Wet weather gear

[Tim N]

Hi All,
I'm heading to Belmont tomorrow and looks like rain for sunny QLD and the queens.
This may have been discussed before but I have yet to see a good set up for shooting in the rain.
If you have any pics can you post them and any tips (apart from not shooting)
I was thinking of water proofing the bags with spray?
I did make a "roof" which attached to my front rest but was advised it wouldn't be allowed in the rules.

[AlanF]

Tim,

See VERY rough sketch :



Tim

This is my "rollertowel". To make it you need a length of towelling about 550mm wide and 1200mm long, and some soft clear plastic about 550x600mm. The plastic panel is sewn onto both ends of the towelling to complete the loop. I then lay the clear panel centrally over the scope, and the towelling goes underneath the rifle and rest joystick and out to the right hand side where the ammo box is kept dry in it. The 550mm width should allow it to come back over your eye-piece while extending forward past your objective lens to keep that dry too. The total effect is to keep your breech, ammo box, and importantly loading hand dry throughout the shoot. The clear plastic allows the RO to see your action which is important, and keeps your scope knobs illuminated.

I checked with the CRO at the Nationals and he allowed it, and if it is the same ("SOB" ) RO at the QRA Queens then I'm sure it will be allowed again. Firstly he didn't think it was in obvious disagreement with the rules, and secondly he rightly see's wet ammunition as a safety issue particularly in F-Open and F/TR where chamber pressures can be very high.

So nip down to Spotlight to get the stuff, and they serve blokes really quickly because they look so awkward.

Alan

PS. Have another small towel with you e.g. to wipe the muzzle before you start.

[Tim N]

Thanks Alan,
Just what I was looking for, a last minute solution.
Might even pick up some toweling in a fancy pattern too

[RAVEN]

Roof for rest

I did make a "roof" which attached to my front rest but was advised it wouldn't be allowed in the rules

If it is clear there should not be any issue with that who advised you on it legality?
I know personal tents aren’t allowed
Last year 2013 at the national a lot of people wrecked a lot of good brass competing in the no stop drizzle
RB

[DenisA]

I was just looking through the 26th July 2013 Standard Shooting Rules and below is the only reference that I can find. I thought there was a mention somewhere of clear plastic being a certain dimension??

Is there another rule that I'm not seeing?

3.2.1 A waterproof mat may be placed over the fore end and breech mechanism to prevent the entry of water.

[RAVEN]

The clear material is a safety thing so RO's can see what is going on
I use clear PVC sheet 1000 X 760 folded in half with heavy gauge bonsai wire on both long sides this can be shaped and bent to suit even pegged into the ground is left long

[Tim N]

I now have the cover figured out.
Should I spray waterproofing on the front and rear bags?

[AlanF]

Tim,

My front bag and rear ears are cordura. They absorb some moisture but then dry out again fairly quickly. I don't leave them in the rain when not shooting, and when shooting they aren't fully exposed anyway. I don't waterproof them and didn't have problems at the National Queens 2013 when we shot most of one day in the rain.

Alan

[Tim N]

Here's a Pic of the wet weather shield I made for the QLD queens.
It did create a bit of interest.
I was advised to check legality before using as it may have resulted in disqualification.
So I approached the RO with a don't know go see the Head range officer, he wasn't sure so sent me to Bob P, his quick reply was NO but was OK with me removing the straps and letting it lay over my rifle.
Apparently international rules allow for 1m x 1m clear plastic which I wouldn't mind being allowed for at home.

[DaveMc]

Everyone's interpretations will be different.

I feel a logical interpretation that stays within the "intent" of the rule but allows for the safety factor required is anything that maintains a dry chamber and ammo and is see through should be allowed providing it doesn't provide a "personal" tent - ie shelter you personally from the weather. A size limit of 1m * 1m like the international rule would stop anything too crazy being brought to the mound.

[johnk]

A size limit of 1m * 1m like the international rule would stop anything too crazy being brought to the mound.

[BATattack]

Everyone's interpretations will be different.

I feel a logical interpretation that stays within the "intent" of the rule but allows for the safety factor required is anything that maintains a dry chamber and ammo and is see through should be allowed providing it doesn't provide a "personal" tent - ie shelter you personally from the weather. A size limit of 1m * 1m like the international rule would stop anything too crazy being brought to the mound.

Agreed. As long as it isn't designed in such a way to alter the recoil or intentionally add unnecessary weight it should be allowed.

In this day and age of OHSE all range officers should have the shooters safety first and foremost in their mind and have the rules in place to back up their decision.

[johnk]

In this day and age of OHSE all range officers should have the shooters safety first and foremost in their mind and have the rules in place to back up their decision.

Hang on, shouldn't the shooter have a contingency plan for such circumstance too, particularly when serious rain was forecast?

I wasn't advised of any FO shooters having difficulty in the wet on Saturday, not even one of those weak headed .284s, but a small number of FS & TR shooters (3 I heard of) shed primers. Back 20 years or so ago, I shot in the local association championships in weather far damper than that, to the extent, as I found after it was called off, that the 12 shots I had fired had infiltrated the ejector hole of my Omark. It buggered the cases, I replaced the bolt head & I still shudder thinking of it now, but even at that extreme, the primers weren't shed, the case head didn't expand. It seems to me that there are issues of tolerances & gun plumber credibility at work here, as well as the possibility of unsafe loads.

Maybe I should pursue the background of the rifles in question.

[pjifl]

I am a bit puzzled by this mania to have any cover transparent !
What is the rationale behind this ????

Once, when I shot TR, I was prepared and proud to shoot in any conditions and developed a few strategies to help.
In fact, being prepared for rain often puts one in a winning position. It is psychology as much as anything. And knowing from experience that often the best scores are shot in the rain.

Wearing spectacles makes it more complicated.

Shooting FO I now don't want to get my gear wet and have become a bit of a whimp.
But, if need be, I have two simple systems at hand.

Both are small combined scope and action covers concocted from simple materials which allow one to access the loading port but keep water out - although I must admit some of these semi tent ideas may be better.

BUT neither is transparent.

Personally, I cannot see any objection to them but am now wondering.

SO - WHAT DRIVES THE TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT ?

Peter Smith.

[AlanF]

...SO - WHAT DRIVES THE TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT ?

Peter Smith.

From the RO's point of view to see whether the bolt is in, out or closed etc.