View Full Version : Shooting with Gloves
Gutshot John
10-15-08, 10:51
At the Rogers Carbine class I had brought gloves to use for getting up, down and around.
Generally speaking I've shot barehanded most of my life, and you can't help but notice a difference in your shooting when you use them. I ended up going "michael jackson" to keep my trigger finger bare. I realized that this is an imperfect solution.
My question is how would you recommend getting used to them, before you go and blow a lot of ammo on the range?
Am I committed to one or the other? (I don't want to be) or since I'm used to it barehanded I'll always know how to shoot without gloves, the problem is now learning how to shoot with them?
I recently purchase a pair of Mechanix Stealth Gloves (based on the original series). I've yet to shoot with them yet, but they feel very thin and light. What gloves are you currently using?
I remember the first time I went to run Department Quals in frisk gloves!
What an eye opener! The thick kevlar lined leather gloves complicated just about every weapons manipulation, and I shot like crap. From then on I made it a point to regularly shoot in gloves.
I bought a thinner pair of duty gloves of the Hatch/Mechanix type. They definately were easier to shoot it. I had a better trigger feel, and it was easier to manipulate tactical reloads of partial mags out of a cargo pocket cause I just had better feeling in the thinner gloves. But I still made it a point to practice in the thicker frisk gloves too.
I now shoot in gloves almost always. I ran Pat's Carbine Operator's class last Dec in gloves.
Other than just wearing them around and shooting with them on, I'm not sure what else you can do, to get more used to them. I ran pretty much my whole shift in gloves. You never know when you'll have to go "hands on" with someone, and the majority of the people I'd rather not touch WITH gloves on, much less bare handed.
Just wear them around the house and what not and you'll get used to them in no time.
Good luck!
-RD62
My thoughts were that if my hands are indeed a valuable tool in a fight then I must protect them, especially if it turns into a long haul like the L.A. Riots did. If I then know I will "fight" with gloves on them I MUST also train with them on.
I try to always shoot with gloves on, with the one exeption being that of "plinking" shooting with the kids, then its just about fun.
Patrick Aherne
10-16-08, 00:08
Do a lot of dry fire with them on. Practice your repetitions until you get comfortable manipulating the weapon.
Try the Hatch Operator Shorty. They have great tactile sensetivity in the finger tips. I have used them for years and I love them. In my 13 years on the job, these are the best gloves I have found.
http://www.tandtuniforms.com/catalog/images/hatch%20sog.jpg
Gutshot John
10-16-08, 09:04
I use the Hatch Operator but full length (if you're going to protect hands, might as well protect wrists too).
They are very comfortable and I like them as gloves.
I'll try the dry-fire a lot more.
So is the consensus that if you're going to shoot with gloves... ALWAYS shoot with gloves?
I dont always shoot with gloves.
Sometimes you just wont be able to use them -- either civilian or low profile/covert military - and so its best to keep some mental and muscle memory for both IMHO.
I learned that way from a guy who is way way better than I, so I am just blindly following his logic -- that said - its been working for me, I just accept the occasion cut and burn when training without.
I typically don't shoot with gloves on, but have for one reason or another from time to time, including ANY time I'm shooting the AK.
The biggest issue I've noticed is changing POA when transitioning to the pistol. Repeated dryfire and draw practice at home will help correct this, but you have to figure out if it's something you want to "correct".
So is the consensus that if you're going to shoot with gloves... ALWAYS shoot with gloves?
My consensus generally went the other way.
Since I couldn't be sure that I'd ALWAYS shoot with gloves, I NEVER shoot with gloves.
Like I said above though, I've been violating this pretty regularly for the last year.
tiger seven
10-16-08, 10:51
I'll try the dry-fire a lot more.
That's what I did. Shooting with gloves on is a fairly new thing for me too, and at first it felt very strange. But I spent a lot of time at home doing various drills (loading/unloading, safety on/off, malfunctions, etc.) with gloves on and - just like many things - if you do it enough it will become second nature. Then when I started actually shooting with gloves on it was a lot easier to get used to it and I wasted less ammo.
For me, the hardest thing was finding a pair of gloves that fit right, that protected my hands but allowed me enough dexterity to manipulate the controls on my weapons. I have what scientists call "little bitch hands." :)
Derek
The biggest issue I've noticed is changing POA when transitioning to the pistol.
Wearing gloves shouldn't change your POA ... you still line up the sights the same way. It might change the effective grip angle, but that isn't the same thing.
My consensus generally went the other way.
Since I couldn't be sure that I'd ALWAYS shoot with gloves, I NEVER shoot with gloves.
I don't understand either thought process.
If you may have to shoot with gloves, you should sometimes practice while wearing gloves. I agree with KevinB.
Wearing gloves shouldn't change your POA ... you still line up the sights the same way. It might change the effective grip angle, but that isn't the same thing.
Whatever, I'm not going to discuss the semantics, but you're right that it changes your grip angle.
What I found was that my close in indexed fire POI changed when wearing gloves. I missed steel targets and head-shots that I "knew" I had hit. I didn't compensate for the change in grip with the gloves.
I don't understand either thought process.
If you may have to shoot with gloves, you should sometimes practice while wearing gloves. I agree with KevinB.
Except that are a lot of people will never "have to" shoot with gloves.
Whatever, I'm not going to discuss the semantics, but you're right that it changes your grip angle.
I'll remember that in future discussions. :cool:
Except that are a lot of people will never "have to" shoot with gloves.
A lot of people will never "have to" shoot at all. If nothing else, wearing gloves can be useful or even necessary for various carbine classes. Training with gloves certainly shouldn't have a negative impact on your regular shooting. I spent quite a bit of time last year shooting 1911's with a fed agency. Most of the shooting was with gloves, some wasn't. I never really noticed a substantial difference (except in terms of comfort ... putting 1,000 rounds of full power .45 down range on a sharply checkered gun is not my idea of happy).
Living in a cold weather climate where gloves are a bit of necessity, I advocate practicing all pertinent skills, on all deployed systems, with and without gloves.
Whatever the reason, be it climate, safety, or comfort, be flexible.
Critical to best use is a quality glove with good fit.
Gloves are must. Plain and simple. Why? Many gun parts will burn you. Many gun parts are sharp and cut you. It is cold or wet half the year (in most of the country).
Shoot with gloves on for one range session and then do not shoot with them on. Mix it up.
C4
Jay Cunningham
10-16-08, 14:13
Wearing gloves shouldn't change your POA ... you still line up the sights the same way. It might change the effective grip angle, but that isn't the same thing.
I don't understand either thought process.
If you may have to shoot with gloves, you should sometimes practice while wearing gloves. I agree with KevinB.
Agreed. One needs to be just as comfortable shooting with gloves as without. We need to practice doing those things we don't like or that we suck at. We can't choose if we're going to need to defend ourselves in the middle of winter - I don't think the BG will wait while you stow your gloves before your drawstroke.
Jay Cunningham
10-16-08, 14:13
Shoot with gloves on for one range session and then do not shoot with them on. Mix it up.
Agree.
Failure2Stop
10-16-08, 17:38
I train with and without gloves. I think that it is simply a matter of practice and experience- which applies to pretty much everything from body-armor to goggles.
I train with gloves because that's what I have to wear for certain parts of work due to flame resistance and general protection of the hands in different environments. I train without gloves because I don't solely work in environments that permit use of gloves, as well as 90% of my CCW employment. I find that I shoot pistol a little bit better at speed with gloves than without, and long-guns about the same. I find manipulations slightly degraded with gloves initially, and then was pretty much the same either way.
Having gone through a few gloves I try to break my gloves in by drilling manipulations practice and doing other daily fine motor skills to ensure that they are not overly restrictive or "snaggy" in the fingers.
I have trained with several different gloves; Hatch, Mechanix, Oakley and a few others. The best gloves I have ever used for shooting were the government issued Nomex flight gloves. I use them daily for my job, so I am used to the feel, but I believe they offer the best tactile feedback and minimize limitations of natural dexterity. The only draw back is that they do not hold up well to rough use.
I agree with Grant, mix it up.
I also train with and w/o, all weapon systems that I use.
Sometimes I have time to put gloves on prior to getting out of the car, and sometimes I don't.
For training, in particular, carbine training is rough on hands due to hot barrels and sharp edges on the equipment.
Gloves need not be expensive. Mechanix, or even batting or wide receiver gloves are excellent. I have several sets of each with my kit, and in my vehicles.
The Oakley gloves look neat, but I found that they are thick enough to block a CTC laser on a 1911, and they are less dexterous than other gloves, which leads to more dropped flashlights, magazines, shotshells, problems doing chamber checks, etc.
Gunfighter13
10-18-08, 13:15
My question is how would you recommend getting used to them, before you go and blow a lot of ammo on the range?
The easy way is to wear them around the house. Do everything you normally do except with the gloves on. When at the range, shoot half the time in gloves. Before long there will be little difference, if any, in your performance when shooting. I went through a few different types of gloves before I found the ones I liked the best. You most likely will do the same.
Mechanix are the best I have ever used. I didn't like the aviators gloves I was able to get because the leather sometimes felt stiffer in the cold. 20-30 bucks at your local Autozone or Lowes gets you either the standard or reinforced depending on your preference. Wearing them around the house for a day gets you used to them and comfortable with them as well.
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