Anyone use shooting gloves?

[HKFan9]

I'm sure a lot of you do in the colder months. Lately I have been finding at the range that that my palms have been getting rather sweaty, and that poses a problem with a 1911 with slick wood grips. Not to mention the stock SA controls are a bit sharp (waiting to replace them).

I grabbed a pair of Ringers Duty gloves, that are meant for all weather mostly for LEO's patrol gloves. They are thin and super comfortable, and grip my gun really well. For not being familiar with the company, and only costing me $20 I am quite pleased, haven't tested them at the range yet however.

Now, I know the range isn't a fashion show. I'll admit being only 23, even acting responsible and safe on the range, I still get looks from some of the older crowd. I solely bought these gloves for my sweaty palm issues in the hot weather, but I am nervous people might look at me like I'm a certified mall ninja!

My logic was, batters wear batting gloves, I wear a glove when I golf, why not wear gloves while I shoot to add more grippage (not a word but works). I was wondering if any of you wear any shooting gloves year round and if you have any any funny looks. Or if you own any handguns where you think gloves might help you.

PS. I feel awkward in the winter too but I live in the Pocono Mountains of PA and the range I shoot at is literally on top of one of them, it gets super cold. The black $10 balaclava that I grabbed at a military surplus store, thats fleece lined keeps my face and head really feeling nice in those cold cold winter shooting days. I am in no way trying to dress up like a black ops operator in the movies, it was cheap, comfortable and practical, same with the gloves, but I think people have seen too many movies.

 

[NightSleeper]

I have a pair of driving gloves. I forget the brand name, but they are thin and have an extra "grippy" surface on the fingers and palms. They make great shooting gloves. I prefer firing bare handed but sometimes my palms sweat too, and these gloves are the fix for that.

 

[GunsAreGood]

I recently bought some gloves to shoot in. While I have not used them yet they seem to be a little bulky in the finger stitching and might cause a problem seeing as I have been shooting mainly .22's and I believe loading a mag will be difficult. I have never shot with gloves on, but my reasoning is the same as yours. I get sweaty palms in the summer time and it affects grip and I just do not like to handle my guns with sweaty hands. I seem to cause rust to guns when I handle them with sweaty hands. I believe you said you play golf as do I and it reminded me of something I seen at the shooting range last week. A man was shooting with golf gloves on for shooting gloves. I found it to be a very good idea as golf gloves tend to be very slim and give you good dexterity with your fingers. I will be giving the golf gloves a try if my other gloves do not work out. You are not alone in shooting with gloves, many of us do it.

 

[Old Grump]

I have a pair of PAST shooting gloves, fingerless and padded for when I shoot the boomers and for shooting anything above 38 spcl when it is below 20 degrees. I don't care what people think and you shouldn't either. They are your hands and you don't meed to bleed, suffer bruises or drop your gun to satisfy their standards of what is appropriate gear. You need to feel safe and comfortable. It isn't Mall Ninja, its common sense.

Off range my gloves never leave my shooting bag, when I shoot they are with me. Period.

 

[45Gunner]

My hands sweat a lot in a hot range which caused me to try a pair of shooting gloves. They were OK for shooting but I found that the first pair ripped when I loaded the magazines...probably caught on the sharp lips of the magazine. I learned my lesson and took them off each time I had to load the magazines. Soon, it became a pain in the neck and too time consuming to keep taking the gloves off and on.

I bought a drop-in set of front strap checkering from Wilson Combat and changed all my grips to double diamond cut. That solved the problems of slippery grips while trying to shoot with sweaty hands.

 

[shortwave]

I've tried shooting gloves and we all should probably use them due to health reasons. Just really don't care for them.

A bicycle innertube, cut and stretched over grips works for me. When you first start using the innertube it won't be very tacky. A few range sessions will cure that.

 

[EdInk]

Slap some Hogues on it and be done with it.

 

[BigJimP]

I use them outdoors / especially if its raining ...( not so much indoors ) ...

but I wear a winter golf glove / (they sell them in pairs) - Footjoy, rain grip - they're high tech material, absorb the sweat, keep you warm and dry ...and they're about $ 20 a pair .....and you can easily pick up a dime while wearing them.


http://www.footjoy.com/catalog/productview.asp?c=45

 

[Head-Space]

Yeah, for trap shooting. They're trap/skeet gloves. Not for keeping the hands warm, or sweat, or whatever.

 

[ISC]

The Army makes us wear them, I don't like the issue gloves and use Mechanix brand gloves that they sell at auto parts stores,

 

[SigP6Carry]

I don't wear gloves because I feel that if I need to use my guns I won't have time to "glove up" before having to use them. But I don't shoot for sport, I shoot for recreation and keep myself apt to protect myself in the case of a home break in. So, I keep up with how I will most likely handle my guns.

Thought, when I fire some dirty .22lr through my IJ, I wish I wore gloves, to keep my hands clean.

 

[HKFan9]

Yes I can understand the self defense factor, obviously I'm not going to be throwing on gloves in the middle of night or wear them whenever I conceal carry. But when shooting a .45 ACP for fun with hot factory loads, in the summer they seem to make perfect sense. I plan on entering in some basic competitions that my cousin goes to, I believe are IPSC. Definitely want the most gripping available for that, and peace at mind for my sweaty palms.

I thought about trying out some golf gloves, especially the rain kind that get extra tacky as they get wet. I found the $20 Ringers LE Duty glove online and figured I would try them. They seem about the same thinness as my golf gloves, and most importantly, I don't need to search my shooting case when I wanna golf for my gloves, and I don't need to search my golf bag when I want to go shooting.

Makes me feel a lot better knowing I am not the only shooter out there plagued with sweaty palms. I have a set of black rubber grips for my 1911 that I will probably throw on for competitions, but I'm sorry when I am trying to have fun with it on the range, the stainless steel just looks so attractive with wooden grips.

 

[EdInk]

Another thing that may help you is grip tape for skateboards or a rosin bag like a baseball pitcher uses on the mound.

 

[totaldla]

I shoot a lot of full-house rounds through a S&W329pd. Even with the X-Frame grip, my hand gets beat up. Without the X-Frame grips, I bleed. A good shooting glove is the only way I can envision anyone shooting non-poofter loads with the 329 stock grips. I'd like to get a glove that won't split from the recoil, but I haven't found one yet.

 

[l98ster]

Common, yet interesting situation.

I wear gloves in the winter to ATTEMPT to keep warm. Since I am very fussy about a very close fit, I actually went to a ladies large golf glove (my hand is a mens medium).

They fit super tight and are comfortable. I would suggest getting a pair of black gloves. Even when it is cold out, the sun shinning on the black gloves keeps you somewhat warm.

As for the sweaty palm situation, this past weekend I think I found the "miracle cure"!!!

There is a lotion called Pistol Pro Grip!! http://speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=PGE

There is the link to the product. I used it at an IPSC match last weekend for the first time and it was AWESOME!! Here in NY it was in the 90's and humid. the match lasted about 5 hours. I only needed 2 small dabs of this lotion. Not only did it keep my hand dry all day, but my grip was way superior. It does leave a slight white residue on your hands, but believe me, you will like this stuff.

In fact, you might not need gloves anymore by using it!!!
-George

 

[ThomasH]

I wear gloves a lot!

The palms of my hands (and the soles of my feet) sweat 24/7.

I wear gloves a lot when I shoot. I used to wear some "shotgun gloves" when I shot my blued steel S&W revolvers, and when I shot skeet, but lately I wear "Atlas" brand 'gardening gloves'. Very tactile!

I also wear a pair of fingerless Performance Cycling "gel" bicycling gloves when I shoot heavy .357 Magnum hunting loads, to reduce the recoil effect. The "P" logo looks just like the Pachmayr logo too!

Do what works!

- Thomas

 

[kraigwy]

I wear a shooting mitt in my left hand in rifle shooting to protect my had from the sling swivel.

Before I switched from a M1A to an AR for High Power I wore a michael jackson glove with the triger finger cut out. It kepts the firm grip off my skin.

Thats the extent of my using gloves for shooting.

 

[EdInk]

Was it white with rhinestones?

 

[14cm]

2 super blackhawks one hunter one bisley 45lc
1 freedom arms 454 casull
1 bfr 475 linebaugh
1 freedom arms 500 wyoming express

Yes i do

the worst of all, hawes western marshall in 44mag with full house loads

 

[LordTio3]

When I bought my wife her S&W 637, I bought her a pair of gloves to shoot in. She's very petite and they help her to grip tightly without having her skin blistered with the recoil, or having her trigger finger beat up too much. I use them sometimes with the big-dogs or in the winter.

Gloves are good... just make sure you can shoot accurately without them too if you carry daily. It's good to expand your dexterity with other factors like shooting gloves. Makes you well-rounded.

~LT