Good cold weather shooting gloves

[Rockclimbg]

I can't be the only one living in the cold Northeast that doesn't want to shoot indoors all winter.

Right now I'm using Blackhawk "aviator" gloves for shooting when it's chilly but they only seem good to about 30 degrees or so. What would work well for you all when it's "really cold?"

I'm shooting a small frame glock now and would like to maintain as much trigger "feel" as possible.

Thanks for any and all replies.

Rockclimbg

[Dalmas]

I have cold finger and have several more or less elaborate ways of keeping my fingers warm, or more fittingly trying to.

1) Mildly cold - I use a golf glove with trigger finger cut off. Only gloves that let you still have some feel of you gun / grip.

2) Mildly to moderately cold, I use above glove again but when not shooting I put it in my armpit and have a pair of cross coutry skiing gloves on while filling mags and taping targets, the switch to the warm golf glove just before shooting again.

3) Holy shit this is stupid cold I have taken a small BBQ grill (weber style) to the range and throw any scrap wood into it, best way of heating really cold finger up. Also helps keep the range tidy. I also take with me fingerless military style muffs with pocket warmers in.

Next trick is to buy one of those muffs the quarterbacks use in NFL. Must be effective since they need warm finger..

golf gloves are the only ones I've found that leaves you with any kind of feel left but my grip is very rough on them so I mainly shoot with bare hands. Its a hassle to keep hands warm during winter but I rather shoot less with warm hands than more with chilled fingers.. My trigger is at 1½ lbs so any kind of chilled trigger finger will show fast. Buy chemical pocket warmers that can be reused by cooking them. I have 10 and they last about 20 min each and can be used 500 times.

Just my .02

[EricW]

Go to a good outdoor store and get the *sewn* variety of thin polypropylene liner gloves. Notice that I say *sewn* from fabric, not knitted. The key to keeping hands warm is to not restrict the circulation in any way. The knitted ones suck. If they aren't too tight from the get go, sooner or later they always get accidentally put in the dryer, shrink, then your hands freeze.

You will be astounded how warm your hands stay with good polypro gloves.

The Manzella Power Dry Gloves from REI are the absolute best I've found. Very durable, warm, and thin.

[AikiDale]

Wear the warmest gloves you have. Or, get a couple of those chemical warmer packets and keep them in a coat pocket. For the few seconds a stage actually takes to run take the gloves off and let 'er rip!

[Dead Buff]

I have seen gloves powered by battery in the Frankonia Jagd catalogue. They were thin thermal gloves and the batt straps to the back of the wrist. Apparently good for a couple of hours. Will see if I can find the item again....

[Thomas Moore]

one must keep the trigger finger happy in order for it to work properly. buy some nice over sized ski gloves like columbia and stuff them with a couple of those charcoal handwamers. then right before you're ready to shoot take the gloves off and shoot with your bare hands. you need to be able to feel the gun, gloves stop you from do so.

[Nik Habicht]

This past Sunday, I actually had the handwarmers in my pockets. Come January or February, they'll be moving into the inside of heavy leather work gloves. I'll take 'em off to shoot, or to tape. The important part is to be able to warm the hands back up.....

[DougCarden]

I buy the Manzella knit gloves with the rubber nubbie gripper thingies (technical, I know) for all my winter activities. I can pick up a quarter off of a flat surface, so I can use them to handle guns, and wear them on duty here in the Midwest. I also use them at matches outdoors until I have to shoot, then I yank them off and try to shoot fast!

[rhino]

I saw some snug gloves by the NorthFace on Sunday that would work. I think they are called "super stretch." I don't know how they fit into EricW's scheme of things.

I might get a pair and use them as liners inside of mittens. Then when it's time to shoot, remove the mitts and go.

I think it's harder to paste targets with gloves than it is to shoot or reload!

[diehli]

I do the same thing, gloves on until it's time to shoot. If I'm having trouble pasting, I'll take off my weakhand glove, but rarely my stronghand glove. If it's so cold that you HAVE to shoot with gloves on, I'd recommend staying home... but I was born and raised in Southern California.

[trickpony]

WOW! You guys are dedicated... I'm a fair weather shooter, if it's below about 10 degrees I don't go.

[Nolan]

Try Mechanix brand gloves for medium cold days. They make all types of gloves and if you don't use them shooting they sure have saved my hands and knuckles wrenching on cars.

Mechanix

For Stupid Cold Wet days try Glacier Gloves. I haven't tried them for shooting, but they work pretty good for taping, loading mags, etc... Best feature is they stay warm even if your hands are wet.

Glacier Glove

Nolan

[Rockclimbg]

trickponey,

It's probably more addicted than dedicated but.....

Thanks for all the replies....

I'm heading to the range tomorrow with aviator gloves, glove liners and some plastic baggies to act as a wind break on the back of my hands. We used to use news papers down our shirts when bike racing on really cold days or for long descents, hopefully it works for hands too.....if not, I'll probably just bite the bullet and get some super warm gloves and shoot the rifle for the winter. At least it's still good practice for calling shots, transitions, etc. My AR trigger isn't tuned at all so I see loss of dexterity as less of and issue.

On a side note, am I the only one who thinks 1911's (single stacks) are at least twice as easy to shoot as glocks when it's cold? I think it's the thin grip and short trigger pull (less glove to drag in the trigger guard.)

Thanks again for all the good advice.

Rockclimbg

[Dream]

You might want to visit your local law enforcement supply.

They have Hatch brand range gloves that are thin leather palms and fingers and neopream backs. If its cold they work great, if its just in 30’s they make your hands sweat. They are thin, thin enough to shoot while wearing them ( a little practice if you have a light trigger, under 2 lbs ) as I can load and make ready, shoot reload and show clear with out any interference..

Just my .02