Accuracy and Weather Conditions

[Albany Mountain]

A simple question, in working out loads, would a load that shot well in the summer still shoot as well in the winter(excluding high pressure loads)??

 

[Bryan Litz Ballistics]

Typically yes, unless you're using a powder that's very temperature sensitive. Even then it's possible the load will still be precise at both velocities.

-Bryan

 

[paulT]

Bryan, What Node window could be expected with say a FTR rifle running 200g hybrids at @2650 fps 20-30fps range before going out of tune do you believe the higher the fps node the easier to drop out of node?

 

[Bryan Litz Ballistics]

I don't think about nodes.

I do know that when it gets cold and I'm shooting in a coat vs. a T-shirt (F-Class), it can affect my groups if I'm not careful.

With a good single based powder like Varget, I've never had a problem that I can attribute to temperature/node effects between Michigan winter and 90+ degree summers.

If you use a double base powder like RE-17, the temperature swings will affect your velocity more. How much that affects your tune/nodes depends on your rifle, in particular barrel contour. My barrel's a 28" long HV contour. My theory is a massive and stiff enough barrel will dampen out most harmonic effects and the system behaves well over a range of velocities.

-Bryan

 

[paulT]

Thanks for info Bryan.