Cold weather shooting

[okbob51]

I was just wondering what effects the cold weather has on shooting groups. Of course, there is the cold hands, foggy scope lenses, uncomfortable positioning because of the heavy coat and hat etc. What about the powder? Is it compromised in cold temperatures...and to what degree? And what about the barrel changing temperatures from 15 degrees to whatever temp it gets to shooting 5 shot groups? Overall, am I just wasting components and time by trying to shoot small groups in cold weather?

 

[alf]

Bottom line, I shoot for enjoyment.

I've never came home from shooting and claim "Man, I sure pissed this day away".

 

[cmillard]

you are wasting your time if you are not recording what your bullet is doing in the cold air--velocity, groups, etc.

 

[1000yardstare]

Any day spent at the range is a good day.

 

[CJ6]

+ 1. But if your just trying stuff/loads for next summer forget it. Lots of powders start to get hard to lite when the temps are low.If your planning to actually shoot all winter, then yes this is the time to work up your loads,just keep them separate from the summer loads

 

[Travelor]

Think of temperature as the temperature of the cartridge, not the outside air temperature. This is why most target shooters do not chamber a round until they are ready to fire as the guns do heat up and leaving a cartridge in a hot chamber will affect the velocity of the round.

Air gets more dense as it cools off and this too affects the POI - as an aside, this is why airplanes will perform better in colder air, both from the standpoint of denser air into the engine and denser air over the air foil (wing).

Temperature changes affect the velocity of your cartridges and as such can change the point of impact and the accuracy by changing how the barrel vibrates.

In RF shooting the temperature affects the lubricant and can drasticaly change on-target performance.

 

[CJ6]

Keep a close eye on the first shot (true cold bore). If you hunt that's the 1 that gets the yote. I always let the rifle return to ambient air temp between shots,same with the ammo (on the bench) not in the pocket.

 

[Benjerman08]

My JBM program shows approximately 1 moa difference at 800 yards from 10 degrees to 70. At long range that would certainly be a concern. Possibly it is more to do with different powders being more or less temp sensitive. cmillards suggestion for records is probably the best advice. I wonder if anyone has ever done a test lately to find out which powders were more sensitive. I currently use R25 and am told it can be sensitive, but still testing.

 

[CJ6]

That's if you can get the same velocities from 10-70 deg. You will not. For my winter loads I use mag primers. Altho I use slow powders in some cals H-1000,H 870,vv165, vv170,Rl 22, RL 25. I use more powder as much as 5 grains in 1 cal to get the same velocity as summer. That is why I always separate the seasonal loads. I hunt all winter so -40 to +30 winter loads stay put up till the temp gets down there.

 

[therifler]

i have never had to change loads much from summer to winter . what seems to work well in my gun in the summer works fine for me in the winter . i shoot delaware 600yd. just got done with one conditions where brutal on sunday . wind rain and high 30s. the load i developed in 70 degrees shot minute of angle . now i know that is not extreme cold however it does involve a 40 degree change . as for handling these conditions that separates the men from the boys . you really got to bare down i dress as i do for hunting in the teens and mid twenties .

 

[therifler]

i'm sorry i posted a remark to cold weather shooting in it i state minute at 600yds that should be half minute of angle .

 

[noload]

I shot yesterday in windy 10 deg F with my summer load for 100yds. (6br 80gr Berger,30.0 Varget) I did not notice any drastic change in my groups. well under 1/2 moa, I do realize its a short range though.

 

[queen_stick]

I went shooting on Friday last week. It was 28 deg F, but not too windy. The gun (6BR) shot very well with the standard load - 30.0grn of Varget, FED 205 primer, 105grn VLD's = avg velocity of 2780ish. It was shooting so well, That I had no desire to bring up the load to get that so called 'sweet spot' of approx 2950.

One thing I noticed though, which is important if using this setup for hunting, was the drop from 100yds to 300yds. Typically, with velocity of approx 2950, you'll get about a 10" or 11" drop (typical summer load). It was dropping about 14" in the cold weather. That's to be expected though, considering the velocity difference.