TargetTalk

Are there any regulations regarding the temperatures in Air Pistol Ranges - including air flow and air quality (Health & Safety reasons)?
I know there are minimum requirements with light, and I presume there is a ceiling height requirement too. Is there anything about temperature?

Are there any rules regarding hot or cold conditions for shooters in indoor ranges? How do the European and Scandinavian countries cope with mid winter chill? Also Canada and USA?
We are talking about normal Club ranges, not just the big International ranges. I know some competitions are held during summer, so what are the acceptable conditions?

Here in the southern Australian States we have had an exceptionally hot summer, and many of the ranges have been unbearabley hot and stuffy.
Over the last 9 days the temperature here has averaged about 34 - 35C ( around 95F) This is in the open air, in the shade! Within the closed range it woulkd be about 10 C hotter - at least!The cold conditions are not much of a problem, but the heat is bad for concentration and shooting a match. It is hard to hold the grip with a sweaty hand.

I would appreciate some comments and information,so I can collate them and make some recommendations.
Thank you.

I've run searches in the latest ISSF 2013 official rules PDF for the terms 'heat,' 'conditioning' (as in air conditioning - obviously 'air' is going to appear a lot in the rules), 'temperature' and 'ventilation' and can find nothing relating to maintaining a temperature standard. There isn't anything in there about oxygen being available to breathe... but I'm sure that'll be the standard gas supplied for competitors to inhale. Audiences as well. Sorry, silly joke, but it does seem a bit of a stretch that the ISSF might regulate air temperature. It's bad enough the way they're regulating seam locations and orientations, shoe stiffness (with a reportedly bizarre and inaccurate contraption for testing), clear barrel indicators, and cylinder dates of expiry. Inflicting temperature rules upon host ranges would seem to put undue pressure on an infrastructure which is already challenged to meet the existing rules, never mind defying the ambient temperatures outside. I think it's a safe bet that most sites will try to make the shooters and audiences comfortable. Obviously the temporary range for the London preview match was exceptionally cold, but that was a rather special circumstance.

There is nothing in the rule book regarding air temperature on the range, nor how high the ceiling must be.
During the late spring, summer, and the start of autumn, we too suffer a lot with temperature, especially on the 10 meter indoor range (42ºC + in summer).
There are a couple of things that help, but only to an extend:

1º Take a lot of water or some sports drink (1,5 litre bottle), and make sure its very cold. This takes care of hydration and also helps to cool your hands when not shooting.
2º Take a towel with you to the firing point, so you can dry the sweat from your hand, face and grip.
3º Put on the lightest clothes you can find. If the judges don't mind, shorts are a good option.
4º Take several breaks during the match and drink a lot of water. Adjust your firing pace to accommodate this stops.

At the end, if the match didn't went that well, you can always blame the heat... That's what we do were :)

I've shot in indoor ranges in Canada in winter when it was actually warmer outside than inside. Shoot a shot or 2 then hands in mitts with warmers

In Arizona I've had the opposite problem. When the range air conditioning was down it was 102F. My CO2 gun was seizing due to the heat, so much that I had to bleed the cylinder to cool it. (I shot a good score, though.)

Tough it out, big boy!

rmca wrote: 3º Put on the lightest clothes you can find. If the judges don't mind, shorts are a good option.

The judges should not mind see ISSF rule:-

6.7.6.1 If shorts are worn during competitions, the bottom of the leg must
be not more than 15 cm above the center of the kneecap.

I suppose 'local regulations' could specify the type of leg ;-)

Brian G wrote: 6.7.6.1 If shorts are worn during competitions, the bottom of the leg must
be not more than 15 cm above the center of the kneecap.

I suppose 'local regulations' could specify the type of leg ;-)

Have you been warned of a leg violation then Brian ? ;)

Rob.