semi + std vel match + cold weather = malf

[kzin]

I'm shooting a savage a22 with subsonic match ammo and in cold weather. I get successful ejection but failure to cock the hammer.

I clipped a couple turns off the recoil spring and it seemed to help at 35F but right back to the same issue at 20F

Is that on the right track? Should I take off more? Or will I regret what I did when it warms up?

I tend to be stubborn but I could just shoot bolt rifle class in the winter

Because it's match shooting and my stockpile is match ammo and high vel match would be very difficult to find now I don't want to go that way.

 

[sawcarver]

First thing I would do is clean any lube out of the action. In cold weather it can make things very sticky

 

[buckeye68]

First thing I would do is clean any lube out of the action. In cold weather it can make things very sticky

X2

 

[Mikey_P]

I clipped a couple turns off the recoil spring and it seemed to help at 35F but right back to the same issue at 20F

Because it's match shooting and my stockpile is match ammo and high vel match would be very difficult to find now I don't want to go that way.

kzin - believe it or not, removing coils from a spring actually makes it stiffer. What you need to find for your Savage is a spring with more coils or one made from a thinner gauge wire. And, I agree with the posts about removing excess/heavy lube from the action. Good luck and hope that you can find a solution.

Mike

 

[topclass2017]

x3 on lube removal. When I lived in Washington (state) and shot silhouette during the winter months, I kept my SV ammo in my pocket with handwarmers. Helped maintain my normal POI. Otherwise I would experience an unpredictable amount of additional drop at 100m.

 

[kzin]

I cleaned it and lubed heavily with fairly light oily lube.

You guys advocating dry???

I didn't think a really special lube would be worthwhile above 0F or so.

 

[sawcarver]

Yes dry, thats what I do in the winter. Pretty easy to get it dry and test it to see what happens.

Any lube thickens up, take your light lube and set it outside over night and see how thick it is.

 

[buckeye68]

I cleaned it and lubed heavily with fairly light oily lube.

You guys advocating dry???

I didn't think a really special lube would be worthwhile above 0F or so.

I would clean with Bic Light fluid and leave it dry and retest.

 

[Rsadams]

If you have to lube it , I use slip 2000 lube on everything anymore.. It doesn't give me problems in the extream heat or cold in central Texas...

The cold makes metals shrink , thing is different metals do different things , add in some grease or oil that doesn't like the cold and problems pop up...

 

[holstil]

Curious how a dry lube would work, graphite or moly? Anybody ever try a quick twist with a cleaned bullet in a dry lube laden towel? Maybe require a faster lot to stay in tune like center fire needing more a little powder?

 

[PigButtons]

Any oil based lube will thicken in cold weather. They make silicone lubricants especially for guns in cold weather. I used it in Alaska when I was there and at -50 my Browning 12ga semi-auto worked just fine. It takes just a very tiny amount on a cloth and then applied to the moving parts.

 

[holstil]

I use teflon and moly or tungsten for the moving parts in my guns.
I tend to transfer bullet goob as much on the action as I do my clothes.

 

[Rsadams]

Any oil based lube will thicken in cold weather. They make silicone lubricants especially for guns in cold weather. I used it in Alaska when I was there and at -50 my Browning 12ga semi-auto worked just fine. It takes just a very tiny amount on a cloth and then applied to the moving parts.

He is correct on the amount of oil used also... Most people WAY over lube guns... On my duty pistols when I was a Leo I used to dip a toothpick in oils and run it around , that's all that was needed.... I also clean my guns probably way more than I need to... If I shoot it , I clean it... This really helps things from building up inside...

 

[Rem72043722]

He is correct on the amount of oil used also... Most people WAY over lube guns... On my duty pistols when I was a Leo I used to dip a toothpick in oils and run it around , that's all that was needed.... I also clean my guns probably way more than I need to... If I shoot it , I clean it... This really helps things from building up inside...

Try some Hornady One Shot Dry lube. Only lube I use in my .22lr semi-automatic firearms in all weather conditions. Good stuff!