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Thread: Trainin' in the Rain

  1. #1
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    Feb 2011
    Location
    Tampa area, Florida

    Trainin' in the Rain

    The outdoor range I train/practice on is a 45 minute drive from my home. I drove there today, and as often happens in Florida, it started pouring rain as soon as I got set up. Since it was 88 degrees and a 25 mile drive home, I decided to stay and practice in the rain. Every now and then we need to train and practice in adverse conditions, so we know what to expect if we have to defend ourselves in such circumstances.

    I shot the FBI qualification cold, as a cold skill check and warm-up. I scored 95%. I then shot the Rangemaster Instructor Qualification, and shot 97.6%. I finished with the 5 Yard Round-Up, scoring 98%. At that point, all my gear and I were soaked and I elected to leave. This experience reminded me of a couple of training points.

    First, once I got good and wet, my shirt was clinging to my undershirt. It took an aggressive drawstroke to clear the outer garment sufficiently and make an efficient presentation. One should always practice an aggressive drawstroke, just in case it gets wet or the wind is blowing strongly from a direction that pins your outer clothing to you.

    Next, the grip texture on my Boresight Solutions Glock 17 worked just fine, even when my hands were soaking wet. The support hand, however, is mostly gripping wet flesh. You really need to clamp down with that support hand to keep the grip together in multiple shot strings, especially when your hands are wet.

    The late Pat Rogers often said that we don’t always get to train when it’s a sunny 70 degrees, with an impossibly blue sky and cottonball clouds. He was right. The next time you’re going shooting and it starts to rain, stick around and get used to it. It’s just part of being properly prepared.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Palmetto, FL
    Tom,

    What range was that?

    Thanks,
    Pepper

  3. #3
    So True !
    Many people do not want to train or take a class when it's pouring or 0 degrees.
    I hear people say that a gunfight can be 8 seconds why train or take a class in those conditions for 8 hours
    Well, if you can last 8 hours in those conditions you surely will be able to excel in 8 seconds.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2011
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    Tampa area, Florida
    Quote Originally Posted by Pepper View Post
    Tom,

    What range was that?

    Thanks,
    Pepper
    It's a private range in Lakeland.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter
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    Sep 2017
    Location
    South Louisiana
    One should always practice an aggressive drawstroke, just in case it gets wet or the wind is blowing strongly from a direction that pins your outer clothing to you.
    +1. The range I use faces east and often has a strong (10-20 mph) south wind, so it's coming from my right and I'm right-handed. I carry at about the 3:30 position so my cover garment is plastered to my right side. I have to grab my cover garment hard to consistently get it out of the way.

    Re: the rain...if it ain't rainin'...

  6. #6
    Tom, in Alaska, shooting in the rain is the default, except it is often 40’s to 50’s. Sunshine is something we need to train for, as it is so unusual!

    My typical shooting gear for much of the “summer.”

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    Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.

  7. #7
    Member GuanoLoco's Avatar
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    Feb 2016
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    Wet paper targets, wet pasters and even dry cleaning bags to try to keep both dry suck.

    Shooting steel in the rain under a nice bay overhang is pretty fulfilling.
    Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?

  8. #8
    Banned
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    Nov 2016
    Location
    Rocky Mountains
    I was stationed at Ft. Lewis for 2 and 1/2 years. I don't even notice rain anymore

  9. #9
    When I was running Para FALs hard, rain downpour kept the gun cool.

    Running AKs in the rain, gloves are good as wet skin tears easily.

    Reholstering under rain gear on top of CCW clothes takes care and practice.

    Like Tom said it will make you work on your support hand grip.

  10. #10
    Banned
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    Nov 2016
    Location
    Rocky Mountains
    I mentioned in my other post about the rain at Fort Lewis. I would bet that it rains five months a year in western Washington State and you have to learn how to function in it. It gets colder than hell in Germany in the winter and you have to learn how to function in it. It's the same thing when it comes to carrying a gun. I need to practice manipulating my gun when my fingers are cold and wet and sore. I need to learn how to safely engage Target in the dark. I don't think there's any way to do this but I wish I could train with my dog leash and my dog in one hand in my gun in the other. Cuz I would be willing to bet that at the first shot my dog is going to go crazy.

    So yeah I'm in absolute agreement with Mr. Givens we need to train in adverse conditions

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