Carrying in extreme cold weather?

[Nephrology]

Hey all,

So I will be moved out from CT to Minnesota within the next 2 weeks. While I presume they have fall weather out there, I have heard that it is the kind of place where it can get a tad chilly during the winter....colder than out here, for certain.

Currently I carry either a Glock or a J frame AIWB, though I have OWB holsters for my glocks too. How does one carry a pistola when it's -20F outside? Any tips? Clothing I should buy? Holsters/methods of carry to look into ? Thanks in advance.

[smithjd]

Are you asking about EDC when it is cold, or carrying in the field when it is cold? Unless you are working outside for extended periods when it is that cold, nothing should change from your normal EDC. That is because you will be going in and out of buildings, cars, etc. doing your normal business.

Starting in about November, I wear a good base layer (UA or merino wool) and a hoodie or fleece top. A heavier coat or two will get you out to the grocery store, gas station, etc. (Like mom says, always wear your hat!) Of course, with the extra layers, it is harder to get to the EDC. When I am zipped up, I carry my backup in an outer coat handwarmer pocket. So, I would carry your Grock AIWB, and put the J frame in the heavy coat pocket (necessitating security procedures for the coat when you take it off).

Unless you are up in the arrowhead, those -20 days aren't all that common. Even then, unless you are working outside, your biggest exposure is walking from car to building.

If you are working outside all day long, like construction guys, Carhartt is your friend. Bibs over your gun belt can really, really slow things down. I would be looking at something custom, like sewing Velcro in one of those big cargo pockets to which I could stick a holster, or a VC2 setup. Or, one of those Hill People Gear runner's kit bags.

FWIW, the Farmer's Almanac is predicting an extremely cold winter. Like a 1970's cold winter. I can't remember which year it was, but we were below zero for 32 days straight. The last three winters have been pretty retro, so I better stop typing and go cut some more wood.

[Rich]

My home state in IN can get cold.

In my coat pocket I would pack a conceal hammer J frame

One can hold the small revolver on BG without them knowing. Plus you can fire it without jamming.

I've wore shoulder holsters ,pancake , paddle holsters, and of coarse IWB


I like wearing the army type sweaters in green and black

And long underware is a must

[secondstoryguy]

Just stay away from big parka type jackets. They can be constricting/hard to move it and also are a total PITA if you get in a hands on type fight.

[Tamara]

In my neighborhood, I go afoot a fair amount in the winter. In wintertime I carry a mousegun in an outside chest pocket of my coat that is accessible with either hand.

Because I do not wish to freeze, I zip my coat up, which is very untactical, and this means I will likely be opening the ball with the gun in my pocket, rather than the real gun on my belt.

[lightning fast]

I live in MN. It's not difficult.

Just carry however you carry now, and practice in your cold gear. I can still clear my jacket + sweatshirt + t-shirt and get to an AIWB gun. I can also just go OWB with an open front jacket.

[NETim]

Minnesnowta has two seasons, winter and two months of tough sledding. Eventually you will consider 20* temps "t-shirt" weather. :)

[GardoneVT]

Here's my take, being from South Dakota.

The key is to layer up smartly.

Then,you carry the piece IWB between your undershirt(s) and outermost garment.Then,select a jacket which has a pliable surface-stiff leather coats need not apply.The idea is if the flag flies,your hand will grab BOTH the coat and outer garment to expose the weapon.When transiting buildings ,you'll be able to disrobe of the coat without exposing the weapon.The IWB placement will also keep your gun nice and warm .An OWB-holstered handgun gets chilly fast when it's below freezing-and that's what your hands will feel if you reach for it.

Shoulder rigs don't work well below 50's ,because you'll need to keep your coat zipped up to have any chance of staying warm-which defeats your ability to aceess the gun.OWB presents the aforementioned risk of a popsicle gun -polymer frames resist that somewhat better then metal firearms- and you can't take off your jacket indoors.

[Nephrology]

In my neighborhood, I go afoot a fair amount in the winter. In wintertime I carry a mousegun in an outside chest pocket of my coat that is accessible with either hand.

Because I do not wish to freeze, I zip my coat up, which is very untactical, and this means I will likely be opening the ball with the gun in my pocket, rather than the real gun on my belt.

This is kind of what I am getting at - how do I get around the fact that it'll probably be too cold for an open jacket? I think my Carhartt should be easy to clear over the gun, but I have a couple other jackets that I can't easily clear when buttoned. How about mittens/gloves?

[GardoneVT]

This is kind of what I am getting at - how do I get around the fact that it'll probably be too cold for an open jacket? I think my Carhartt should be easy to clear over the gun, but I have a couple other jackets that I can't easily clear when buttoned. How about mittens/gloves?

In this respect,a DA/SA or DAO firearm presents an advantage.With a heavy first shot trigger pull,the risk of an ND due to gloves eliminating finger sensitity is reduced.

[GJM]

Definitely keep the pistol under your jacket, as it is warmer on your hands and less subject to cold soaking reliability concerns than a pistol open carried in extreme cold. Consider something with a larger trigger guard that is more glove friendly, depending how thick your gloves are. I layer two pairs of gloves -- a thin glove I can shoot with like flight gloves or the new Rogers gloves, under a larger glove/mitten that can be flung off "hockey fight" style.

[ST911]

It's MN and not Alaska, so you'll adapt. In downtown Rochester, make as much use of the subway/skyway as you can to limit outside time.

I carry a Glock compact (G19/G23) 3:00 OWB year-round. In the winter, I wear athletic sweatshirts or fleece vests of various designs over tees or casual wear. I leave my outer jacket unbuttoned and work a sweep to access the gun. I'm pretty warm blooded so this meets my needs. For prolonged outdoor activity where I want to zip up, or wearing bibs, I drop a J-frame in an external pocket.

Pocket carry is also an option as long as you're not wearing a longer parka blocking access.

My hands also stay pretty warm so a lighter and thinner glove works pretty well for short walks. Flight gloves, some of the neoprene, and similar designs work well for me.

[farscott]

For winter, I have worked out a way to use a horizontal shoulder holster on my frequent interstate road trips. I use a T-shirt as a base layer and a wool vest goes over that. The shoulder holster goes over the vest, and a heavy, roomy coat that stays unbuttoned goes over the holster. The right pocket of the heavy coat has the BUG, an SP-101 revolver.

This works as long as one does need to remove the coat. For carry when the coat is expected to come off, the primary is carried IWB and is covered by the vest.

Practice with gloves is imperative as glove material tends to end up in surprising places.

[bofe954]

Unless you're really spending a lot of time outside you can get away without gloves. Have a duffel in your car with enough hats and gloves to cover everyone who might be with you if you break down somewhere.

Even when it's 20 below (which is usually only for a few weeks) you are typically just getting in your car in a 40-50 degree garage or ramp and driving to another 40-50 degree ramp so you don't need to be totally bundled up. When you get gas and stuff put your hands in your pockets, or carry some mechanix or something. Do the 642 in the pocket and keep your hands in your pocket if you're real concerned.

I am PM'ing you a link you'll probably use.

[GardoneVT]

Unless you're really spending a lot of time outside you can get away without gloves. Have a duffel in your car with enough hats and gloves to cover everyone who might be with you if you break down somewhere.

Even when it's 20 below (which is usually only for a few weeks) you are typically just getting in your car in a 40-50 degree garage or ramp and driving to another 40-50 degree ramp so you don't need to be totally bundled up. When you get gas and stuff put your hands in your pockets, or carry some mechanix or something. Do the 642 in the pocket and keep your hands in your pocket if you're real concerned.

I am PM'ing you a link you'll probably use.

Except sometimes you DO need to be outside for extended periods.

For example,digging out of a snowstorm .You'll be outside for a while shoveling snow and clearing it off your car,and rest assured you'll need gloves to do that for very long.

Even if you have a garage,the sidewalk won't shovel itself.Likewise,if you or a coworker/friend need a jump you'll be outside in the elements until the jobs done.

[Tamara]

Practice with gloves is imperative as glove material tends to end up in surprising places.

This right here.

I was caught off guard when the summer-weight ¡BLACKHAWK! gloves that were just dandy with a 1911 still had enough material to bind up a J-frame trigger in fast DA work.

[Chuck Haggard]

Our motor guys buy a set of too big for them heavy gloves for riding in the winter, nice and warm but obviously too bulky for anything except shooting something with a winter trigger. They practice doffing the glove in a hurry, to the point of making sure they can fling it off one handed if they need to.

Not a bad way to do business, and would work for stuff like shoveling snow, etc. where big gloves would work without getting in the way.


I tend to have large parkas when I need one, which is rarely as I am rather warm blooded, something with large handwarmer pockets, and I just keep the coat open in the front. Carry tends to be under clothing like hoodies. I am also partial to a 642 in a coat pocket.

[jetfire]

I just move my j-frame from my belt to a pocket holster in my coat when it's cold. I really like pocket guns for winter carry, because I can appear to be just another bro, strolling down the street with my hands in my pocket when in fact I have almost instant access to my gun. It's nice.