What Is Your Heat/Cold Limits

[Yul Lose]

Didn’t want to hijack the Tusco May Match thread so we’ll talk about it here. Colorado Coffinmaker wisely left  the Tusco May match because of near hypothermia. Out here we don’t get the real cold weather but as I get older heat really takes its toll. When I started CAS back in 2007 I played the game wearing all the clothes, a 100x beaver hat  and even wore my buffalo hide gators to The Castaway Cowboys matches where shorts and tee shirts and tennis shoes were allowed to beat the heat. Nowadays I don’t even think of shooting the match if it’s going to be in the 90’s or above. So what’s the coldest and hottest you’ll tolerate to play our game?

[Leroy Luck]

Anything around 40° and below is a no go. During the heat I have a little battery powered fan that goes everywhere. But over 100° is definitely questionable. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

As I have gotten older my comfort level has shrunk.  Right now it is between 70.1 and 72.8.

[Griff]

In my 30's & 40's, rain, sleet, snow didn't keep me away.   100ºF+ didn't keep me away.  But, one time at the Bar3, I suffered a heat stroke in my late 50's.  Since then, it depends... Cold, as in high 30s with no wind, is ok, but the forecast better be "warming".  There'd better be a breeze if it's over 90ºF.  Rain is less than desirable.  If it's a choice between doing farm chores and cowboy shootin', cowboy shootin'... wins!

[Rye Miles #13621]

Minimum 50 and maximum 95 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

80 years old here

40° is the minimum

95° heat index is my top, even though we have fans in all our stage buildings

 

 

[Snakebite Dust SASS 75484]

I say above 45 and not over 85

And no flippin rain!!!

Unless I am at a match and it starts raining after the shooting starts

[Sixgun Seamus]

FYI - At Tusco in the off season, (Jan-Mar) we have shot and the temperature never got above freezing. Bubba will cancel if it is to be bitter cold. I'll shoot in most any weather.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Depends on wind conditions and whether it's a local or away match.  I tolerate worse conditions if I drove two days to get to a major match.  Locally I'll shoot in near freezing conditions so long as the sun is shining and there is calm wind.  Add wind or cloud cover and I want a warmer day.  Regarding heat, I shoot in the high desert, so 100+ deg F is tolerable so long as wear a wide-brim straw hat, light-colored cotton clothes and drink lots of water.  I don't shoot in the low desert in mid-summer.  90 deg F is my limit in humid climates.  I have stainless steel guns for shooting in light rain.  Add nearby lightning and I pack up and get in my vehicle.  I won't shoot in a dust storm either.

[Blackwater 53393]

 I’m not sure what my limits are anymore! I’ve mostly been laid up for so long that it’s been nearly two years since I’ve shot a whole match.

 

I used to relish a cold weather match. I could stand 0 f if it wasn’t pouring rain and most of the shooters that were faster than me would either quit or be so handicapped by the cold that I could often shoot a better match.

 

I HATE heat, but I can tolerate it for a couple of hours. Much longer than that and my Right Guard takes a left turn! 
 

If all goes well, I’ll be better able to answer this question by around Christmas this year!

[Tyrel Cody]

40 is the minimum.

 

100 max if there is lots of shade. 
 

85 max if no shade means I’m thinking strongly about going home. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

45 is my normal minimum to start.  Didn't get up to that at Tusco.  Anything over 80-85 requires lots of available state (SHADE Otto, SHADE), rest and liquid.  As I have gotten older, I can no longer tolerate extremes in either end of the spectrum.  And, I don't shoot inna rain regardless.

[Eyesa Horg]

Once there I'll persevere. I think the coldest was about 26 in the snow! Heat bothers me when it hits 90 and humid. Hope for a breeze. Upper 30s now requires hand warmers!!

[John Kloehr]

Below 50, sometimes even 60, is a problem due to something called Reynauds. My fingers turn yellow and numb. Did buy a box of heat packs for edge cases and still considering heated gloves. The really good ones are a bit pricey and I will consider spending what I have to if I will still be able to participate.

 

Heat is a separate problem, just do not deal well with it any more. I'm looking at fans and mounts to carts. Also a container of cold water and a "do rag" has value.

[Cypress Sun]

Mid 40's and absolutely no matches in the sun from the middle of May until end of September due to the Florida heat and humidity. Twenty seven years ago, I shot 4 to 5 matches a month regardless of the temperature or humidity, not these days.

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, Cypress Sun said:

Mid 40's and absolutely no matches in the sun from the middle of May until end of September due to the Florida heat and humidity. Twenty seven years ago, I shot 4 to 5 matches a month regardless of the temperature or humidity, not these days.

Sounds like me, 20 yrs ago I’d shoot in the cold, snow and oppressive heat and humidity. Now it’s a matter of survival! 🙄😳🤪

[Wild Eagle]

Mr. Pettifogger and I have about the same comfort range these days.  However, in the last year I have shot in 25 degree and 105 degree weather.  I just like to shoot.  I did not, however, always dress in "authentic" western garb.  A man's got to know his limitations!

[Frederick Jackson Turner]

As I age, I become increasingly disinclined to go out in weather which is less than the number of my years... Seriously, I'll shoot down to about freezing, and up to 110.  Anything more or less, and I suddenly have other things that need my attention.

 

Hottest I've ever done was the Western Regional when the wonderful folks at Double RR Bar got slammed by a heat wave.  Thermometer read - I'm not kidding - 119 degrees.

 

 

Cheers,

FJT

[Lawdog]

We treat it like a baseball game. Cold and rain we'd rather not play.

40 and below is beer cooler temperature. No thanks.

Heat not so big of an issue, unless the humidity is up as well.

We just drink more water and try to play it smart.

But I'd rather sweat than shiver.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Below 20 is tough, but if it’s dry and not windy I might do it. I definitely would if it was a major match.

 

My upper temperature limit is probably higher than any Match Director’s, so it’s never been tested.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

No interest below 40 or above 90.  Also depends on the wind, rain, humidity and/or snow.  Done all of that and it's no longer any fun.  The only recent exception was the EOT match in Indiana in 2021.  Rained on the second day and my Rugged Gear cart had an inch or two of water in the bottom even though it was covered.

[Lucky R. K.]

16 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

As I have gotten older my comfort level has shrunk.  Right now it is between 70.1 and 72.8.

This about my speed. I can handle warmer better than colder.

Lucky 😍

[Diamond Jake]

For me, perfect is between 65 and 75, with just enough breeze to blow the BP smoke from interfering with sighting.  But I'd rather shoot in 45 than in 85.  Coldest I've shot in a monthly match was a few years ago in Bowling Green KY; we started in about 45 degrees but by the third stage we were in freezing rain.  We shot all five stages though.

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

Some years ago they had a shoot in NH in February.  I went to that when it was -14º and I told everyone that I was quite happy since it was 10º warmer than home in VT.

Now I rarely hike below 0º and haven’t been to a shoot below freezing in a long time.  About 3 years ago I was a the SC State shoot with heavy rain and in the 40s.  That’s the worst I have ever experienced for CAS.

90s and high humidity is not much more comfortable.  When it’s 95% it gets just as wet as if it were raining.  EOT was very warm this year but without the humidity it was still nice.

[Constable Nelson #11784]

1 hour ago, Doc McCoy, SASS #8381 said:

Some years ago they had a shoot in NH in February.  I went to that when it was -14º and I told everyone that I was quite happy since it was 10º warmer than home in VT.

Now I rarely hike below 0º and haven’t been to a shoot below freezing in a long time.  About 3 years ago I was a the SC State shoot with heavy rain and in the 40s.  That’s the worst I have ever experienced for CAS.

90s and high humidity is not much more comfortable.  When it’s 95% it gets just as wet as if it were raining.  EOT was very warm this year but without the humidity it was still nice.

Thats a weird place NH.       "Live Free or die!" 😁   I went there for The Great Nor'easter years ago and it was 90+ every day AND  100% Humidity (OK..but it FELT like breathing soup) On day 2 a number of older shooters simply dropped out.  It was brutal. Only time Ive ever left the aircon in a Motel room on all day while I was out.  Don't get me wrong, great match and fine people. But deep snow in Winter and stinking hot in summer?   Yikes!  Whats their joke? They have 3 seasons. Summer, Winter and Road construction. (And those Frost Heaves!!!!)

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

Limits?  We don't need no stinkin' limits!

 

However, I don't really find it fun to shoot when it's below 30.  Luckily, heat doesn't bother me much yet so no limits there.

[Constable Nelson #11784]

36 minutes ago, Possum Skinner, SASS#60697 said:

Limits?  We don't need no stinkin' limits!

 

However, I don't really find it fun to shoot when it's below 30.  Luckily, heat doesn't bother me much yet so no limits there.

Wasn't Cowboy, it was USPSA..in St George UT.    We started shooting at 6am IIRC, finished by 10. At 10 it was 115 degrees.   Yikes.

[Rev Willy Dunkum, SASS # 61027]

Having had 4 double pneumonia episodes, I don't do cold anymore.  Heat causes these old bone to slow up so excessive heat is a no go.  I guess I'm a fair weather shooter now.  Can I just shoot from the shade of an old apple tree maybe from my rocking chair? 

[Waimea]

I seemed to be more tolerant of the Florida heat and humidity than Arizona dry heat. But it's probably just me not slugging down "enough" water. And I will tell you right now you can't drink "enough" in the desert.

[The Surgeon]

Ill shoot in any weather. below 40 and my hands don't like to work well. heat doesn't matter. 

[Sheriff Dill]

On 5/4/2026 at 7:38 PM, Eyesa Horg said:

Once there I'll persevere. I think the coldest was about 26 in the snow! Heat bothers me when it hits 90 and humid. Hope for a breeze. Upper 30s now requires hand warmers!!

November Nh shoot few years back was below freezing with the wind and snow. I think I lost 5 lbs with the heat last year at Nh state and Vt state. Hand warmers and extra layers have become my friend in the cold since getting older. 

[Silver Creek Jack]

I’m about to hit 74 and anything below 45 or rain will run me off the range, heat doesn’t seem to be a big issue I’ve shot in 100 deg. plus without any problems, just kept hydrated and shade when I could find some..

[Cholla]

It is a sliding scale on what the wind will be like, if it will rain, and who will be there. I have been to matches so windy that my shotgun locked up from dust and grit. I hate being hot, and I don't like being cold. Here in Arizona, the sun is absolutely brutal. I wish we had covered areas to shoot from. Admittedly, shooting in dirt alleys without mock buildings reduces the fun factor. Picking up the steel targets afterward isn't fun. Some shooters just suck the air out of the range. So, if I have to deal with all those things, I don't have the emotional and physical energy to make the drive. If I lived within an hour of Cowtown or Bordertown and it was anything but hot, I would be all in.

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

40 F and below, especially with rain or worse and I dont bother. When it gets close to triple digits maybe not.  I am no longer a fan of physical discomfort.

 

Imis

[watab kid]

i want it above 55f and below 95f , i can endure both with a 5 degree shift but i dont like it 

 

my reynolds and arthritis prevent a lot of extremes temps - dont ask me why im still in MN i ask myself that every year - chalk it up to a successful ,ariage good kids and grandkids we cant leave ...oh and a big house full of stuff my wife wont let go of ...im old enough now to accept ill die here even tho its not what i would choose at this point - i hate the taxes , i hate the politics and i hate our single service rovider health