Shooting temperatures and POI...

Furync

Furync

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Hiyas,

I've been pondering a lot and I need the help of experienced shooters :redface: ... Lets say I got out this summer in 30 degree weather, hot sun and everything, sight in my guns that I will use for hunting this fall. Then fall comes, the weather during the hunt is somewhere around 0-5 degrees, if I were to shoot at the same target again with the same rifle, no ajustments, will my point of impact be significantly different?


Thanks :)
 
My 257 Wby will change its POI when the barrel is hot, meaning 3 or 4 shots at high velocity, very hot to touch. 30C is not that hot. Mine holds the same POI first or second shot out of the barrel whether I am on the range in the summer or winter, not enough to notice any difference anyways.
 
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Your point of Impact will be different... How much so depends entirely on many other factors, primarily temperature and barometric pressure.
You need to shoot your gun in the fall to check your zero.
 
Yes. But only you can tell us how much.

The temperature difference on the gunpowder alone significantly changes the pressure generated.
 
I've never seen enough of a difference in hunting accuracy POI when loading
in January and shooting in August or vice versa.
Little differences, yes, but not enough to make the difference in a hit or miss at ranges to 500 meters.
I use Hogdon powders mostly, but also Goex FFG and Pyrodex RS.

I would check myself if I were you however, as the others have suggested.
Cat
 
I might add that if you are careful with your ammo and keep it in a cool place (i.e. away from direct sunlight) you shouldn't suffer big problems.
Ammo belts look cool but in hot weather they aren't ideal.
Where I live here in Oz we shoot in temps between about 2 C and 30 C depending on the season and if you can keep you ammo at a reasonably stable temperature then you'll do ok.
If you're really picky and want to study how things change you can always buy one of those little thermometer fridge magnets you can buy in souvenier stores, trim off almost all of the magnet and put it inside your ammo case.
Then you can check it from time to time during different seasons to see how much the temp changes.
Granted, it won't tell you the powder temp but ambient temperature is a good sign of where things are headed.
 
Ian Robertson said:
How far?
Click to expand...

Well it's just for hunting so lets say 100 yards for the heck of it... no long range stunts. Actually most of my shots at deer are less than 30 yards... but I was wondering... just in case I need to take the longer shots...


Thanks for the advice everyone, I guess I can feel confident playing around with the sights in this temp and just shoot off a group right before the hunting season.... :)

Thanks again.:)
 
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