Florida’s summer heat and humidity
Joe loves to go to the range. I like it a lot too.
But not now. Not when it’s 88 degrees out with plenty of humidity. When the “feels like” temperature is 104, it feels to me like I’d rather be inside.
But our old friends and even newbies still shoot with us at the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office range, so we still plan to be there on Wednesday mornings. The major difference is that we’re coming at 9:30 instead of 10. Every half hour counts.
For the past dozen years, we’ve advocated the WCSO range. There’s always a deputy at the front desk who will maintain safety and assist with any problem.
Even the little problems. Last Wednesday, for example, Joe and I got as far as the office door and remembered: the range is closed today. Darn. We forgot.
As we began to return to the car, the office door opened. Deputy Tom called out: “The range is not closed!”
Yes. We had the date wrong in our minds. Thanks to Tom, we did shoot that Wednesday.
So why the WCSO range?
The cost of using the range is $75/year. This cost is for you and your spouse, and anyone living under your roof who is under 18 years old. Not bad, huh?
And where will you be safer than with a deputy close by? With his vast experience and helpfulness?
And—news flash—Lawhon Mill Road is now paved all the way to Qualify Lane! Good news, indeed.
So, if there’s any way you didn’t know it, the WCSO range is safe, nearby, and inexpensive. On most Wednesday mornings, now at 9:30, Joe and I and some experienced friends are practicing and offering assistance to each other and to new shooters.
But what can we do about the heat and humidity?
This is a hard one. A regular Wednesday morning shooter showed us a gizmo she wears around her neck that has two fans blowing at her face. That helps.
Joe suggests a terrycloth headband or a visor with terrycloth at the forehead. These will pick up sweat before it reaches your eyes. Eyeball sweat is painful.
Do you like to use stick-on targets? Even with them, you may want a stapler. Targets don’t stick well to a wet or humid background.
What about glasses cleaner? Glasses get mungy fast with the combination of sweat and humidity.
But most important is the shooter. Take care of yourself with bottled water, and then take care of your gun. If you suffer from heat, it doesn’t matter how good your gun is.
Joe is really partial to his 1911s. However, Ben Findley’s article: Concealed Carry Modifications for Hot and Humid Weather Carry suggests using the .380 as your hot weather and good back-up gun. “So consider switching from your full-size 1911 (love them) heavier, and bigger bulkier guns to a smaller, easier to conceal and more comfortable to carry (generally) gun for the hotter months.”
Jason Hanson, in USA Carry, agrees. “Don’t let anyone tell you that .380 isn’t a good enough round for self-defense. If you get a solid hollow point round from Hornady, DoubleTap, or Speer, you’ll be well prepared to stop a threat.”
Hanson states firmly: “Anyone else that lives in hotter climates have zero excuses not to be carrying a gun on a daily basis. And although the gun may be a smaller ‘pocket gun’ it’s better than the full-size gun sitting at home in your gun safe.”
Now that some have decided on the .380, the question comes up how to carry and what to wear.
Hanson advises: “Of course, you also want to use a pocket holster.” He adds: “Pocket carry would be my first choice for anyone who often wears shorts and a T-shirt.”
Findley specifies: “A pocket carry holster holds your concealed carry gun upright inside your pocket and helps your draw. Incidentally, always carry your gun in a holster wherever you carry it, but especially in a pocket because you can get all kind of debris, lint, and potential barrel blockage gunk and items (think keys and pens) in an exposed barrel and action. You need the trigger covered. One serious consideration is to make certain that the gun easily comes out of the pocket carry holster and the holster does not come out with it.”
What kind of shorts? Hanson suggests cargo shorts with thick material, and not mesh shorts that are “flimsy and will cause your shorts to fall to your ankles if you try and carry a gun.”
Ben Findley discusses loose shorts and loose shirts.
“Go up one size in your pants and shorts to ensure your concealed carry gun does not show and is comfortably concealed. I wear a lot of cargo shorts, since most of them are loose fitting, are accepted here in Florida as regular wear, and have deep and wide pockets to help concealment.”
He adds: “Remember, get your priorities straight, swallow your pride, and forget style.”
It hadn’t occurred to me, but Stephen Littlechild, writing in The Armory, reminds us that “ammo heats up very quickly in the sun or in high temperature environments, including the trunk of your car.”
Well, we bring our guns to the WCSO range in the trunk of the car.
Littlechild goes on to say: “As a general rule, a higher propellant temperature will cause it to burn faster, producing more pressure and a higher projectile velocity.”
“From a safety standpoint, the added heat can increase the likelihood of ammo failures or malfunctions (some catastrophic) while in the weapon. This can obviously be highly dangerous. Modern ammunition isn’t going to self-combust due to reasonably high environmental temperatures, but ignition issues are another story.
“So, let’s try and avoid direct sunlight (including mags) where possible and be sure to rotate your stock if it ends up spending a lot of time in a hot vehicle or garage.”
Whether we’re practicing at the range or carrying concealed, it’s hot hot hot and muggy here in Florida.
Join us Wednesday mornings at the WCSO range around 9:30. We practice for about an hour, then escape into air conditioning.
“Kinda makes me feel virtuous, practicing in such heat. I’m glad we’re done for today,” I tell Joe.
“No, we’re not,” he replies. “The salty sweat from our hands can cause rust on the metal of our guns. Now we get to go home and clean them.”
Sigh.
Marj Law is the former director of Keep Wakulla County Beautiful who has become an avid shooter in retirement.
