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shooting in the rain


toddrod

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Well it looks like I will be shooting in the rain this weekend for the MS Classic. Does any one have any pointers or suggestion as to what I need to do before, during or after shooting a stage. I have already packed a rain poncho, a plastic bag to cover my gun while in my holster, bags for my ammo and magizines, a mag brush and silicone spray to clean mags if needed, and some extra clothes. Any others suggestions?

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My usual setup in the rain (not very often here in Italy):

- Hat wit peak (otherwise I'd have to install wipewashers on glasses... :lol: )

- light k-way jacket with full lenght vertical zipper (this way I can zip it behind my back: it will still protect most of me while not interfering with draw and mag pouches)

- light k-way pants (to be worn over cargo pants if needed)

- waterproof boots (I prefer trekking gore-tex shoes)

- complete clothes change

- rags (to wipe and dry fallen mags, gun, etc.)

I shoot Standard, thus I don't know if there is some special tool needed to help with scopes (maybe a miniature umbrella? :lol: )

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Depending on the range, you might want to take a wagon, or other such thing to keep your bag off of the ground. It took me weeks to get all of the mud off of, and out of my bag after a really muddy shoot last year. Other than that, Skywalker hit all of the itmes on my list of must haves.

GOD, I hate shooting in the rain. Give me 20 degrees with 6 inches of snow rather than rain.

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All the above plus...

- something to put your bag onto...don't want it standing in the mud

- some "anti fog" wipes for your glasses...some work, some don't...spit is still the best

- if your holster is closed at the bottom, or has a cup (CR Speed and some others) drill a hole in there to drain the water - been there and the water spray is really spectacular on a fast draw.... :P

- shoes without too aggressive grip...mud get stuck in there

Afterwards...

lots of oil... :rolleyes:

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After taking all the neccesary measures, I'm like Steve Anderson. Enjoy it. Get over it raining. All day rains like the TN match this year are miserable, but once your butt is wet... it's wet. At Area 4, everyone looked at the 3-4 inches of standing water and fussed and complained, but once the feet were wet, it was kinda like being a kid again, except your mother wasn't going to scream at you for playing in the mud.

But I will take a raincoat/poncho for me and one for my gear bag.

just playing in the rain

dj

(now I hope no one hears me belly-achin' about being wet!!!!!) :D

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i agree with mr. anderson, i always tell myself that i shoot better in the rain and when it rains i usually will do better than the whinners.

the extra set of clothes is a good thing. it sucks to drive back when you're soaked to the bone. i did this at the kentucky state match this year and it made driving back, 5 hours, much more enjoyable than if i had wet clothes.

lots of dry rags and and bags. for cleaning and keeping things dry.

think of this as an adventure, the harder it rains the better you'll shoot.

good luck and make it fun because you're gonna get wet.

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...shoot the Buckeye a few times in the rain...then rain becomes like no-shoots...you don't see them anymore!

SA tagged it, if you think it is a problem, it will be a problem, if you don't, you are ahead on mental points.

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Hey toddrod I thank the hard part about shooting in the rain is seeing the targets with the bags on them. Like every one said when you or wet you or wet there is no way around it. Have someone watch where you drop your mags LOL see you there

Chris

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Don't think anyone's mentioned an extra hat (unless you main one is waterproof).

At Area 4 this year, my brim became oversaturated. LUckily, I had extras at my desk in the shop (Clark Custom Guns).

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Well I have plenty of clothes packed already. What about taking care of your equipment, do I need to break the gun down between stages and wipe down and re-oil, jus wipe down the gun, clean mags between stages?

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oops, an advantage I had forgotten (if you shoot a glock)...the mags in the mud. At the Buckeye's, I just held my Glock mags under the water pouring off of the tarps to wash them out.

Shake hard, reload, shoot....

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That's what I was going to suggest...Lots of mags so that you can rotate and clean the dirty ones dropped in the mud at your leisure. DRY socks or waterproof shoes are a must. If not available, invest in Gold Bond Medicated Foot Swabs...you'll need them for the jungle rot!

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Amazing.

We shoot in the rain 10 months a year up here in the Great NorthWet, and I guess we're just used to it. Not to denigrate anyone's great suggestions, but the guns and gear will work just fine even in a downpour. The main thing you need to do is to stay comfortable:

-- good-quality goretex jacket, long enough to cover your holstered gun

and big enough to wear a couple of "warmth layers" underneath, as needed

-- good-quality boots

-- rain-pants, if you must

-- decent hat (although most just use a ball-cap)

-- big dang golf umbrella for all that time spent standing around.

Other that that, pretty much normal stuff.

-- unload mags after each run, clean as necessary

-- some sort of dry wipe to get the rain off the scope glass

-- .... go shoot, have fun, and clean the gun when you get home!

Bruce (jungle rot? Heck, we get moss!)

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Slide-Glide stays on pretty good --- even in the rain. AAMOF I can't remember the last time I applied some --- but it's survived the Summer Blast, Buckeye Blast, A8 in the rain, the MASC, and the Nats this year (one day in the rain) plus a bunch of local matches.

Rain specific stuff: If it's warm, I don't care how wet I get or how long I stay that way. I do want dry clothes and shoes for the drive home. Remember to leave at least one or two towels in your car as well. I usually leave a wash cloth or hand towel there as well, so if necessary I can sponge the worst of the mud off, before getting back in the car. Always have a couple of large trashbags and a few Gallon size zip-locks (the purple pachyderm and I think alike here) in your range bag. They'll come in handy for all sorts of things, including keeping your range bag dry.

And if you rent a golf cart with a cargo bed, remember to park it in such a manner that the drainhole in the bed is pointed downhill ---- that was one of the big lessons form this year Nationals.

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