Shooting in the heat

[Lethal_Chica]

Hey guys! With the start of summer and the heat, what are you all doing to keep your barrel cool and ammo cool. Obviously shade and shooting early is important. But wanted to hear what tricks-of-the-trade everyone is using. It is in the 90s pretty much everyday npw with high humidity..... I despise the heat... longing for cool fall days!

Hope everyone is having a good start to your summer and staying healthy!

 

[shooter7]

On really hot days I'll take a small cooler with a rag and ice water and wipe down the exterior of my barrels to keep them cool. It usually only takes a couple minutes to get varmint contour barrels back down to near ambient temp.

 

[FEENIX]

Hey guys! With the start of summer and the heat, what are you all doing to keep your barrel cool and ammo cool. Obviously shade and shooting early is important. But wanted to hear what tricks-of-the-trade everyone is using. It is in the 90s pretty much everyday npw with high humidity..... I despise the heat... longing for cool fall days!

Hope everyone is having a good start to your summer and staying healthy!

I let ambient temp cool the barrel. While waiting, I have other rifles to shoot, esp. .22 LR. I do not do load development when it is hot. Fall is when I finalize my load development, but that's "me".

Ed

 

[YZ-80]

I let ambient temp cool the barrel. While waiting, I have other rifles to shoot, esp. .22 LR. I do not do load development when it is hot. Fall is when I finalize my load development, but that's "me".

Ed

This is pretty much what I do. There's always another Toy to take to the range to play with while the barrel on one of my long range rigs is resting (an excuse for you to buy a fun gun!) I don't mess with load development over 80 degrees ambient or in high humidity. If I develop a load and have it set at say 65 degrees, I'll go back in the fall when it gets down to 45 or 50 and check the POI. I might have to adjust up or down .5 or .75 MOA but that's about it. A lot of my rifles serve double duty as Groundhog (Summer) and Deer rifles so that's why. If it's practical, I try to use a bullet that serves the dual purpose as well.

 

[Gwine]

I have an old air mattress pump with a hose that I feed into the chamber to help cool between shots. The warmer it is the slower it cools though. Like mentioned, have a couple others to plink with.

 

[FEENIX]

This is pretty much what I do. There's always another Toy to take to the range to play with while the barrel on one of my long range rigs is resting (an excuse for you to buy a fun gun!) I don't mess with load development over 80 degrees ambient or in high humidity. If I develop a load and have it set at say 65 degrees, I'll go back in the fall when it gets down to 45 or 50 and check the POI. I might have to adjust up or down .5 or .75 MOA but that's about it. A lot of my rifles serve double duty as Groundhog (Summer) and Deer rifles so that's why. If it's practical, I try to use a bullet that serves the dual purpose as well.

Yep!

 

[Rick Richard]

Bring more than one rifle and alternate between shots. While one rifle is "resting", I stand it up vertically so the barrel has a chimney effect for dissipating the heat. Seems to work for anyway.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

I don't

I just bring multiple guns

 

[milo-2]

If you have to shoot in the heat, I suggest a barrel cooling system and limit your shot strings to 5-6 between coolings, Your 6.5 saum is probably running over 3100 fps, so along with a hefty powder charge, you have 3 heat sources you are fighting.
If you are mostly shooting in high heat days, by all means develop a load in those temps, less surprises that way.

 

[Bravo 4]

I have an old air mattress pump with a hose that I feed into the chamber to help cool between shots.

I do this and it makes a big difference in cooling time. Plus keep ammo in a cooler place, but not cold, like an ice chest with little to no ice. Our summers get hot, as in 95-100+ for several weeks. I don't want my ammo getting that hot, but it does need to perform at elevated temps.
Also after firing a few rounds don't leave one in the chamber very long before it's fired. That can elevate ammo temp fast!

 

[Lethal_Chica]

I do this and it makes a big difference in cooling time. Plus keep ammo in a cooler place, but not cold, like an ice chest with little to no ice. Our summers get hot, as in 95-100+ for several weeks. I don't want my ammo getting that hot, but it does need to perform at elevated temps.
Also after firing a few rounds don't leave one in the chamber very long before it's fired. That can elevate ammo temp fast!

Good info. Def use the ice chest for sure.. And I just purchased an air pump that runs off a 12v battery. I dont want to stop shooting just because it is hot outside.

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Bring more than one rifle and alternate between shots. While one rifle is "resting", I stand it up vertically so the barrel has a chimney effect for dissipating the heat. Seems to work for anyway.

For sure... I probably should shoot some of my ARs.. they just sit in the safe. I am going to start acquiring parts for my next rifle build.. Thinking 28 Nosler..

 

[26Reload]

Lethal_'SIC'_Chica....
I think you have the fever

 

[Tank308]

For sure... I probably should shoot some of my ARs.. they just sit in the safe. I am going to start acquiring parts for my next rifle build.. Thinking 28 Nosler..

Here in Texas That's the reason I bought my savage ftr 223. For a summer shooter. I like to confirm 1-3 shots with my magnum. Then practice with the 223 the rest of the session. Sometimes take another as well. Multiples are the best solution.