Shotguns and gloves?

[dirtybomb]

Anyone here running gloves on shotgun stages? I have found that my reloads are faster wearing wearing gloves. My main worry has been that numerous times during practice I have gotten the glove stuck in the gun. This would be a game wrecker in a match. I have been using a glove with all the fingers cut off except the thumb. If anyone can recommend a brand of glove that they like or a solid technique to prevent it from getting stuck in the gun I would love to hear it.

[ken hebert]

reloading by which technique?

when I was doing a strong hand reload I did use a glove on my left as I was rolling the gun over to look the shells in. after I changed over to support hand loading off the belt the glove stays in the bag.

[ShooterSteve]

If you are shooting against me in a match, I would recommend welding gloves. You can hold your shotgun with out getting burned and weak hand reloads are a snap. There is no way you will get your thumb hung up in there with them on either!

[AlamoShooter]

No gloves , just adjust your attitude about what pain is. practic with out the gloves

[carbon9]

I haven't tried them with a shotgun yet but they are the best glove I have found for handgun and rifle when cooler weather hits.... Footjoy golf gloves. Makes sense as you need tactile feedback when golfing.

[Michael Flatley]

I have used gloves before. I went to the range and people were saying something like, you should not wear gloves they will only slow you down. Well I agree with this unless;-

You wear tight fitting and comfortable gloves. They need to be relatively hard wearing but fit you like a second skin. The type of gloves matters but the fit is the main thing. Make sure you don’t have “extra room” at the end of your fingers. They must fit you “like a glove”.

I ended up using a pair of horse riding gloves. They are tough but have a good gripping leather like material on the gripping surfaces.

Practice with them more than you practice without them.

Keep them in good order. I ended up using and practicing with mine to a stage where they became tatty on the area around the end of the nail on the thumb. This eventually became caught in the spring on my CCW stripper clips, thankfully in practice. Trim your thumb nail back to where it will not create a hard rubbing point or, as with mine, that is where the gloves will wear.

Gloves may slow you down if you don’t practice enough with them. However, having more confidence that the gun will not bite your thumb will give you confidence, thus speed you up. Having warm hands in cold weather will not slow you down so on occasions may give you an advantage (especially here in England).

At the end of the day it is what suits you. If you get along with them and they give you confidence to load faster then they are worth a try.

A link to the ones that I use.

http://www.frogpool.com/country-wear/accessories/gloves/woof-wear-adults-elite-gloves.html

Good luck.

Mick

[sargenv]

I only use a glove on my off hand as protection from heat. I load with my strong hand still and have no issues holding the shotgun that may become very hot loading and shooting when the courses of fire require more than two full reloads of the gun (usually over 27 rounds). My one bad habit is chewing on my fingers so I don't have any fingernail on my thumb to get caught in the loading gate..

[ClutchUSMC]

My shooting partner uses a glove on his weak hand to keep from getting burned during reloads. Seems to work for him.

[mpeltier]

I wish all my competition would wear gloves.

Seriously though, if you feel you need to wear gloves to avoid pain or getting bit by the gun, perhaps there is some work to the gun or your technique that needs addressing. I have not met anyone who worked a gun better with gloves, all things bieng equal.

Not a sientific qualification by any means but last week in a firearms training class at work there wer 24 of us. I was the only one who was not wearing gloves at the beginning. By the end of the second day there was only one guy left wearing gloves (And he was still the worst shooter in the group).

[Graham Smith]

Footjoy golf gloves.

A quick look at their website shows that they have 8 different models of glove. Do you know which one you are using?

FWIW, I have shot rifle and pistol in tactical courses in really cold damp weather and wore a pair of tight fitting Mechanix Fast Fit gloves the whole weekend. No problems with grip at all. Whether or not I could say the same thing with a shotgun, I'm not sure.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Graham Smith

[carbon9]

Footjoy golf gloves.

A quick look at their website shows that they have 8 different models of glove. Do you know which one you are using?

FWIW, I have shot rifle and pistol in tactical courses in really cold damp weather and wore a pair of tight fitting Mechanix Fast Fit gloves the whole weekend. No problems with grip at all. Whether or not I could say the same thing with a shotgun, I'm not sure.

I use the Winter-Sof when it cools down to keep my hands semi-functioning. It does look like they may have changed the model slightly. Which I will be trying as some jack@ss stole my pair(along with my jacket) last week. The have very good grip without being overly sticky, very natural and the palms don't bag or bulge when gripping/curling your palm. My friend uses the RainGrip during rainy matches and loves them, I haven't tried them personally. The best thing is they are dirt cheap and much better then all the "tactical gloves" I tried while trying to find the right pair. I found them at Dick's Sporting Goods and I'm sure most pro shops would have them.

[warpspeed]

I shoot open and flip the gun to load. I have always used a batting glove on my left hand and do not see any down side. If the stage is a pistol / shotgun stage, I will usually not wear it. i do not like shooting pistol with a glove.

[GorillaTactical]

From personal experience and judging from what most guys are saying here...a glove is acceptable if you are not loading with that hand...especially if you are going to have to grab the barrel with that hand

I tried running a glove for a while when I first started weakhanding it, but it would get stuck in the lifter periodically....I wore mechanix gloves when I did this....they are very slim and tight to the hand and they still got stuck....bottom line, if you plan on weak hand reloading, learn to do it without the glove.

[benny hill]

You do not grab the barrel, just the receiver & about 2 inches of the chamber, that way the gun is balanced & the chamber area is always cool.You want to push the shells into the palm of your hand so not to tilt the gun.

[GorillaTactical]

You do not grab the barrel, just the receiver & about 2 inches of the chamber, that way the gun is balanced & the chamber area is always cool.You want to push the shells into the palm of your hand so not to tilt the gun.

Benny,

Are you talking about doing a strong hand reload? I'm trying to visualize your description

[Michael Flatley]

You do not grab the barrel, just the receiver & about 2 inches of the chamber, that way the gun is balanced & the chamber area is always cool.You want to push the shells into the palm of your hand so not to tilt the gun.

Benny,

Are you talking about doing a strong hand reload? I'm trying to visualize your description

I use gloves doing weak hand reloads and I do them the same or just a little slower.

Then add a cold damp wind and read;- "I use gloves doing weakhand reloads and I do them the same if not quicker than with cold hands".

The trick is to practice a lot with them on. If you practice a lot and your times are poo then don't use them. If they work for you and give you an advantage in cold weather............!

M

[dirtybomb]

I use the glove on my left hand for weak hand reloading practice. I try to practice for 30-45 minutes several times a week. If I don't use the glove I find that my thumb is totally beat up. I never use it during a match for fear of getting it caught in the gun. I find that during a match my loads are slower. I think that I will start doing the practice with out the glove on and just practice for shorter periods of time.

[AustinT]

I wrap the end of my thumb in duct tape. Everyone asks why and what I did to it, but it works.

[imadvm]

Under Armour has a great pair of tight fitting leather gloves -- it is there baseball batting glove.

5.11 has a very thin leather glove that has very good tactile properties -- feels like you are not wearing a glove.

Jerry

[mpeltier]

I wrap the end of my thumb in duct tape. Everyone asks why and what I did to it, but it works.

When I practice reloading my thumb gets raw also, if I do not wrap it near the knuckle. I found a product from the medical field that works awsome, called Elastoplast. I use the 1" width. It is so strong it must be cut, yet is thin and sticks like glue to your finger and is grippy like real skin.I keep a roll or two of it in my range bag. It is also a great band aid alternative when used with a liquid bandage underneath, as a regular band aid never lasts long when shooting if you get a cut.

[divelong]

I only use a glove on my off hand as protection from heat. I load with my strong hand still and have no issues holding the shotgun that may become very hot loading and shooting when the courses of fire require more than two full reloads of the gun (usually over 27 rounds). My one bad habit is chewing on my fingers so I don't have any fingernail on my thumb to get caught in the loading gate..

Me too. Mechanix work glove on the off hand.

[Charles Bond]

I would strongly endorse these which are used by the sporting clays shooters. Print out the size chart and order one size down.

http://www.thegunglove.com/

[Remington4Life]

If i use a glove on my loading had it is almost uncomfortable tight, i prefer motocross gloves minus the trigger finger (strong hand loader)