Are We More Temp Sensitive Than Powders?

[Beluebow]

Maybe "pet" loads should not be made in a season 30* cooler than the hunting season, and "maybe, just maybe" that pet load should not be at or above max when you make it during cool weather.
Develop a cold season hunting load on a cold early spring day when hunting is done.
Make that prairie dog load on one of those hot indian summer days in late Sep when the dog towns are all shot up.
Make that hog load in the dead of summer, and find a "node" a step down from the one you found at or over max.
Notice how I did not say anything bad about temp insensitive powders, start with those, but develop the load under conditions that you will use it. If you find one that works, great, if not try an old school powder.
If the weather caused you to have blown primers, I am betting that load was over max when you made it. If you NEED that extra 100FPS, you are shooting the wrong caliber.
How is that for a first post? lol

Quality first post.

 

[5.56×250]

Maybe "pet" loads should not be made in a season 30* cooler than the hunting season, and "maybe, just maybe" that pet load should not be at or above max when you make it during cool weather.
Develop a cold season hunting load on a cold early spring day when hunting is done.
Make that prairie dog load on one of those hot indian summer days in late Sep when the dog towns are all shot up.
Make that hog load in the dead of summer, and find a "node" a step down from the one you found at or over max.
Notice how I did not say anything bad about temp insensitive powders, start with those, but develop the load under conditions that you will use it. If you find one that works, great, if not try an old school powder.
If the weather caused you to have blown primers, I am betting that load was over max when you made it. If you NEED that extra 100FPS, you are shooting the wrong caliber.
How is that for a first post? lol

Nicely done

 

[Dragoon300]

I wonder if this information changed anyone's mind or helped them with their powder choices.....?

Yes, back in the day we didn't have temperature stable powders, had fun and did fine for the time.
We also didn't have many shooters routinely making shots much past 1,000 yards.

Now we have these powders that were developed to give our professional shooters an advantage when working in extremely diverse climates, engaging very Hostile targets. And they worked very well.

Now we have them available to us (figuratively) to use if we desire. (or can actually get them)

We now see many shooters making shots of a mile, or even two!

I am willing to bet most of these shooters are using temperature stable powders, along with the best components and equipment they can afford.

I prefer to have as much velocity and accuracy as I can get out of a given round. Velocity and a flatter trajectory are an advantage in long range shooting. This also extends the lethality range for a given target. I also prefer to minimize the variables, and maximize every advantage I can.

Yes, higher velocity does contribute to "killing" barrels. (Barrels are a consumable)
It also aids in killing targets at longer distances!

There are no rights or wrongs, just use the most appropriate tool you can get your hands on, to accomplish the task at hand. Oh, and have as much fun as you can while doing it!

 

[JAYgs8163]

I hunt in AZ and NM. Temps can range from 4 to 115+ easily throughout the year. You need a stable powder in a rifle that can see hunting in all 4 seasons here. Over 85 can be seen from early March to late November in AZ depending on what unit you are hunting in. And pretty much statewide from May to October. So yeah, a temperature stable powder is pretty much a requirement. Which is why I do not use RL26 in anything that is not strictly a late season high country rifle.

And no, I still won't sell you my 13+ pounds of RL26.....

^^^^ this is why I have 17lbs of RL26 just sitting. It ain't going anywhere either. I hunt Az and I've had November hunts where it's in the 20's in the morning and high 70-low 80's later in the day. Temp Stability is important for me.

 

[Nmhunter575]

Desert hunting can be very tricky for that reason . Honestly, I'd be much more concerned of i hunted in temp swings like you do. In GA, fall temps are 25 to 85 degrees at the extremes. Winter Temps are 20 to 75 at the extremes. Summer 60 to 105. Daily Temps in all 3 seasons are usual within 25* lows to highs.

Yea weather out here is crazy you can experience all 4 seasons in one day. Summer time temps get 100+ regularly and winter temps into the single digits is pretty common as well. It was mid 80s couple days ago and today snow flurries flying lol

 

[Nmhunter575]

I just load for the current temps in the area. I did my field maneuvers out there in NM during basic training. I can understand why you'd rather have temp insensitive powders. Mild temps the day we arrived with rain forecasted. Snow the next morning with the scorpions out that afternoon.

Yea the weather is pretty unpredictable here lol. I can't really say temp stable powders make a difference or not but just rather have the piece of mind I guess

 

[WildRose]

Muddy - You make a good point. Obviously if you are shooting at a range in 90 degree heat, temp stability is more important. I think the vast majority of hunting situations will be within the range where temp stability will not be a big concern. I like to eliminate variables that can cause problems, but temp stability is way down the list of priorities for me. Get a small cooler to carry your ammo to the range on hot days.

Do your load workup in the Spring/Summer so you'll never have to worry about it hunting in the fall/winter/early spring.

A shot may fall a bit low that way, but you won't be throwing a load that's way over pressure in the warm season because you developed it in the cool season.

 

[WildRose]

Outside of the obvious availability issues, why shoot temp sensitive powders in this era? The hodgdon extreme line as well as many recently introduced viht powders seem to be very stable across large swings in temperature.

An issue more prevalent than running poor powders, improperly bedded action/stock interfaces. As a typical fall day can produce a 60° air temp swing from morning to afternoon... peoples rifles tend not to be correctly constructed to allow consistent POI across such a swing.


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All powders are temp sensitive, the rates just vary between them as to how sensitive.

 

[Muddyboots]

So going back to original post:

If you know you are going to hunt above temps that can affect the powder you are using, don't use it! If you are reloading, you need to be aware of all powders characteristics whether burn rate or temp range.

 

[FEENIX]

So going back to original post:

View attachment 352438

LOL, agreed!

 

[TR1Hemi]

Based on the triggering by some on the subject of said powders, Yes.

 

[Hard rock]

Based on the triggering by some on the subject of said powders, Yes.

Some body shoot this thing ,this thing is killing me , one of us has too have some relief. !!!!!

 

[WildRose]

Some body shoot this thing ,this thing is killing me , one of us has too have some relief. !!!!!