A question.
You hear a rumble, the wind changes, goes from god-awful to a soothing breeze. Something's about to happen. You look up and see the gates of Hell approaching. You're in a sand pit somewhere. It was 90+ and now things are changing.
If I'm golfing, I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to the club house.
What about Appleseed?
Every instance is different. No one wants a wet rifle. When people hurry, mistakes are made.
At some point not making a decision is making a decision.
Lightning is not something to play with. The heck with AQTs
Shooting in the rain is one thing, a summer storm rolling in is a different beast.
Best place to be is in your car. Storms normally pass within 1/2hr or so.
I don't know if a set of "guidelines" would be effective. But I think every Appleseed event should pay particular attention and be pro-active in their response.
I'd rather be chided for being over reactive than dealing with something else.
We all own "Cease Fire"
Rifles will survive the rain just fine. While rust is an ever-present enemy it does take quite a while to set in. I haven't had any problems with having rifles rained on and cleaning them two days later. This is somewhat predicated on using it after the rain stops. If the rain stops and you don't fire it again I would clean it as soon as possible.
Rain - no problem, even if it's coming down horizontally. ;D But lightning? $$-0
Lightning is way more of a reason than heat for the lack of July/August Appleseeds in Arizona - the lightning storms that are common during summer monsoon can be truly spectacular to watch, but you really don't want to be out in open desert in one. Way too many people get struck here in the summer - generally golfers, softball players, and others that don't want to delay a game because "those flashes seem too far away to be dangerous."
It can rain all it wants during a shoot, but if lighning shows up I'm clearing the line 'till it's gone - I don't mess around with millions of volts.
So this Rifleman happens to still be a cook too....
And in the kitchen we have clear plastic bags sized to fit over a standard sheet try...
Now the pans are about 18 inches by 26 inches and the bags are sized to fit sort of loose....
Maybe I'll grab a few and take them along to my next shoot.
Would be a fast way to shield a rifle (think diagonally) and the bags are clear so you can confirm mag/bolt/safety/flag.
I think one is coming home tomorrow to be introduced to my LTRs.
I've had to end a shoot early on Sunday due to lighting. And almost had to call one another time. Here in Michigan as in many other places, it can jump up and be on you in minutes. In this particular instance, it poured for hours on Saturday with no lightning, we took a looonng lunch break and told all three strikes, rifles stayed out on the mats, in puddles, and then we kept shooting afterwards. Shooters were told (commanded) to clean their rifles that night before returning.
The shoot boss is responsible for everything at his or her events and the safety of all is the number one responsibility. Lightning should be considered as dangerous as a loaded muzzle sweep after the fire command has been given and a contingency plan for storm shelter needs to be in mind whenever the weather dictates it. We're basically standing in the middle of a field holding lightning rods.
My rule is that the only things stopping an Appleseed (weather-wise) are tornados and lighting.
This is a good thread mj52. Potential hazards at Appleseed don't always take the form of a rifle and we need to remember that.
ST
Rain is easy unless it's 35.
Lightning is a different beast and should be given the respect it's due. Shut the line down pro-actively.
Maybe add a large platic bag to the things to bring list. Wrap it up let it lay there. Get in your car.
9 People whacked by 2 strikes at Pocono Raceway this weekend. 1 Dead, one serious.
Perhaps a useful guideline from my experience running cranes professionally. When you hear a thunder clap or see any flash no matter how faint or far, get the shooters off of the line immediately. We always considered a 45 minute wait after the last flash was observed or the last clap of thunder was heard, before resuming any crane or other aerial activity.
I would suggest that these same guidelines be adopted when thunder or lightning are in the area.
In many parts of the midwest operators actually have detectors in the cabs of the crane which go off if lightening is within as much as 40 miles from them. It can travel great distances and is extremely dangerous.
Rifles are just not important when lightening is about.
Shut it down and err on the side of safety always.
Last year we were at B-Flats when the first huricane that tore up NYS came through. While the range there is in a wide open field, they do have an indoor range in the club house.
Sunday morning our intrepid shooters did return, despite knowing what was coming. SgtRock had 50' targets all set for us inside and we were able to shoot for a time.....until the power went out. We then proceeded into one of the best KD instructions I have ever been privilaged to see. We were never able to put another round downrange, but the students didn't want to leave so we went into an extended discussion of the wonders of the M1.
Long story short, never mess with Mother Nature - for surely you will loose if you test it to much. Second lesson - alway have plan B available in your back pocket. (I will fully admit it has benefits having a clubhouse or something to fall back on if things get dangerous.
The public service ads around this area of the country says "when it roars (thunder) get indoors." I concur with the earlier comments that we should be conservative in protecting the shooters from lightning.
My next question,
Storms rarely sneak up on you, although I have had a doozie come right up behind me. Clear skies in front and the "Gates of Hell" right behind me. I'll never forget that day or place.
Okay, you have the rifles safetied up. I'd like to see the shooters case their rifles and get them into their car. People will hustle when they know it's to their benefit.
The Instructors don't have these concerns so can quickly "really" clear the line. Rifles are away, re-assess. The only thing of mine I can't immediately lay my hand on is my staple gun. It's somewhere because all have access. But everything else I keep an eye on.
If nothing else I'm sitting in my car.
Don't sweat the rifles, I have poured water out of my rifle cases and they still are rust free and earning Rifleman patches. If the weather is bad enough to call the students off the line then a plastic bag quickly becomes a sail, avoid them unless you like chasing rifles down the line, in rain, and lightning. I know about chasing rifles.
If the weather is serious enough you want the line emptied, casing rifles is wasting precious time. Besides, casing a rifle in the rain is like pouring water in the case and then closing it. You gain little if anything at all.
I have found that I nearly always have someone with a smart phone on site (not me) and if the weather looks suspicious, I assign them the radar monitor job. We have avoided some issues that way.
YHJ
Look up the AAR for one of the tornado seeds. ^-^
Radar Monitor,
I like that. Is there a patch?
I only mention the rifles because that may be the focal point of the shooters. It was for me at my first Appleseed with my first 22. A CZ452 I had bought 2 weeks before from a guy that treated his rifles better than his children. His kids have all done fine.
All I'm interested in is bringing to mind the point. Get off the line, out from under that flimsy shade cover and into you car. We can pick up after.
mj52
Quote from: mj52 on August 13, 2012, 09:02:29 PM
Get off the line, out from under that flimsy shade cover and into you car. We can pick up after.
mj52
O0
YHJ