Frontiersmen in the Rain

[Cemetery]

Lost a day of gunsmoke due to rain today.

But it go me wondering, what about Frontiersman?

In Oct, I have a two day state match, I've been there the past two years, and it's been damp.  But this range recently redid the bays where we do cowboy action, and since they're still working on it, they haven't but the Gazebo's for each bay back yet, and probably won't have 'em there till later this year.  I also don't have an umbrella for my cart.  So basically I'll be in the open reloading my revolvers.

I'm thinkin' I might have to invest in some clear plastic to drape over my guncart, and reload my revolvers, sorta like a photographer back in the day worked the camera under the black tarp.

But once I get them reloaded, what do people do in order to keep the nipples dry till they cap 'em?  Cause even the loading table will be uncovered in the open, and at some point, those nipples will get exposed.

Thoughts??

[Percussion Pete]

Wear a REALLY big hat.

[Montana Slim]

Wear a REALLY big hat.

A REALLY big hat is not necessary.

I've reloaded in a heavy rain more than a few times....I had no problems with the guns, but I was uncomfortable with soaked clothing. I carried the charged pistols under my coat before capping and used the coat to keep em covered while not shooting.
Any type of coat will suffice...as long as it keeps direct rain off of the pistols....none of mine are waterproof.

A pard snapped a picture during one of these wet matches...see my avatar for hat size/type and linen coat .

Slim

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Coats are good.

I did a fair amount of buckskinnin' on the North coast of British California.  Generally it rained there over 300 days a year.  NOTHING was cancelled due to rain.  (The trap shooters from Ketchikan AK boasted that they got 2 feet more rain in a year than we did in Prince Rupert!)

I wore out two oiled canvas jackets during the 5 years I spent in the area.

[Percussion Pete]

A REALLY big hat is not necessary.

I've reloaded in a heavy rain more than a few times....I had no problems with the guns, but I was uncomfortable with soaked clothing. I carried the charged pistols under my coat before capping and used the coat to keep em covered while not shooting.
Any type of coat will suffice...as long as it keeps direct rain off of the pistols....none of mine are waterproof.

A pard snapped a picture during one of these wet matches...see my avatar for hat size/type and linen coat .

Slim

How do you get the powder in the chambers out in the open in pouring rain without some kind of cover?

Big hat.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Big Chinee Boy golf umberella, $5-10 and just hold it in the crook of your arm over your shoulder, or get realllllllllll fancy and make a holder on the side of the cart for it. Rattles, a guy I shoot with has a big green cotton cafe' style umberella, it must be 6-7' across and it fits in a holder on the side. I swear he's gonna take off one day!

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy 4Fingersofdeath,

Them big umbrellas are fine, if the wind isn't blowing hard.  I have a big blue one that says Corona on it.  I use it for shade and shelter depending on conditions.  But, when the wind is blowing I use my golf umbrella.

I load my cylinders on my Tower of Power cylinder loading stand mounted on my gun cart under the shade of the umbrella.  Then, I cap them when I get to the loading table.  Quick, easy, never had a misfire from the wet.

DD-DLoS

[Montana Slim]

How do you get the powder in the chambers out in the open in pouring rain without some kind of cover?

Big hat.

I woudn't call the hat in my Avatar big...but maybe others think so....it's sitting on a size 7 1/8 max head
I'm able to load with the built-in lever & find I can hold this rig pretty close to my body when loading....been doing so since I was 14 & got my first C&B....wore ball-caps & such back then..carried, hunted and fired in cold, snow & rain. keep your back to the wind and/or stoop a bit, them's me best tip. If a match turns into a light, or intermitent rain, I'll stick with it....if it's a torrential downpour and/or lightning....well, I'm for packing it in.

Slim

[Percussion Pete]

I was sort of joking when I said big hat. A hat sort of hurts if the water runs off it into the powder. Trying to load two revolvers in the rain for 6 stages is fighting the odds. I'll pack it in too.

Rain is the only time I wish I had cartridge guns.

That's not enough to switch though.

[Howdy Doody]

This question takes me back to the first time I ever got a first place win. Two days of rain. Besides the moisture making the smoke hang and near impossible to see the targets, I decided to make an even bigger game out of the situation. I had to rely on modern means to through 12 stages. I loaded the remmies I was shooting and my four spare cylinders in the outhouse. I then put spare loaded cylinders in plastic sandwich bags and the guns themselves I stick the butts into the sandwich bags too and wrapped them up and stuck them into the holsters.
Well, it wasn't perfect. I had more than a few nipples blocked with the gel from the caps and had to pick them clean with a paperclip, but the posse was really tolerant of all my doings and I would get them to fire off the unshot chambers between shooters and I went along my merry way.
Like I said, I made and extra game of it. You can only imagine my surprise when I was called up as winner of frontiersman and that was because the others did not finish and had gone home. I probably will next time too, but it was sort of fun. Plastic bags to keep everything dry including the capper is one way to do it. Capping under a towel onto dry nipples gets pretty good results, but expect trouble. 

[Noz]

I have a big sombrero and a duster. Both shed water well. I also look for shelter. Bathrooms, unused stages with roofs, offices, camper shells on trucks etc. If worse comes to worse, I simply bend over so that my open coat, large hat and sizable body are between the rain and the gun.

[Fingers McGee]

I have a loading stand built on the side of my guncart and an umbrella to sheild it in the rain.  I use a cheap poncho to cover the long guns and loading stand when not in use.  I wear either a slicker or water repellent duster when it's raining/misting to keep my holstered pistols dry.  I shot the US Open in Sparta, Ill this past weekend.  Friday for the first 3 stages we had a misting rain.  Had no problems keeping pistols dry.  I've shot in pouring rain in the past without having any problems as long as I use the umbrella and rain coat.

FM

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have learned a trick to minimize the amount of "fuss" in loading Cap'nball revolvers.

For a .36, I take a fired .38 or .357 mag case with fired primer and pour my selected load into it.  I then top off the almost full case with the bullet.  In use, thumb off the bullet and pour the load into the chamber.  Wonderwad or grease placed in a used Lipsyl dispenser, as per your preference, and prime from your favorite capper. 

For .44s;  use a .44 mag case.

5 or 6 pre-loaded rounds can be wrapped in a 3 inch square of metal foil, and two such packs will fit a cap pouch.

This doesn't keep the rain off, but it minimizes the exposure to the elements.

[Fingers McGee]

IMNSHO, using more than a flask, ball bag, wad tin and capper is unnecessary fuss.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Fingers;  We have a lot in common.


We both go our own way!

[Noz]

IMNSHO, using more than a flask, ball bag, wad tin and capper is unnecessary fuss.

I do that plus a piece of unicorn horn to insure the caps are seated completely.

[Percussion Pete]

I've been messing with paper cartridges. I can keep the powder dry easier than using a flask.

Plus it's fast.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Pete says;  "I've been messing with paper cartridges. I can keep the powder dry easier than using a flask.

Plus it's fast. "

Bindare Dunndat.

Then I went to using brass speedloaders.  Even more water resistant than paper.

[Percussion Pete]

Pete says;  "I've been messing with paper cartridges. I can keep the powder dry easier than using a flask.

Plus it's fast. "

Bindare Dunndat.

Then I went to using brass speedloaders.  Even more water resistant than paper.

Yes, but you'd need 50 speedloaders for a shoot. Paper is cheap, and so am I. 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Pete;  My "speedloaders" were FREE!  .38/.357 and .44 RM cases picked up at the range.