Tell us about your shooting in the winter. What differences did you notice ?
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For one some of my rifles start shooting way better than in the summer and others go really bad.
I use only one kind of primers,2 grades of powder and one alloy of lead (in bullets) for all my loads.
I have no idea why that is but my suspicion is that as things go cold all loose parts in milsups get tighter ( bullet to bore fit especially).
In effect I end up with loads generally faster than in the summer.
I use only one kind of primers,2 grades of powder and one alloy of lead (in bullets) for all my loads.
I have no idea why that is but my suspicion is that as things go cold all loose parts in milsups get tighter ( bullet to bore fit especially).
In effect I end up with loads generally faster than in the summer.
Depends on lots of things from what powder you're loading to your individual rifle. Generally speaking velocities decrease in colder weather due to the powder used(unless it's temperature stable powder). Accuracy will vary depending on individual rifle and how it warps in the cold.
Universe travel it is....
What I mean by warping is the stock and action will expand and contract at different rates which has the potential to throw off accuracy depending on the rifle and in addition there is an ultra cold bore(solved by shooting but it's still there). Obviously a bedded action with a free floated barrel will be affected less than say a milsurp in full wood.
Winter is great shooting time. The swamps get hard so those heavy gongs can get put way out there, riding easy in the sled.
My winter loads all wear Mag primers. Hangfires with regular LR's start with the occasional click-bang at -20C, and become quite common by -30C, or colder.
Groups are way better with Mag's in winter. No hangfires.
Summer's heat sees a return to regular LR's, and a 1/2 percent reduction of powder charge.
Groups are way better with the LR's in summer.
My winter loads all wear Mag primers. Hangfires with regular LR's start with the occasional click-bang at -20C, and become quite common by -30C, or colder.
Groups are way better with Mag's in winter. No hangfires.
Summer's heat sees a return to regular LR's, and a 1/2 percent reduction of powder charge.
Groups are way better with the LR's in summer.
The denser, cold air, will certainly increase drag a fair bit. That will certainly reduce velocity, particularly at range.
Depending on the powder you use, and whether or not your ammo gets "cold soaked" you may notice a difference in muzzle vel as well.
As a note, if you reload, you should do a work up from start loads in the cold weather, to ensure that your loads are still safe in your gun. If you are indeed getting a tighter bore due to the cold, you can expect an increase in pressure. YMMV.
notsorichguy
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I have tried on several occasions to crony loads in the cold.
Pretty much all of my winter testing is based on group size (old school hand loading). My crony works(ish) until it gets to about -10, if the temp drops further then if turns on but it won't give me any reading.
I have also come to the conclusion that it is "hard" on plastic tripods in the cold..... I seem to go through them in the cold. It's not so much the setting up, it's the taking down.......
I only have one load where I noticed an extreme difference in temp. .243 with 95gr nosler a BT with IMR7828. 1.5 gr different from -20 to 0 to 20+....... I'm sure with further testing I would find a different load at 40, but when the temps hit + or - 30, I tend to find things to do inside!
I have tried mag primers in LR cases, I have found them more consistent in the cold, but less accurate as a previous poster mentioned.
Cheers! Have fun in the cold!
Pretty much all of my winter testing is based on group size (old school hand loading). My crony works(ish) until it gets to about -10, if the temp drops further then if turns on but it won't give me any reading.
I have also come to the conclusion that it is "hard" on plastic tripods in the cold..... I seem to go through them in the cold. It's not so much the setting up, it's the taking down.......
I only have one load where I noticed an extreme difference in temp. .243 with 95gr nosler a BT with IMR7828. 1.5 gr different from -20 to 0 to 20+....... I'm sure with further testing I would find a different load at 40, but when the temps hit + or - 30, I tend to find things to do inside!
I have tried mag primers in LR cases, I have found them more consistent in the cold, but less accurate as a previous poster mentioned.
Cheers! Have fun in the cold!
... Obviously being really cold, one's " fine motor skills" degrade. There's a fair amount of glare off the snow, so sunglasses may be actually necessary ( Photogrey and yellow Glasses also work well for me ) A "Sun Shade " for the Spotting Scope is another thing. ( A piece of PVC Tubing perhaps, or wrapped cardboard tubing.) obviously depending on direction, and if there's a lot of cloud. .... Shooting cheap Russian .22 Long rifle with some sort of steel cases, I did find, they tended to freeze in the chamber ( Brno bolt action Rifle..Tight Chamber ? ) ... With both the Lee Enfield and Mauser 98, I did notice, that the grease/oil tended to thicken and slow down the firing pin fall. Enough that misfires did occur ( Minus 10/15C in this instance) Think, WW2 and the Eastern Front. Anyway, it's definitely and interesting experience the first time ! ...... Dress warm ! Gloves and a peaked Hat/Cap! .... David K
