Tan = cooler?

[boatbiologist]

Felt like I needed nomex gloves yesterday to shoot. I only had black guns with me and they were almost too hot to touch from the shadeless benches at Myrtle Grove. I am not used to shooting without some sort of shade.

Got me thinking that tan may be cooler than black when baking out in the sun. True? Noticed the one nickle pistol I had was much cooler than everything else. Do I need a tan evil rifle just for Myrtle Grove?

 

[Inigoes]

I normally keep the EBRs out of direct sunlight on these hot days. They'll be okay to handle when shooting. Such as using an unzipped rifle case...

 

[Drmsparks]

just buy a parasol.




all the cool guys have them....

 

[clandestine]

The furniture does seem to stay cooler, but as a caveat Tan colored furniture is not as strong as black, especially Tan PMAGS.

The color changes makes the plastic less durable than the bloack counterparts.

 

[smores]

It's not 100% tacticool unless it's black anyway.

Clandestine: that's interesting to note, I figured plastics were just colored by dyes... didn't know it actually affects the strength. I did notice my FDE PMAGs tend to be rubbing off more material than the black ones though.

I have some of the "SOCOM Tan" USGI mags from Brownells and they seem to wear the same as any standard gray USGI mags I've ever had.

 

[boatbiologist]

The furniture does seem to stay cooler, but as a caveat Tan colored furniture is not as strong as black, especially Tan PMAGS.

The color changes makes the plastic less durable than the black counterparts.

interesting... So buy black and spray paint tan?

I was trying to hide my black pistols in the tiny bit of shade from an ammo can. It didn't work. The AR was untouchable.

There was one guy at Myrtle Grove that had an umbrella girl. Sadly, I will never be cool enough for that.

 

[clandestine]

interesting... So buy black and spray paint tan?

I was trying to hide my black pistols in the tiny bit of shade from an ammo can. It didn't work. The AR was untouchable.

There was one guy at Myrtle Grove that had an umbrella girl. Sadly, I will never be cool enough for that.

How about one of the pop-up canopys. You can pick them up for about $100.00 and they setup quick. I take one to all of my range trips in case the weather get to me (Heavy Sun, Rain, Sleet, Snow, ect....)

I wouldnt use an umbrella either.

I still use the tan, just wanted to let everyone know about the drawbacks to the tan polymers. The tan furniture will be ok, the mags really show their weakness compared to black.

I have tan PMAGS but they are dedicated "light duty" only. The black ones are my "go-to" mags.

You can duracoat the black tan but its not very durable. I have never seen a AR thats duracoated that the finish stays on with serious use.

 

[clandestine]

Clandestine: that's interesting to note, I figured plastics were just colored by dyes... didn't know it actually affects the strength. I did notice my FDE PMAGs tend to be rubbing off more material than the black ones though.

Its something I picked up doing a clas, then I did some digging and taked to some people in the industry.

They confirmed that the lighter polymers and clear polymers have a more delicate nature.

Im not sure how they are made so perhaps the tan polymers use a different "base" polymer than the black ones????

I have broken Tan PMAGS, never a black one.

 

[goneshootin88]

funny this came up. I noticed the other day that my bolt wasnt holding open after my last round with 2 of my tan mags, but it did with the 3 black pmags and the metal colt mags i brought.

 

[SCARCQB]

does that also apply to tan colored polymer pistol frames ?

 

[clandestine]

does that also apply to tan colored polymer pistol frames ?

Good question, Im not sure. I only spoke to people in the magazine and furniture portions of the industry.

Its quite possible that the tan, or gray frames have the same weakness but Im honestly not sure.....

I only know about tan magazines being more weak for sure

 

[Eudaimonia]

does that also apply to tan colored polymer pistol frames ?

Yup, they are. So, please turn over all FNP Tacticals and any ammo you plan on shooting through them to me for stress testing.

 

[E.Shell]

How about one of the pop-up canopys. You can pick them up for about $100.00 and they setup quick. I take one to all of my range trips in case the weather get to me (Heavy Sun, Rain, Sleet, Snow, ect....)

I use a canopy all the time for shooting and for a static firing line, it can't be beat.

I wouldnt use an umbrella either.

A common, everyday, run of the mill "umbrella" is NOT to be confused with a Tactical Parasol. These TPs can be attached to your spotting scope tripod for spot-free rain days and those times when the sun is just baking.[/QUOTE]

 

[SCARCQB]

I donated a couple of canopies ( 10x10') to the range last week. We just want to clear it with DNR if we are allowed to put them up.

Last time I was there, my guns and ammo got so hot that it was significantly changing zeroes and point of impact.

 

[boatbiologist]

I didn't even think about zero shifts, but that's a good point... er, excuse. If you don't mind, could I borrow that one?

My biggest problem was with a black steel frame P7. I know they run hot above the trigger anyway. I wasn't going to coat the P7, but a tan AR for summer shooting is starting to sound like a good idea.

The pop up canopy is definately a good idea worth looking into. Does DNR have an issue with them at Myrtle Grove?

 

[SCARCQB]

Several shooters bought beach type umbrellas last week. This was the range talk from a couple of weeks ago.( ehemmm...Walmart)They are colorful... all we need now is tiki bar and mixed drinks with fruit and little umbrellas on them.

We need to fasten some PVC pipe onto the benches to serve as holders with gear clamps to hold the umbrellas up. ( Just like fishing poles).

 

[OLM-Medic]

It's not 100% tacticool unless it's black anyway.

Tell that to the FN SCAR! Lately I've been seeing alot of "flat dark earth" colored AR's. I must say, they are cool looking.

 

[SCARCQB]

I really do not get the Flat dark earth color on guns. If one is using it in the midwest, the sandbox or any other arid landscape... FDE would work. Here in our area...FDE will actually stand out against most backgrounds.

As for effective camo.... seeing someone with matching camo everything ( of the same pattern) is lame. The purpose of camo is to break up the silhouette of a known object, having the same camo pattern on everything defeats that purpose. And the patern has to match the surroundings. FDE in woodland or urban settings is not the most ideal choice.

Black is still Rules, followed by Parkerized Gray. It is not an Evil Black Rifle unless it is black.