Cold Range
A frigid wind screamed across the range and gnawed right into my spine. I was shooting the Ruger MKII again. 
I was also putting some more lead down range with the Colt Defender and I had my Kimber Pro Carry along for the ride as a control. All of the pistols functioned 100%, and I practically had the range to myself. There were only a couple of other dedicated shooters fools out in the weather. Even the Range Officer was wearing insulated coveralls and a bomber hat.
It was really too cold to know if the Ruger was shooting to the left still, or if it was me. The wind chill sapped any ability to concentrate. Since the 45s were shooting left as well, I suspect it was me. I put about a hundred rounds through the Ruger, four magazines through the Defender and maybe two magazines through the Kimber before I was ready to retreat into the warmth of the range shack.
To be honest, I don't know how the folks up North are able to train year round. I was numb.
Once I had warmed up a bit, I took the Defender to the steel plates and shot another four magazines through it. The plates were falling, the little pistol was shooting well. When I was done, I slammed a fresh magazine full of HydraShoks in the bottom, chambered a round, snicked on the safety and holstered the pistol. I dropped my hoodie over it and gathered my equipment. The conditions at the range were miserable. That was enough.
On the way home, I stopped by Wal-Mart to pick up some ammunition. I have been building up my supply for the past few weeks. Wally World was out of 45 ACP White Box in the value packs, but they still had some value packs of 9mm.
I asked for a couple of them, and I placed several bulk packs of Federal 22 ammunition beside them on the counter. I noticed they had raised the price of the 22 ammunition by a dollar over the past few days.
When I got home, I removed the Ruger and Kimber from my range bag, and I unholstered the Defender. Damn. A grip screw was missing. The others were loose. I had no short grip screws for slim grips in my parts bin. I would either have to shorten one, or order some. I compared the longer screws that I had to the ones in the Defender, and the finish was different. To make it right, I would have to order parts. Cest le' vie.... I wanted a solid trigger as well. It is time.
I was also putting some more lead down range with the Colt Defender and I had my Kimber Pro Carry along for the ride as a control. All of the pistols functioned 100%, and I practically had the range to myself. There were only a couple of other It was really too cold to know if the Ruger was shooting to the left still, or if it was me. The wind chill sapped any ability to concentrate. Since the 45s were shooting left as well, I suspect it was me. I put about a hundred rounds through the Ruger, four magazines through the Defender and maybe two magazines through the Kimber before I was ready to retreat into the warmth of the range shack.
To be honest, I don't know how the folks up North are able to train year round. I was numb.Once I had warmed up a bit, I took the Defender to the steel plates and shot another four magazines through it. The plates were falling, the little pistol was shooting well. When I was done, I slammed a fresh magazine full of HydraShoks in the bottom, chambered a round, snicked on the safety and holstered the pistol. I dropped my hoodie over it and gathered my equipment. The conditions at the range were miserable. That was enough.
On the way home, I stopped by Wal-Mart to pick up some ammunition. I have been building up my supply for the past few weeks. Wally World was out of 45 ACP White Box in the value packs, but they still had some value packs of 9mm.
I asked for a couple of them, and I placed several bulk packs of Federal 22 ammunition beside them on the counter. I noticed they had raised the price of the 22 ammunition by a dollar over the past few days. When I got home, I removed the Ruger and Kimber from my range bag, and I unholstered the Defender. Damn. A grip screw was missing. The others were loose. I had no short grip screws for slim grips in my parts bin. I would either have to shorten one, or order some. I compared the longer screws that I had to the ones in the Defender, and the finish was different. To make it right, I would have to order parts. Cest le' vie.... I wanted a solid trigger as well. It is time.
Labels: Colt Defender, Range Journal
posted by Xavier at 6:39 PM
8 Comments:
Made it up to about 35 today in Indy. We had a full line (10 shooters) from the time we opened at 10 until about 12.30, then it tapered off a bit.
I think with wind chill, it was down to about 25 or so...
You can see where the screw is coming loose in the top pic. It must have been the vibration.
Too bad about the grip screw!
I had to loktite those on my New Agent, because seems like they were working loose every 100 rds or so.
Shooting in cold weather? I've been known to wear fleece over wool, under goretex, just to go shooting. A positive thing was I was the only one on the range, and no one else had been up there in the week that had lapsed since my previous visit. I was driving in the tracks I had made in the 8" of snow. It's nice if you want to bring out the Garands and recreate the Battle of the Bulge, though...Thank God I'm out of NY for good! :-D
LOL, what was it? 50? 60? That's balmy. How'd you keep from breaking a sweat?
Last weekend, it was 28 when I went to the range, with a cold. The weekend before that it was 35 and raining. You don't pick when you get to fight...
hey if you want better and cheaper...
try precisioncartridge.com/
Supplier of 9mm & 40 Cal.
Frangible Ammunition to the
U.S. Marshal's S.O.G. Training Facility
Just went to the range the two days right after Thanksgiving. It was pretty warm here in the Sacramento valley, upper 50s and low 60s. Brought along two rifles, one to sight in and one to drop some steel silhouettes. I too noticed that Wally-World is following the continuing trend of jacking up prices. Hope the situation with your Defender is resolved soon.
I finished making a new firing pin for my High Standard Sport King last night and had to test it out. 25 degrees and raining, wish I had never left Charleston.
WWB in .45 is $28 up here (100 rds) and a brick of Winchester .22's is $12.
Xavier, you should try reloading. It has many benefits including stress relief. Almost as good as shooting once you get going at it.
Cold and shrinkage will loosen up those stray nuts/bolts. I learned the same lesson the hard way. Once a month I check all the screws, etc. on all the guns.
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