Velocity dropping each shot?

[MontanaRifleman]

Good to know

[D.ID]

I have given up on chronographs all together. Between set up and alignment, unreliable or worse yet just inaccurate readings, I'm done. I thought about buying a more expensive one but came to the conclusion: gravity and repeatability do not lie, always give a reading and since I have to test for both anyway. I am done wasting time and ammo over a chrono. I have stepped back to the old fashion method of testing my loads at distance. It works in any weather, in any lighting and the results are confident. With todays ballistic computers and there simple ability to establish velocity based on proven known factors in known conditions and then modify it appropriately for other conditions. I have no love or use for the chronograph. My opinion based on my experience, good luck.

[phorwath]

Originally Posted by RT2506

Could also be barrel temp. When that barrel is COLD it is smaller in diameter in the bore and thus will create more pressure and more velocity. After firing it has warmed up and expanded and thus less pressure is built up and velocity is less.

Originally Posted by MontanaRifleman

I was thinking the same thing. Another shooter, in another forum reported similar results shooting in zero degree weather.

I've not experienced this with my rifles. Place them in a -5F freezer overnight with ammo. Pull them out and shoot over the chronograph, which is at normal outdoor air and operating temperatures - say 60F. Velocities haven't increased to any significant extent. The more common result, and greater magnitude of change, is a decrease in velocity. But not by 100 fps.

Tighter bores usually result in decreased velocity. Lilja barrels have a reputation for being a little tighter than some others, with a corresponding reduction in MV at maximum loads, compared to looser barrels at their maximum charge loads. Increasing the pressure in the bore by increasing the friction factor (resistance) going down the bore isn't generally a beneficial use of the energy of the expanding powder gases.

I suppose others may, occasionally, have a different experiences. There are quite a few variables in-play. Those experiences could be due to cold temperatures affecting the chronographs, as extreme cold is known to affect the accuracy and reliability of chronographs.

[Lefty7mmstw]

Originally Posted by RT2506

Could also be barrel temp. When that barrel is COLD it is smaller in diameter in the bore and thus will create more pressure and more velocity. After firing it has warmed up and expanded and thus less pressure is built up and velocity is less.

I had trigger issues once going from warm to cold. In the summer I set my trigger and it work fine. When I went hunting that winter and it got down into the 20* the rifle would not stay cocked. Metal had contracted just enough to not allow the sear to engage. Had to reset the trigger.

never been that lucky(higher velocities when cold), and I've treid a bunch of times to freeze my hands off shooting in sub-zero temps.. What I've seen is invariably some drop off in velocity.