Extreme cold shotshell performance

Claybuster

Claybuster

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It was -13C at the club today and I ran into some shell issues, mostly off-sounding or hollow reports. Over the years I've run into this with shells from:

Challenger
Kent
Winchester Super Target
Rio

What has worked well in extreme cold are

Winchester AA
Remington STS
Federal Top Gun
Any reload with a double-base powder.

Anyone else have shells that don't perform as well in the cold? What do you use when the mercury falls well below 0?
 
Easy! Single base powders are many times more affected by temperature than double based or extruded powders. I Have done extensive testing with pistol, rifle and shotgun powders in hot and cold weather. Single based powders will show excessive pressures at high temperatures (above 30C) and off sounding near 0C. Extruded powders show the least amount of change in pressure! 700X & 800X work well in all temperatures, as those all the IMR types for rifle and pistol!

Regards,
Henry;)
 
I believe Kent Velocity shells use double base powder. I have shot a lot of them through the years and they work fine in cold temps.
 
I can remember guys in the heat of summer still putting their shells in engine compartment of there truck while they were still warm to heat them up further. Not sure if it helped but was interesting for a newbie like me back in the early 80's to watch.
 
westward said:
I believe Kent Velocity shells use double base powder. I have shot a lot of them through the years and they work fine in cold temps.
Click to expand...
I've had trouble with them but that was years ago and not the Velocity line. I knew about double base powders but the challenge is we don't always know what shells use double base when we buy factory.
 
I have noticed that off or hollow sound in colder weather. Gun Club factory loads and 1 oz. reloads with Titewad powder. Usually the clay still breaks and only a couple times the action of my auto did not cycle. I do not compete in cold weather. I do not know if it is true but some the old time miss and out turkey shooters claim that in cold weather the winners heat their ammo when they compete at handicap distance especially past the back fence.
 
I'm loading (by the book) low pressure shells for an older 20 ga. double. No bloopers in the cold yet, but I am noticing they burn dirtier when its cold. An inevitable consequence of low pressure I'm told.
 
ninepointer,
I think that dirty burn is a consequence of cold but I also think it is a consequence of not burning enough powder. If they work OK, what's a little un burnt powder?
 
No cold-weather woes with either Kent Matrix ( down to - 25C ) or Velocity Internationals ... nor my reloads with old-style AA's and Super Target for that matter.

Haven't tested Alliant "Promo" at much below -5C ... but no problems so far.

Much prefer AA wads over Claybuster's in the winter months however !
 
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