The Sun is hot and so is my gun

[ManOAction]

This is my first post, and this has got to be the mother of all stupid question, but I'm not finding the right way to phrase it in google.

My gun is colored a shade of tactically superior black. My case that doubles as a shooting mat? Well it's also black. How cool is the color black? All the cool kids have black stuff. You wanna look cool? You need your stuff to be colored black. Whoever shot bin laden was probably wearing black stuff with black googles shooting a black gun flying around in a black helicopter.

Trouble is, that stuff is getting crazy hot on the shooting deck on a summer day. It's pretty difficult to look cool while I'm crying like a little bitch about my gun and mat being too hot to touch.

With all of the cool kids having cool black guns and stuff out there, I can't be the only guy to have this problem. There has to be some sort of cover for shooting that I just don't know the name of.

My wife asked me why I was looking at bed sheets on Amazon last night and I was too embarrassed to tell her the truth. I mumbled something about needing a change, and I got talked into a whole redo of the "linen theme" for our house just because I didn't know how to back-peddle of out of my search history.

What are you guys throwing over your guns to keep them from becoming too hot while they're laying out in the sun? This hobby has an expensive over-kill version of every common household item I can think of. We even have super expensive tape that we shoot holes through...

So help me out. What are you doing to keep your guns cool while they lay in the sun? Is bed sheets? It's fucking bed sheets, isn't it?

 

[Jrb572]

http://www.triadtactical.com/TAB-Rifle-Cover.html

 

[ManOAction]

That's neat, and it only cost $130. Are you using it?

I feel like that it wouldn't help for my mat, my mags, ammo, phone, etc...

 

[lash]

I live in Florida. Easy up canopy.

https://m.dickssportinggoods.com/p/q...FYEXgQodiAkHLg

$50

 

[Kadams1563]

I purposely bought a FDE or a light green colored drag bag for this reason. My rifle and bag gets hot as shit during the Texas sun.


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[ManOAction]

Kadam, you say you're bought a gun and bag in FDE and it still gets stupid hot? That seems like a vote against rebuying all my gear in new colors...

Lash, a private tent does sound luxurious... Maybe I can hire a factotum to shade my equipment with a parasol.

 

[Kadams1563]

No sorry for the confusion. My shooting mat is FDE. Gun action and barrel are black with the stock in GAP camo.

I use a shooting mat as my rifle carrying case.


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[eicas]

How about a nice parasol?

Ive used one of those canopy's we used to take to the kids travel league games. Ive also burned my elbows. Depends on my mood.

 

[Rhyno]

So people are giving you suggestions and you just insult them?

why the hell even ask the question then?

 

[ManOAction]

Because I'm sassy as fuck, Ryhno.

I was saying that a $130 cover that didn't cover my mat or gear seemed expensive, and that a tent might be impracticable in some situations. None of this was meant to suggest that they were bad people or something.

I was hoping that the phrasing my original question might indicate that I'm not a terribly serious person. My wife isn't actually buying new towels; my gun is just hot and I'm curious what people do about it.

Speaking of insult worthy suggestions, has anybody used camo netting to drape over their station while they're away from it? Seems cheap, light, and would pack small...

https://www.amazon.com/Camouflage-N...476&sr=8-49-spons&keywords=camo+netting&psc=1

 

[eicas]

WHAT?????? No new towels?

Damn. I was hoping for some HGTV style pics. Or at least "10 Ways to Brighten Up Your FFP."

Everybody to their respective color coordinated corners NOW!

 

[JRM]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/400593/midwayusa-shooting-mat-sun-shade-cover
may try a one side reflective emergency blanket (unsure of/if this exists) or material similar. Cheap and may be effective with reflective side up.

 

[vh20]

No suggestions, but it was a pretty entertaining OP.

 

[tnichols]

I use an umbrella girls. Multi purpose piece of kit...

 

[eicas]

tnichols has a plan.

Always admire a guy with a plan.

 

[supercorndogs]

I drape my soft case over my rifle, like a little tent, to give it some shade. Most of my stuff is light tan. Except for barrels. I was burning them out so fast it seemed like a waste to paint them. So I let them gleam. Bling bling you sassy bastard. LOL.

 

[NY700]

Are concerned about your delicate hands and cheek or ammo temp issues and velocity pressure changes?

If it's your hands and cheek wear cloves and glue a mouse pad or other neoprene type pad to the cheek riser. If it the ammo and you reload go for more temp stable powders or keep the ammo best you can covered and out of direct sun


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[bogeybrown]

No suggestions, but it was a pretty entertaining OP.

I agree, ManOAction seems like he's gonna get along just fine here. As for keeping your gear cool, the umbrella girls would be my vote; tnichols has yet to steer me wrong.

 

[eicas]

Ive also used a small 8x10 (maybe smaller...wife says I cant measure) tarp. I had a couple of sectional fiberglass tent poles laying around and used them along with some stakes to make a lean-to. Around noon however, I discovered I needed longer poles....

 

[Fursniper]

I agree, ManOAction seems like he's gonna get along just fine here. As for keeping your gear cool, the umbrella girls would be my vote; tnichols has yet to steer me wrong.

Agreed, he's gonna fit in just fine lol! On a more practical note, I just unzip my drag bag(s) a bit more & drape over my rigs. The padding in them acts as insulation & it's something I already have with me. In an "A Frame" orientation it still allows for air circulation as well. Arizona desert proven!

 

[missed]

10' ezup here.

 

[SubOptimal]

Even though my home range is covered at the firing points, I always bring a couple of white tea towels with me to the range. Florida sun is not desert sun but it does have a pretty good heat factor on a cloudless day. A couple billion cubic feet of water nearby keeps the temperature down a little compared to Arizona or New Mexico. Drape the towels over the rifle and ammo when out marking or resetting targets, pull 'em off when ready to shoot. If nothing else, it is nice for wiping the sweat off your face. I shoot in long sleeve shirts and wear hats when out in the sun. Gloves if I'm off at one of the prone ranges as well.

 

[eicas]

Are the towels embroidered?
We need to know!

 

[Fursniper]

Are the towels embroidered?
We need to know!

Tea towels are normally done with needlepoint. I thought everyone knew that....

 

[TheGerman]

Are you at a range, or shooting outside by yourself?

If outside, not at a range, that's easy. Get a USGI poncho, 550 cord and get creative. Bring cheap tent poles or cut furring strips to length or whatever to hold it up, or tie one side to your vehicle or a tree or whatever and make a cover with it. Plus its actually useful to keep in your car.

 

[eicas]

Tea towels are normally done with needlepoint. I thought everyone knew that....

I'm such a knuckle-dragger....

 

[TheGerman]

I use an umbrella girls. Multi purpose piece of kit...

I'm pretty sure that's a dude.

 

[Fursniper]

I'm such a knuckle-dragger....

LOL!

 

[ManOAction]

After doing some more research into tnichols 's solution, I've decided to give up shooting and take up motorcycle racing instead.

I liked JRM's reflector blanket suggestion. It makes me wonder about using one of those reflector space blankets.

 

[TripleBull]

I use an umbrella girls. Multi purpose piece of kit...

I do the same. Had to mod my shooting mat and dig a hole to avoid a permanent bend. They call it the corprickarollius effect.

 

[SubOptimal]

When it comes to brolly girls, I prefer something with a bit more butt to it. I'd be afraid that one would blow away in a strong breeze a la Mary Poppins.

 

[DMascari18]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned nomex gloves

 

[AR15-SBR]

I just took a rifle class in the hot sun yesterday. Most of the shooters where taking the "Foot" end of their shooting mats and folding them up and over the rifle. Didn't do anything for what barrel was sticking out....but it kept the stock cooler.

 

[Eustice]

Do you drive to your shooting position or have to walk a long way? Is there a covered area but the sun is casting shade the wrong way? Are you shooting towards the sun or is it at your back. Or directly overhead?

If you park close then a pop up canopy opened but not raised could be your answer. Or a small frame made out of PVC pipe that could be assembled at the range then draped with a tarp may be helpful. Or two target stands with a tarp hung between them to make a partition wall to place between you and the sun.

Otherwise, fold your mat over when not shooting. Drape Your case upside down over the rifle. If your case is your mat then just drape it when not in use. All the cool shooters should have a shemagh in their bag. Use it to drape over the scope and stock.

 

[Mooncake]

I just bought a new tan shooting mat for this very reason. I try to shoot early mornings mostly to avoid mirage (which gets pretty bad in the high desert 8000ft) but whenever I found myself out later in the morning I started to feel like a piece of bacon on my old black mat. A canopy is a pretty good idea -- I think I'll explore that.