I'm starting load development on a tikka t3x 3006. And where I am it's going to be -8°c. This is the first time that i'm thinking about shooting my first batch in colder weather. I planned to go today. Do you think i'm wasting my time and wait till it gets closer to zero degrees
Load development is cold temps
- Thread starter mikeboehm
- Start date
-8 C is no problem. I have found that when you start approaching -30 C is where the waste of time factor kicks in, even with supposedly temperature insensitive powders.
Awhile back I had to find some 30-06 loads and send the specs to a custom loader in Australia so he could load my culling supply. There's limits to what you can fly with. I know the ADI numbers for the usual Hodgdon suspects so that part was taken care of. Trouble was we were in the middle of a cold snap with -30 to -40 C being the norm. Keeping a chronograph running required a box of handwarmers and a sense of humor. It helped that the rifle is question was a Cooper that has proven that it will shoot just about anything well enough; but I didn't know that yet,
The real eye opener was that at around -40 the only powder that would break the 2700 fps mark with 165s was Varget and the rest weren't even close. That showed to my satisfaction that not only do all powders I tried suck in the real cold; the buggers change places too. For what its worth, the 50.5 grain charge of Varget and various 160s and a 168s is good for 3000 plus in normal temps in my 24' Cooper and starts to wake up around 20 below and above. It's sort of became a standard " If a 30-06 won't shoot that it won't shoot anything load".
Awhile back I had to find some 30-06 loads and send the specs to a custom loader in Australia so he could load my culling supply. There's limits to what you can fly with. I know the ADI numbers for the usual Hodgdon suspects so that part was taken care of. Trouble was we were in the middle of a cold snap with -30 to -40 C being the norm. Keeping a chronograph running required a box of handwarmers and a sense of humor. It helped that the rifle is question was a Cooper that has proven that it will shoot just about anything well enough; but I didn't know that yet,
The real eye opener was that at around -40 the only powder that would break the 2700 fps mark with 165s was Varget and the rest weren't even close. That showed to my satisfaction that not only do all powders I tried suck in the real cold; the buggers change places too. For what its worth, the 50.5 grain charge of Varget and various 160s and a 168s is good for 3000 plus in normal temps in my 24' Cooper and starts to wake up around 20 below and above. It's sort of became a standard " If a 30-06 won't shoot that it won't shoot anything load".
-10 and warmer in my books. Beside the powder part mentioned above, it’s just not that comfortable shooting for precision is cold weather. Hands are cold, eyeballs water, scope can fog up etc. Not the best for load development.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I think I follow that you were using Varget with 165 grain or so bullets in 30-06 - what primer were you using to get it to fire off in that cold?
Unless you are pressed for time wait for good weather but I understand you are itching to get out there. Personally I wait for a nice early morning with little to no wind. For load development being comfortable and focused makes a big difference when shooting for precision. As mentions -8 should not present powder issues but shivering with watery eyes and a runny nose can take a toll on precision. My advice is buy a cheap box of ammo or use a basic load with some cheaper components and use it to get on paper/ break in the barrel and get a feel for the rifle. Then head out in spring and have at it.
I went out for some plinking with some handguns and it was around -10 out at the range. I could not shoot worth shyte but then again maybe this old guy just can't handle the cold any more lol..
I went out for some plinking with some handguns and it was around -10 out at the range. I could not shoot worth shyte but then again maybe this old guy just can't handle the cold any more lol..
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Most of my load development is conducted in winter and early spring. Temperatures during these times of development are close to November hunting temperatures, where I hunt. Cooler temperatures are much better to conduct load development: barrels cool-off quickly, less pressure in chamber, generally less windy, gun ranges are usually quiet.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
This... if you are going to shoot the rifle in the cold, test in the cold. If in the heat, retune when it gets hot.
time at the range is never a waste.
Jerry
I was using 210s and 210Ms, when left with choices I seldom use anything else in standard cartridges in favorite rifles. The others get used when it doesn't matter (or can't tell the difference) just to make sure I never run out.
That's not to say that there isn't a difference in cold weather primers, and sometimes its really obvious. My first 338 Edge was built on a salvage and since Carlock's published load suggestions used CIL primers and I had lots of those I figured I'd start with them because I wasn't doing anything else with them. At -30 and lower I was lucky if half of those went off, with the normal result being scratching 90 grains of scorched yellow H1000 out of the case with a spiral nail. I tried all the different savage firing pin adjustments and went to a 36 pound spring with no improvement. Simply changing to 215Ms solved the issue 100%. In those days I could get 300 gr SMKs for $125 a 500 box and Hodgdon powder for 160 a jug more or less and it was easy to feel good about experimenting for pure curiousity.
For awhile I had summer and winter loads for 300 Win and 338 Edge, 1 grain of H1000 let me shoot the same chart out to 800 yards even at demasculating brass monkey temps. The winter loads were too hot in the summertime. That info wasn't some grand science project though; just accidental observations from trying to work up loads in the wintertime.
Developing a load in cold weather (never mind cold) can be a disaster if the ammo is for the summer. I have seen more than one target shooter have a disaster because he did his development in the spring.
One trick you can use is a cooler. Put a pair of 2 liter pop bottles in the cooler filled with hot tap water.
When shooting, take 5 rounds out of the box and put them in your shirt pocket, and shoot them one at a time. This will keep ammo hot, like summer.
If you are developing fall hunting ammo, let the ammo cool on the bench.
One trick you can use is a cooler. Put a pair of 2 liter pop bottles in the cooler filled with hot tap water.
When shooting, take 5 rounds out of the box and put them in your shirt pocket, and shoot them one at a time. This will keep ammo hot, like summer.
If you are developing fall hunting ammo, let the ammo cool on the bench.
These days I do at least my initial load testing on a bench five feet from my shop door. Warm ammo is easy to arrange, ambient temp takes a few minutes. The downside is I can go through a lot of components because of the convenience, the upside is I can save a lot of components and time for the same reason. Then there's the no gas burnt factor. I'd do a cost benefit analysis if I could get a federal grant.
