The discipline of shooting is one of the most popular sports in America. With national organizations like USA Shooting and the National Rifle Association, as well as numerous local clubs, it’s easy to find a place to hone your skills.
Shooting gloves offer a lot of advantages for new shooters because they’re supposed to make handling the firearm easier and prevent blisters. But while these gloves are a necessity for some shooters, others may find they’re not worth the investment.
This article will explain the pros and cons of shooting gloves, the different types of gloves on the market, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about shooting glove use.
The Pros of Using Shooting Gloves
Using shooting gloves is important for beginners who aren’t used to holding or handling weapons. They also make it possible for professionals to continue to use their weapons for longer periods of time.
The pros of using shooting gloves include:
- Protect your skin from cuts and bruises.
- Gloves protect firearms from moisture damage, rust, and dirt.
- When it comes to hunting safety considerations, gloves can provide extra camouflage for hunters’ hands in environments with limited visibility.
- They provide an extra layer between weapon and hand.
- Shooting gloves will help you keep your gun steady.
- You’ll be able to take more accurate shots with greater ease.
Additionally, shooting gloves can protect you from certain hazards like frostbite, even in warmer climates, which makes shooting gloves all the more useful during the winter months.
Reasons To Use Shooting Gloves
Often, beginners feel the need to use shooting gloves to improve accuracy and protection. There are multiple additional reasons why shooters choose to use shooting gloves, such as:
- Protection from harsh weather conditions. Gloves do this by adding an extra barrier of clothing between the shooter’s hands and their environment.
- Improved flexibility.
- Added grip on the firearm. Most shooting gloves have rubber grips that allow shooters to better control their firearm’s recoil and hold on tighter during target practice or competition shooting.
Do Shooting Gloves Help With Recoil?
Whether it’s for military or law enforcement applications, tactical gloves provide you with protection while at the same time giving you a better grip on your firearm.
Shooting gloves help with recoil. The palms of shooting gloves are made up of materials that will help create friction against the stock and receive recoil more efficiently rather than having your hands absorb all of it like it would without wearing gloves.
Unless you train regularly with tactical gloves, firing over 100 rounds should be done in moderation because your hands may feel fatigued due to tactile pressure; this is especially true if you’re using very thick padded gloves.
The Cons of Using Shooting Gloves
Although shooting gloves are completely necessary for most people who spend long hours using guns at work or outside hunting, these features mean nothing if the product’s actual performance isn’t up to par.
The cons of using shooting gloves include:
- Shooting gloves are often too large for people with small hands.
- Gloves can potentially be a problem in warm, humid, or rainy climates.
- Gloves can interfere with flexibility.
- They can cause discomfort or irritation after wearing them for a long time.
Although there are many cons to using shooting gloves, these features are important in certain people’s eyes, even if they are detrimental to other features.
Reasons Not To Use Shooting Gloves
Though shooting gloves present multiple reasons to wear shooting gloves, and they present many advantages, some prefer not to use them. Here’s why:
- Decreased fine motor skills. One of the most important aspects of target practice and competition is to be quick on the draw. The fastest way to get a firearm out of one’s holster or into action during an emergency situation is by using one’s own dexterity rather than that of another object.
- Reduced sensation can lead to injuries. Some shooters are trained at feeling minute differences in their triggers, which must always be pressed with consistent pressure for precise accuracy every time.
- No difference between glove brands or styles may impact performance. For some shooters, there isn’t much benefit to wearing shooting gloves. Sometimes, shooters will find that one glove brand or style works for them better than any other, but there are no guarantees; again, it’s an individual preference.
- Shooting gloves may be uncomfortable or even too tight. There is the possibility of restricted blood flow to the fingers if they are not measured properly before wearing, leading to discomfort and numbness during training sessions. Even worse would be purchasing a pair of shooting gloves only to discover they don’t fit correctly.
Glove material can potentially interfere with gun accuracy after extensive wear time (as they may become worn out). Some people believe that your adrenaline will take over during a live-fire scenario, so you won’t
What Are Shooting Gloves Used For?
There are several different types of shooting gloves on the market, including fingerless mitts, full-hand gloves, and half-finger gloves. A common type, designed to protect military and law enforcement officers’ hands while also allowing them to maintain a good grip on their weapon, is called tactical gloves.
Shooting gloves are used when it is essential to maintain a steady grip on the gun when aiming, particularly when target shooting or in military combat situations. They are also useful when dealing with weapons for extended periods of time.
Shooting gloves help protect your hands from the heat and moisture that builds up due to prolonged use, which can quickly lead to fatigue and pain. They operate by providing an extra layer of cushioning between your skin and the metal parts of the gun you’re holding.
This helps protect your skin from bruising or cuts if you accidentally let go of the weapon, which can result in serious injury if it hits something before it comes back down to rest.
What Types of Shooting Gloves Are There?
The most common types of shooting gloves are made from neoprene or nylon; neoprene is thicker and will allow air to flow through, while nylon is thinner but doesn’t provide as much protection against the elements.
You can choose between a few types of shooting gloves, including:
- Tactical gloves
- Fingerless shooting gloves
- Palm-less shooting gloves
Tactical Gloves
Tactical gloves are the most common type of glove worn by shooters today. They protect you from harsh elements while giving you a better grip on your firearm. The palms of these gloves are made up of materials that will help create friction against the stock and receive recoil more efficiently rather than having your hands absorb all of it like they would without wearing gloves.
A small downside to this type is that you don’t train regularly with them because they are not ideal for tactile feedback. Firing over 100 rounds should be done in moderation because your hands may feel fatigued due to tactile pressure; this is especially true if you’re wearing gloves that are too snug.
How Tight Should Tactical Gloves Fit?
When wearing tactical gloves in the field, it is essential to have a good fit to avoid falling off while shooting.
Tactical gloves should fit neither too tight nor too loose but rather true to size. This will ensure you maintain dexterity and do not lose your gun grip while wearing them. Once the tactical gloves are on, there shouldn’t be any slack or room for movement of the fingers inside of the glove.
If you’re going to wear a set of tactical gloves that might restrict blood flow, try doing some hand exercises just before putting them on to get the blood flowing again. Any type of glove restricts blood flow slightly due to compression around the wrist or hand by tightened lacing or velcro straps; this is why it’s important to ensure you have a proper fit.
Loose-fitting tactical gloves will also cause your hands to sweat, which may cause the gun grip to slip, making it hard to keep a firm hold of your weapon. In extreme cases, this could result in you dropping your firearm or, even worse – having it fly out of your hand and go off.
Fingerless Shooting Gloves
These types of gloves are recommended for people who enjoy shooting handguns and revolvers. The benefit to this style of glove is the dexterity it will provide you with when handling your firearm; however, they should not be used when firing rifles or shotguns because the recoil may cause damage to bones in the hands.
Shooting gloves like these are usually categorized in two different ways: glove thickness and heat retention.
Thin shooting gloves are great for general range use because they provide thin protection against the elements while allowing you access to tactile feedback. These thin shooting gloves have an open-backed design so air can flow freely, which helps keep your hands cool when you’re doing most firing exercises, especially if it’s a hot day outside.
On the other hand, these thin shooting gloves may wear out quickly depending on how often you train with them – inexpensive ones may fall apart after just a few sessions at the gun range.
Thick gloves are built for comfort and durability, providing more protection against the elements. Usually, these gloves have at least one layer of leather or synthetic leather on their palm and fingertips; some models even have silicone-printed patterns on the palms and fingertips, which help provide increased grip at your gun’s handle.
Palmless Shooting Gloves
A palmless shooting glove has no layer of leather or other material on the palm – just a bare grip on your handgun’s handle. Palmless gloves are a good option for those who want a barehand feel on their gun. These gloves are thin and light, with an average level of protection from the elements.
What Are the Best Shooting Gloves?
There are many brands of shooting gloves on the market that can be purchased online or at your local gun store. There are very good options in all price ranges – from $20 to upwards of $100. However, it’s important to remember that quality does increase with price.
Mechanix shooting gloves are one of the best brands for shooting gloves. They offer a wide variety of shooting glove styles and sizes; they even make children’s-sized gloves.
Mechanix Wear Shooting Gloves, like the ones I recommend, found on Amazon, have been reviewed by thousands of shooters across the nation over the past 20+ years, Mechanix Wear offers excellent quality at a great price.
What Gloves Does the Military Use?
Shooting gloves are used by military personnel to provide added grip, comfort, and protection when handling their weaponry.
Military and law enforcement officers often use tactical gloves to grip their weapons silently and protect their hands. The glove is made out of materials that prevent sharp edges or objects from harming you yet still allow your fingers to function properly.
Military tactical gloves are often slightly thicker than traditional shooting gloves, which are less likely to have protective materials on the outside of the glove.
Military operators must be able to grip weapons while wearing gloves but also need their gear to protect them from various threats – including sand, wind, heat & cold exposure.
What Are Range Gloves?
Range gloves are an important part of your shooting gear. Whether you are at the practice range, competition shoot, or in a tactical scenario – having range gloves to protect your hands can make all the difference.
Range gloves are often designed for tactical purposes, but they can also be modified and turned into working gloves that offer greater dexterity than traditional shooting gloves.
Nowadays, range gloves are also widely used by hunters and paintball players who want to protect their hands from brush, thorns, and scratches while stalking game. Obviously, the design of these protective handwear has been changed to better suit the specific activities.
Parting Shot
Shooting Gloves are built specifically for shooters with reinforced palms and trigger areas that help minimize wear on the glove. Some common materials used in military-grade gloves include leather or suede, which protect your hands from burns during gun usage. Military personnel also use these materials because they reduce the possibility of injury when used for long periods of time.
For more, check out How To Choose the Best Rifle for Target Shooting.
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Jim James is a published author and expert on the outdoors and survivalism. Through avid research and hands-on experience, he has gained expertise on a wide variety of topics. His time spent at college taught him to become really good at figuring out answers to common problems. Often through extensive trial and error, Jim has continued to learn and increase his knowledge of a vast array of topics related to firearms, hunting, fishing, medical topics, cooking, games/gaming, and other subjects too numerous to name.
Jim has been teaching people a wide variety of survivalism topics for over five years and has a lifetime of experience fishing, camping, general survivalism, and anything in nature. In fact, while growing up, he often spent more time on the water than on land! He has degrees in History, Anthropology, and Music from the University of Southern Mississippi. He extensively studied Southern History, nutrition, geopolitics, the Cold War, and nuclear policy strategies and safety as well as numerous other topics related to the content on survivalfreedom.com.