Cold temperature problems with .22LR

[D2wing]

Some folks think that rimfires are self cleaning. They never do it and thier rifle is still minute of beer can. That is not accuracy. If you shoot groups for competition you probably know how important it is to clean your rimfire. I do and I usually win. Again the issue is usually the carbon ring in your barrel.

 

[25WSM]

I wish my rifles were self cleaning.
Shep

 

[Hugnot]

Thanks to all - I read it.

I clean my .22 RF after each use, the nice bore just sparkles, no baked on debris ring in front of chamber, and produces 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards at normal temperatures, above 50*. I try to limit max ranges using hi velocity ammo to 75 yard. The combination of my Douglas barreled M77/22 and the Winchester Power Point 40 gr. hollow point is good for head shots on tiny rodents like gophers in thick alfalfa.

Now for the disparity;

This bad accuracy event occurred just after I pulled the rifle and ammo out of my warm vehicle and put a bunch of bullets into the same hole - Winchester Power Point 40 gr. hollow points (favored rodent ammo). Then I put the rifle and ammo away but in the cold and shot my .22-.250. After the .22-.250 session I resumed shooting the .22LR and then my accuracy was not accurate - like flyers, some 1-2 inches out. My Winchester Power Point 40 gr. hollow points were icy cold to the touch. Upon reading the label in the nice silver colored box I saw - " Lead Hollow Point, Lubaloy* coated" (* apparently copyright Winchester) The nice little copper plated bullets do not appear to be greasy and have 4 annular grooves pressed into the bullet just below the ogive. Examination of each bullet with a 10X Hasting triplet magnifier showed the bullets to be covered with a shiny translucent film with concentrations, of which, in the annular grooves. Apparently this is the Lubaloy coating. The surfaces of the copper plated bullets are covered with a patina of tiny dings & dents, like they were tumbled. The translucent coating is hard & lacquer like.

My guess is that the Lubaloy stuff congealed in my icy cold barrel and combined with normal powder fouling screwed things up. Possibly the Lubaloy stuff was applied in some tumbling process associated with the copper plating that caused all the tiny dings & dents.

In comparison my CCI standard velocity .22LR have a much smoother surface but appear to be greasier.

I have not resumed testing, like no .22LR cold day shooting, since the last event thus no additional shooting data for an update but have been unable check out & compare .22LR ammo for the next cold day shooting. .22LR ammo is in short supply but the high price stuff including biathlon type ammo might be available.

 

[25WSM]

I scored a bunch of R50 on gunbroker just recently.
11.99 a box. That's basically pre shtf pricing. I shot my B14R today for the first time. It was 14 degrees. It shot Remington thunderbolts and R50 into a .277 inch group. Contact and wolf match extra shot just over 1/2 inch. Not bad for new barrel and I was freakin cold. It's in the shop self cleaning right now. Well at least I told it to.
Shep

 

[D2wing]

Without a borescope you are just guessing. Teslong borescopes are cheap. Your barrel has secrets you need to find.

 

[Hugnot]

R50 ? is that RWS ammo? I had some RWS ammo some time ago and it did very well but now it is gone. Rem Thunderbolts I have not tried yet but I guess they are real cheap. I paid less than $300 for my 77/22, used, and a nice gunsmith put this Douglas barrel on it that he had sitting around for 3-5 years for $150 (less WA sales tax) years ago. He said cutting the two extractor slots in the barrel to match the extractor(s) on the bolt was a chore. I tried some CCI standard velocity before it got real cold here but at under 30* and was back at 1/2 inch with cold bore & ammo - I guess my casual & quick barrel cleaning (Gunslick foam, patches, motor oil (surfacant) soaked nylon brush then patches) and inspections were adequate. I don't like paying more than $5 per 50 for .22's and now Rem Thunderbolts will be considered.

Is all the high price match .22 LR ammo plain lead, not copper plated/wash? Inspecting copper covered bullets shows them to be covered with many tiny dings & dents. Might this affect consistency/accuracy? Are Rem Thunderbolts copper plated?

 

[25WSM]

Thunder bolts are about the cheapest crapola you can get. I got lucky and my gun likes them. No fliers yet either. My ruger 77/22 shoots the win wildcat under 1/2 at 50. It's crapola too. The r-50 is Rws and I have had good luck with it and r-100. Eley is definitely the best stuff you can buy as is the lapua but it's scare right now. All the match ammo I've ever seen is pure lead with slippery lube on them. Eley is hard to hold onto putting it in magazines. The rws is not slippery at all for some reason. And yes cutting extractor slots is not enjoyable. But you do what you got to do to make them work. I would much rather do center fires than rimfire any day. In my 30 yrs of smithing I've only done a handful of rimfire rifles. Rimfire world is crazy making stuff to me. Constantly evolving and I can't keep up with all of it. Chasing lot numbers. Heck right now it's just can you find a brick of anything to shoot. Between China and Democrats my world has pretty much been turned upside down. I'm sure it has for many on this site and I don't see it getting better any time soon. Just keep plinking away and do what you can.
shep