you go out in short sleeves and shorts you would be a Popsicle in no time at all. Just thinking about wearing all that you have to makes me sweat.

Lunchbox good points. It is amazing the number of people that we train who only go through with a T-shirt and jeans. They are able to lock in and shoot from a nice stable platform. Then when we put them out in the cold or rain wearing a long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt and rain coat their nice position goes all to hell.

Gloves are important but you need to make sure that your weapon will allow them. If you are wearing real think ski type gloves and you have a single action you could easily have a negligent discharge. Before you go hot dry practice, you should be doing it anyways. Make sure that the gloves fit snug if you shoot in a warmer climate. Gloves are important to protect your hands and if allowed should be integrated into your training.

Glasses, you should be wearing at least shooting glasses. Those of you who are in the blind bat league like me need to make sure you have additional pair available. I know some shooters who have special prescription shooting glass that they only use on the range, these are going to be worthless in a SHTF situation if they are not everyday glasses.

Flashlights, you need to practice with them too. Okay not everyone has access to a range that you can shoot in low light. What is wrong with going through a course of fire using your flashlight during the day. You have got to get use to the additional weight in your support hand. Find a position that you like dry practice first and then use it while firing on the range. By practicing during the day has increased our hit ratio at night.

Knee pad and elbow pads, do you use them? I know it is uncomfortable to take a knee on a rock. If you do not wear integrated knee pads in your pants then you need to also practice without them. Okay I admitted that when I am out shooting all day I will wear them, but I am old so that is my excuse.

Hearing protection is a must. This is one area that I do not do without. We now wear both the electronic and plugs in training. You have got to protect your hearing because it will not come back. If you do tactical ops I highly recommend that you wear the electronic headsets. For those that have tried but they broke or you think they are a POS you might consider saving your pennies and buy the best. I have been using the high end Peltors for about 10 years now and swear by them.

Just some thoughts..........

[The Stig]

Just some thoughts..........

And some excellent ones at that.

[Sniper-T]

a note on gloves...

Personally I just wear those little tiny stretch cotton gloves and am more than warm enough 90% of the time. I can fire anything with them on, reload, well, anything really. cost $1.00 for 3 pairs.

But, on those crazy cold days where even I need to mitt up, I'll pull out my old pair of moose hide gauntlets, with an icelandic wool mittens inside. I'll pull these on right over top of my little gloves, and my hands are toasty warm. I have the dexterity of rhino, but they're toasty.

Since I wear these quite often for hunting, or working outside, I took a page frrom my moms book on clothing to make them better suited. I tied them together with some heavy cordage (like paracord), and run the cord through my jacket out my sleeves.

before you laugh, consider this... well ok, have a quick chuckle!

ok, I'm out hunting, see a moose, and need to snap off a shot quick. with a quick snap of the wrist I can fling the mitt off in an instant, and have trigger hand on the action as I'm swinging it up with the other hand. One quick motion.

The best part of the string, is after you shoot, rather than having to look through the snow behind you for your mitt... it's dangling off your wrist, waiting to be pulled on again. In terms of security/patroling, etc. you can be warm, flick, armed, and you don't lose a crucial piece of equipment

[helomech]

I like the gloves I have. It is a mitten, but inside the mitten are indivudual fingers, and the mitten part flips over to a magnent and exposes the fingers. The thumb also flips over to allow you to use your thumb. All held open with magnents, so no velcro noise.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Where we members of the Thunder Lizard Canning Club Chapter of the Old Farts Society shoot is in the high desert. We will be doing our next trip in early January, so we are always dressing to account for the weather. The high desert can be downright cold this time of year so we are usually layered up and that is the way we practice.

The spring and fall are more comfortable so it is light jackets. But summer *shudders*, it's downright scorching. It feels like we're 100 miles from anywhere and about 2' from Hell! Shooting an 03A3 in a T-shirt gets pretty painful after about 40 rounds! Not to mention the heat the guns themselves absorb. Usually, we get up at daybreak and practice until about 10 am, have breakfast and sit under our shade tarp and see who can lie the best,lol. Then in very late afternoon we can get in maybe another hour before the light fails.

Then it's put the guns away, start the grill and have a refreshing adult beverage. We also test a lot of our freeze-dried foods in side recipes when we're in camp. So, I guess we train in comfort, sort of, but we are prepared to be in the desert.

[bacpacker]

I haven't trained with all my weapons, but I do shoot with the AR, Glock, and 870 in all conditions. It does change things for me, so it is important that i practice this regularly.

One thing about gloves, I like Snipers idea about the string thru the sleeves. My main jacket (gore-tex) has clips inside the sleeves to attach a cord to gloves. The first place I saw that at was on ski/backpacking jackets back years ago. Lots of them are set up like that now. You sure as crap don't want to lose your gloves in single digit or lower temps. Frostbite will play hell with trigger fingers.

I was on a hike earlier this year in temps that were in the 20's, but with a 40-50mph wind. I only had liner gloves with me then and while taking a bunch of pictures just about frostbit my fingers. I couldn't have reliably fired much of anything till my hands warmed up if I'd had to. That is a mistake I don't intend to make again.

[Dropy]

SHTF can happen at ANY time, and leave you in ANY sort of situation. Train for them all!! Also train in such a situation where you are LACKING some comforts. You never know when you might get caught out in the cold with no jacket because you had to run. Or how about no shoes or socks!?!? Train for as many different situations as you can, i assire you that you will NEVER cover them all. But atleast this way you will cover more and more as time goes on.