Folks:
What follows is an article I am in the process of posting on my company website (https://saconsco.com"). I thought it might be of value here.
"Thoughts of a Brick Agent
Cold Weather Defensive Firearms Performance
By SA (Ret’d) Bruce Cartwright
Of
SAC Tactical
Copyright January 2023
An email from my friend and mentor, Ken Hackathorn, got me to thinking about the degradation of a shooter’s performance as temperatures drop. This Thoughts of a Brick Agent covers my thoughts on that topic.
Folks who carry guns in harms way, no matter what their profession, have an obligation to maintain their skill level year-round. I am not sure who said it, but that person who remarked that we don’t get to make an appointment for our next gunfight was correct. Hence the need to train in all types of conditions. I was reminded of this on a recent range trip in late December. I live in rural western Montana. The temperature was in the upper 20s with about 8 to 10 inches of snow on the deck. I was bundled up while I set up the range and got my gear arranged. I ran the Bakersfield Police Department handgun qualification, among others. I used my FN Hi Power that I carried in a Sparks Summer Special II. I covered the gun with a heavy fleece jacket. The Bakersfield PD qual is a good drill but if you can shoot, it isn’t that difficult to pass on a cold (i.e., no warm up) run. I ran the course and passed with a score of 91. That said, my performance was diminished due to the cold. As I ran the drill, I realized that my control of the gun was reduced due to the cold affecting my hands. It showed in my times and score. All of which, coupled with Ken’s email, got me to thinking about the effects of cold weather on shooting performance and some potential fixes.
Shooting guns in cold weather was something I learned about at an early age. I grew up in western Pennsylvania and routinely hunted in subzero weather and did some of that hunting at night. Much of what I learned about shooting in the cold, I learned from my Dad. My father served as an infantry man at the tail end of the Second World War. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. He operated in below zero temperatures for extended periods of time. Fifty degrees below zero was not uncommon. I never asked, but suspect some of the folks who trained my Dad were familiar with the cold weather combat in Europe. He often told me of living and training in the Aleutians. Many of his experiences where instrumental in me learning how to shoot in truly cold temperatures and bad weather conditions. Additionally, my initial duty station when I was in law enforcement was in New England. My first manhunt upon being assigned to one of my agency’s New Hampshire offices occurred in January on a twenty-degree day. I had just changed vehicles, could not find most of my gear and grabbed my shotgun, a 14-inch Remington 870. I couldn’t find my gloves. At one point I spent an hour plus in dropping temperatures holding that 870. The gun was already cold and was physically painful to hold due to the temps. I learned lots of lessons that day.
In light of all of that, what exactly are the effects of shooting in cold temperatures and how do we address them?
First, I think it is safe to say that as temperatures drop, our customary skill level drops. How quickly that skill level drops is open for debate. I think there are a couple of factors that exacerbate the situation. As a caveat to that, I believe that performance diminishes at an increasing degree as temperatures drop. The colder it gets; the worse performance becomes. I don’t have any scientific proof, but have observed that phenomenon repeatedly over the years. I will say that once temperatures drop to say 10 degrees above zero or colder, it puts you in a whole other world. Everything gets harder to do.
Second, add in the presence of water in the form of perspiration, immersion (partial or full) or whatever the source and I think that tends to add to the misery index at a much greater rate. My Dad didn’t mind hunting and working in the cold and did it until late in life. What he detested was having to work in cold AND wet conditions. I tend to agree with his assessment.
Third, physical condition impacts a person’s ability to work in the cold. Again, I can’t quantify how much, but it is something I have observed. Along with condition is age. I believe that cold temperatures tend to affect older folks to a greater degree generally. Not everyone is the same, but it is a phenomenon I have observed. Hydration levels are important here. Lots of folks don’t think about staying hydrated, but I have found it is important. Another thing to consider is skin condition. Folks with dry skin tend to have a harder time. Something very few folks talk about is cracked skin on fingers. These injuries can be very painful and are best avoided.
Lastly, a person’s level of acclimatization is a factor. Folks who are used to operating in cold temperatures seem to do better in terms of performance. Look at the performance of the Finnish Army during the second world war for example. Some of our military folks also exhibit exceptional tolerance to cold. Along with acclimatization is the fatigue factor. As a day wears on, the effort it takes to do normal things in the cold is substantially greater. Fatigue sets in early and usually helps degrade performance. I recently read a NATO/Norwegian military study that listed the need for getting good restful sleep as an absolute necessity for operating in cold climates: “https://www.forsvaret.no/en/organisa...er-operations”.
In light of that, here are some suggestions. First, improve your physical condition where possible. Try to get good, restful sleep if at all possible. Stay hydrated and condition your hands. I have heard of folks using all kinds of remedies here. Try them and find out what works best.
Second, get used to the cold. One of the things I do is shovel my walks/driveway in light clothing if possible. I can easily go back inside in short order if I start to experience an issue, but doing this helps me get acclimated to the cold. A friend gave me some advice along these lines: “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
Third, learn how to recognize the symptoms of hypothermia. I am no longer a certified emergency medical provider, but here is a quick tip: If you have trouble touching the tip of your thumb to the tip of your pinky finger, you are probably suffering from hypothermia. There’s lots more to it, but early recognition is vital. Get trained in this stuff.
Fourth, get and use good clothing. We are living in the “good old days” of miraculous cold resistant clothes. Do some research and don’t be afraid to get and use quality gear. Also, pay attention to your body. I recently had a discussion about how cold affects us, with a dear friend and retired police officer. He served in a suburban city outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was no stranger, over his long and distinguished career, to working in bad weather both as a patrol officer and SWAT operator. What bugged him was his head getting cold. What bugs me is my feet getting cold. Figure out where you are “weakest” and take steps to shore that up with good gear. “Buy once, cry once.”
As an addendum to my clothing comments, you need to have easy access to necessary gear. I have told students time and time again that it is a “Come as you are world”. The best gloves in the world are worthless if you can’t find them. I never leave my home, even in the dead of summer without having a jacket of some kind in my truck. Likewise, I always keep a pair of gloves and a wool cap in my jacket pockets. As the temperatures drop, the amount and type of gear I carry grows. I would have given an awful lot for a beat-up Navy watch cap and a set of GI wool gloves on that January evening manhunt in New Hampshire.
Fifth, gloves. Gloves are a double-edged sword. They can be beneficial and at the same time introduce levels of complexity in operating firearms. I have experimented with different types of gloves over the years. Using G.I. wool gloves actually allows me to operate most guns pretty well. I have also used Outdoor Research glove liners. I tried Kevlar lined search gloves and they were okay but not ideal because they were too thick. I have reliable reports that the gloves sold by SKD Tactical called PIG gloves (“Patrol Incident Gloves”) are user friendly in terms of shooting but typically do not provide much protection from the cold. Likewise, golf gloves may be a solution. These options are decent for shooting but do not provide significant protection for very long from the cold. I usually use an outer glove in conjunction with these options for better protection from the elements.
Guns with small trigger guards are always an issue. Double action revolvers are nearly impossible for me to operate with gloves on. This is mainly because I have trouble fitting into size XXL gloves. Semiauto pistols like the 1911 and Hi Power work pretty well. Traditional Sig double/single action pistols also work well. Striker fired guns, like the M&P and Glock can be problematic. The tabs in the trigger face of Glock, are a real pain. Winchester Model 70s and Ruger Model 77s with the swinging three position safety are very usable. Sliding safeties of the Remington Model 700 are more difficult to use. Cross button safeties are doable but require effort to operate with any degree of certainty. The AR-15 is pretty easy to operate. I cannot imagine wanting to try to disengage the safety within the trigger guard of an M1 Garand while wearing heavy gloves. If you think running guns with gloves on can be tough, try activating the momentary on tail cap switch on a Surefire Light while wearing gloves. It can be done but it takes time and practice.
Sixth, mittens in really cold temperatures are a god send. I have worn G.I. wool gloves and then donned a set of heavy leather, insulated mittens (sometimes called choppers). This is a very workable solution for me when hunting. I usually post up on a stand to observe game trails. I would wear my gloves and mittens. If I heard an approaching animal, I could quietly slip off my dominant hand mitten and be easily able to shoot. Another tip my father imparted was to coat his mittens with Neat’s foot oil. It preserved the leather and reduced the sound signature from creaking leather when I had to remove the mitt. As a result, I am not a big fan of synthetic mittens. Maintaining and increasing your situational awareness is crucial in cold temperatures because it usually takes us much longer to accomplish various tasks.
Seventh: Optics on weapons can be problematic. I remember shooting with a hardcore group of tactical shooters on a snowy, cold (20 degrees) evening in New Hampshire and fogging up my Aimpoint. Doom on me. It took forever to clear. Beware of breathing on your optic. I also learned about taking guns with optics from heated vehicles into the cold. It is usually a recipe for disaster. Ray Ordorica is a long-time gun writer who wrote a book about his experiences living for an extended period in the outback of Alaska (“Alaskan Retreater’s Notebook”). He talked about leaving guns outside so as to not have them freeze and using iron sighted weapons. The book is invaluable for the cold weather knowledge Mr. Ordorica conveys.
I think open emitter optics would be prone to all sorts of issues if covered with snow or debris from a fall. Act accordingly.
Eighth: Lubrication can be an issue. I tend to like synthetic lubes for guns being used in the cold and used sparingly at that. That said, some guns need to be lubed. 1911s and ARs come to mind. While Glocks need some lube, they seem to work well in cold climates with minimal amounts.
Ninth: Texture on weapons. I can tell you trying to maintain control of a 1911 with a smooth front strap or a stock Glock in cold weather shooting is an exercise in futility. Checkered front straps are much better. Of course, that is expensive. If you are of Scottish descent, as am I, try stippling. A sharp punch, a hammer (or a soldering iron for the plastic guns) and an evening’s work can turn a smooth metal front strap into a useable tool.
Tenth: Experience. Get out in the weather and try all of this stuff. The only way you will find out what works is by trying something and having it fail spectacularly. Adjust and try something else. Can’t wear wool gloves? Try synthetics. Hate over gloves? Try mittens with a trigger finger. How many times have you practiced getting out of your vehicle while wearing snow boots and a parka. Again, it is a different world. Do your guns work in the cold? Is your ammunition effective? Does the zero on your carbine shift in cold weather? How long do your batteries last? You do carry extra batteries, correct? Can you access them with your gloves on?
Shooting in the cold is something that has to be trained for. It is pretty difficult to simulate. The more you do it, the better you get at it. So, if you are used to performing a one second draw from an inside the waistband appendix holster, I suggest running your favorite drill standing in 18 inches of fresh snow in 20-degree temps with a 10 mile an hour wind while wearing a zipped up down parka. It will be enlightening. You may also need to adjust your frame of reference. Adding a second to the time allotted for drills when fully kitted out in cold weather gear is not unreasonable. In the real world, small frame revolvers in a pocket of a parka can be a great solution. Shoot in as many climatic conditions as you possibly can. I applaud folks like Clint Smith, Ken Hackathorn, Pat Rogers and others who had their students shoot in all kinds of conditions. Experience like that is invaluable. Only once you get outside and shoot in bad weather will you be able to determine what your performance level is.
I am also a firm believer in the old adage: “Keep it simple, stupid.” Much like operating at night, the simpler your approach to things, the better. The more involved your task, the harder it will be to execute in the cold.
Lastly, I would suggest talking to those folks in our community who served in places like the Ardennes Forest, the Chosin Reservoir, Fort Richardson Alaska, Afghanistan and worked in places like the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Montana. I learned an enormous amount from all of them. That hard won wisdom is disappearing at an alarming rate. Food for thought."
Bruce
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Originally Posted by Clusterfrack
