Cold weather 22 ammo
- Thread starter porpoise
- Start date
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
It has been answered. No colder than minus 20, because the athletes could injure themselves due to the exertion.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Just heard back from the Lapua rep:
Sorry - we have not defined any lowest temperature for it.
If and when it is still giving out V0=325 m/s it is accurate, but it will still work with the lower velocities but losing its accuracy.
Sorry - we have not defined any lowest temperature for it.
If and when it is still giving out V0=325 m/s it is accurate, but it will still work with the lower velocities but losing its accuracy.
- Location
- Eastern Canada
Never had an issue unless ammo was old or some shorts in typical -20 to -25. Win 68 and shells in my pocket.
To help put cold temperaturee accuracy in perespecive, consider the following. When Anschutz tests their biathlon barreled actions from a vise/fixture in test tunnels in cold temperatures, the accuracy standard is ten shots within 17mm outside-to-outside (some reports have it at 18mm). That's center-to-center ten shot group of about .450". By comparison, when shooters lot test for ammo in "normal" temperatures, ten shot groups above 15mm OTO are considered unacceptable.
There are three major factors with regard to .22LR accuracy in cold temperatures.
First and probably most important is the ammo itself. Typically, colder ammo will have slower muzzle velocities. As temperatures rise, MVs increase. Temperature differences between individual rounds can affect performance. Biathlon-specific ammo is distinguished by having higher MVs than other match ammo.
In cold temperatures, when keeping ammo warm by various means, it's challenging to keep all at or near the same temperature when it is actually shot. Biathlon shooters don't warm the ammo and keep it as constant as possible by not warming the magazines.
Bullet lubricant is part of the ammo factor. Many top biathlon ammos have lubricants designed to be effective in colder temps. Some ammo sold as "biathlon" ammo, SK varieties for example, will have the same lube as other ammo. When it's cold, the bore may not become consistently and evenly lubricated. This will affect accuracy performance.
A second factor is the rifle itself. As alluded to by Jerry, when it's very cold, firing pins and rifle lube may not function as consistently as in more usual temperatures. The barrel itself will not warm very much from shooting but it's not clear if in the cold the barrel itself will perform differently. What's more significant is that in a cold bore lubrication doesn't perform as well as when it's warmer, regardless of the ammo used.
Finally, as others have noted, it's much more difficult to shoot consistently and well when it's cold. Accuracy and consistency don't improve as temperatures drop.
There are three major factors with regard to .22LR accuracy in cold temperatures.
First and probably most important is the ammo itself. Typically, colder ammo will have slower muzzle velocities. As temperatures rise, MVs increase. Temperature differences between individual rounds can affect performance. Biathlon-specific ammo is distinguished by having higher MVs than other match ammo.
In cold temperatures, when keeping ammo warm by various means, it's challenging to keep all at or near the same temperature when it is actually shot. Biathlon shooters don't warm the ammo and keep it as constant as possible by not warming the magazines.
Bullet lubricant is part of the ammo factor. Many top biathlon ammos have lubricants designed to be effective in colder temps. Some ammo sold as "biathlon" ammo, SK varieties for example, will have the same lube as other ammo. When it's cold, the bore may not become consistently and evenly lubricated. This will affect accuracy performance.
A second factor is the rifle itself. As alluded to by Jerry, when it's very cold, firing pins and rifle lube may not function as consistently as in more usual temperatures. The barrel itself will not warm very much from shooting but it's not clear if in the cold the barrel itself will perform differently. What's more significant is that in a cold bore lubrication doesn't perform as well as when it's warmer, regardless of the ammo used.
Finally, as others have noted, it's much more difficult to shoot consistently and well when it's cold. Accuracy and consistency don't improve as temperatures drop.
Exactly, in order for your ammunition to be consistent, temp variations have to be eliminated no matter what temp you shoot in. I shoot Eley Tenex Biathlon in -15 to -30 and make it a point to NEVER allow my ammunition to rise above ambient. This way, my sighter DOPE is consistent and accurate. The minute you introduce a temp variable, your DOPE will go to heck and a handbasket!
Tuning a rifle to shoot in the cold accurately is a feat in itself. If you think about what temp changes do to metal, it all makes sense. Light primer strikes occur because your firing pin is made of metal, which contracts in the extreme cold. It may only be a few thousands of an inch but it make a HUGE difference! Same thing with lubricants, you need to clean and prep a rifle to function and use lubrication that isn't as affected by temperature, such as Frog Lube or graphite. Taking your rifle out and using it like you do year round will of course lead to unreliability, that's just basic physics folks!
If you can prepare a rifle, you can prepare a shooter to perform under extreme cold too; buy the right gear to be comfortable and you won't have performance issues. I shoot wearing Lamalite boots and in insulated, loose fitting Helly Hanson construction pants. I'm usually warm enough that I can shoot all day in -25 in just that and a good base layer, hoodie and toque. YMMV of course, but make sure you're prepared and you'll be just fine.
Just my $.02 of course!
~ Teller
It's possible to make less severe the shooter-related problems of shooting in the cold -- comfort/physiological and psychological -- by dresssing warmly. But that will never completely mitigate the problems.
When it's very cold, it's never as nice as shooting in T-shirt weather when there's no concern about ammo temperature and possible performance issues, a potentially numb trigger finger, and the general chill coming from a lack of physical movement.
the thermal expansion coefficient for stainless steel is around 14.5-17 micrometers/ºC if I remember well
for lead is 26-29 micrometers/ºC depending on how much antimony
so, yeah, it could be that the bore shrinks less than the bullet
for lead is 26-29 micrometers/ºC depending on how much antimony
so, yeah, it could be that the bore shrinks less than the bullet
Today's biathlon event, the Men's 4x7.5km Relay Final, was held at -15 degrees with the temperature falling so it may give a good idea of their rifles' cold weather performance, not to mention that of the athletes.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1996187203637
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1996187203637
