Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
Articles
Latest reviews
Author list
Classifieds
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Rifles, Bullets, Barrels & Ballistics
Hot barrel, cold barrel
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="cdherman" data-source="post: 881075" data-attributes="member: 12282"><p>Most certainly you can, and almost always do lose some accuracy in very low temps. And guns, loads, powder and probably even bullets vary in terms of the degree of that effect.</p><p> </p><p>I am old to hunting but really a neophyte to the long range stuff. If I were on a once in a lifetime hunt, where very low temps were expected, I would find some way to test my loads ahead of time. Both in terms of group size accuracy, but also first shot zero accuracy.</p><p> </p><p>Won't do you any good at all to have a 0.25" group with a warm barrel at 68deg, only to have the first shot at 10deg be 3 MOA wide....</p><p> </p><p>I think first shot from cold barrel accuracy is not discussed enough in hunting arms. We go to the range and fire a fouler -- that always warms the barrel considerably. I often shoot two foulers. And then proceed to shoot some groups. </p><p> </p><p>I am always careful to make sure that a fouler has been fired in a hunting rifle before I set out for real, but barrel temp is harder to control for.</p><p> </p><p>The good news is that steel does not behave that much different at 10 degrees versus 40 degrees. So you can get a certain level of assurance by at least firing a cold barrel accuracy test at some more common temp (say 40) in the fall.</p><p> </p><p>I have mused (and intend to do so for this year, as Kansas is waaayyy late) that a good "acid test" would be to fire my final warm barrel test group, to verify load and POI. And then let the gun fully cool. Either come back a different day, or wait a good hour or two (you can save the target and shoot some other guns).</p><p> </p><p>Then fire the last round from the cold barrel into the original group. If its in the group, you are pretty good to go, I would think....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="cdherman, post: 881075, member: 12282"] Most certainly you can, and almost always do lose some accuracy in very low temps. And guns, loads, powder and probably even bullets vary in terms of the degree of that effect. I am old to hunting but really a neophyte to the long range stuff. If I were on a once in a lifetime hunt, where very low temps were expected, I would find some way to test my loads ahead of time. Both in terms of group size accuracy, but also first shot zero accuracy. Won't do you any good at all to have a 0.25" group with a warm barrel at 68deg, only to have the first shot at 10deg be 3 MOA wide.... I think first shot from cold barrel accuracy is not discussed enough in hunting arms. We go to the range and fire a fouler -- that always warms the barrel considerably. I often shoot two foulers. And then proceed to shoot some groups. I am always careful to make sure that a fouler has been fired in a hunting rifle before I set out for real, but barrel temp is harder to control for. The good news is that steel does not behave that much different at 10 degrees versus 40 degrees. So you can get a certain level of assurance by at least firing a cold barrel accuracy test at some more common temp (say 40) in the fall. I have mused (and intend to do so for this year, as Kansas is waaayyy late) that a good "acid test" would be to fire my final warm barrel test group, to verify load and POI. And then let the gun fully cool. Either come back a different day, or wait a good hour or two (you can save the target and shoot some other guns). Then fire the last round from the cold barrel into the original group. If its in the group, you are pretty good to go, I would think.... [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Rifles, Bullets, Barrels & Ballistics
Hot barrel, cold barrel
Top