OK, got a question. Let's say you mount a scope onto any rifle during the summer. You then take that same rifle and scope out in the dead of winter, -40C. Will the temperature difference cause the metal of the scope or rings to contract at different rates, thereby creating a more or less secure mating of the rings to the scope. Similarly, will mounting a scope and rings that are chilled to -40C result in any change when the optics system is allowed to warm up ? What about just cooling the scope while heating up the rings (theoretically, the scope should expand while the rings contract, thereby creating a tighter mount)?
General cold-weather optics question
- Thread starter gorky
- Start date
Well - Depends upon the coefficients of thermal expansion of the metals involved, and where the metals are used. A steel tube Weaver in aluminum rings would act opposite to an aluminum tube scope in steel rings.
I believe the coefficient for aluminum is more than that of steel, so an aluminum tube would tend to get "looser" in cold weather.
I believe the coefficient for aluminum is more than that of steel, so an aluminum tube would tend to get "looser" in cold weather.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
No 
ballistics will be off some
ballistics will be off some No
Yeah I know the ballistics of the cartridge will change, but why doesn't the "fit" of the rings to the scope change?
I would say that you should abstract your concern with an overall windage/elevation correction for a given temperature. No single component alone will be affected by the temperature, therefore any scope setting you put will factor in the contribution of all affected elements.
