Are there differences in shooting in colder weather versus hotter weather?
- Thread starter Ritzon5
- Start date
In cold weather im shivering and ot causes me to miss shots .
In hot weather its hot and humid sweat runs in to my eyes and caus s me ti miss shots.
In more temperate weather bugs like knats , mosquito, yella flies swarm around my head and bite and causes me to miss shots.
If i shoot climate control indoors the ol' lady on my @$$ and causes me to miss shots ..
Just cant win around here ..
In hot weather its hot and humid sweat runs in to my eyes and caus s me ti miss shots.
In more temperate weather bugs like knats , mosquito, yella flies swarm around my head and bite and causes me to miss shots.
If i shoot climate control indoors the ol' lady on my @$$ and causes me to miss shots ..
Just cant win around here ..
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Your shot count will go down as the air gets more dense. You will likely lose some fps and your regulator recharge rate will go down you less you have re-lubbed it with reg butter.
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IME yes.
I was shooting in sub 35F this spring & did notice significant drop off as the guns cooled.
Im going to take up rimfire shooting instead going forward
I was shooting in sub 35F this spring & did notice significant drop off as the guns cooled.
Im going to take up rimfire shooting instead going forward
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Lower temp = denser air (thicker) means the pellet or slug will have to work harder to push through it so there will be more drop and your DOPE will be off. Since you have a static preset pressure on the regulator and set hammer it is what it is, unless you are running an FX type rifle with quick tune wheels. Also if using ballistic software, air density will be calculated during your weather capture and be compensation and you should be good to go.
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Yes. Air density vs conditions you zeroed in. Look at how altitude density works for airplanes.
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Air density will get you with rimfires too. Just a lot less. When I shot matches with sub sonic match ammo I would get to the club and shoot some sighters at sun up before the event, leaving them a click or two low to account for the warming day. It worked back then.
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This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about because of the over the barrel storage system of my Barra 250z. The 7075 AL is thin and it’s noticeable how it affects the gun… below 50 degrees and it mostly just effects my shot count. Plus the gun just sounds different and it’s noticeable. FPS drop is minimal until freezing temps…. However I have been experimenting with a solution and have found it. One of those heated hand warmer sleeves that you see football quarter backs using. It’s open on both ends and it slides right over the barrel. It’s not great for walking around but I plan on using it to hunt coyotes from from a blind over a bait spot once the temps get cold enough… it’s not long enough to fit over the whole barrel but I just slide it down towards the regulator and plenum so any air entering the gun block will be warm…. I put hand warmers in the gun bag and keep the gun inside the house so it stays warm. It helps that I live in Utah where there air is incredibly dry too. But either way as long as you take steps to prevent condensation it shouldn’t be a problem.
Cold weather will definitely effect powder burners too. Centerfire and rimfire depending on temps and powder… keep in mind that “burning” powder is in fact a chemical reaction. If you remember any high school chemistry(no shame if you don’t haha) chemical reactions are generally very temperature sensitive… but for confirmation just google “how to keep my gun warm” and you’ll be directed to plenty of forum posts about “how to shoot in Alaska during the winter” ect.
And finally I’m including a screenshot from a friend who is also on these forums. Bro is a very serious shooter and was telling me about testing his winter specific loads…
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You are not alone!In cold weather im shivering and ot causes me to miss shots .
In hot weather its hot and humid sweat runs in to my eyes and caus s me ti miss shots.
In more temperate weather bugs like knats , mosquito, yella flies swarm around my head and bite and causes me to miss shots.
If i shoot climate control indoors the ol' lady on my @$$ and causes me to miss shots ..
Just cant win around here ..
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It's more about change in temperature that can effect the set pressure of the rifle. If you store the gun at 70⁰ but you bring it outside and it's 90⁰ and humid. You will have to adjust the regulator as the rifle warms up. I just recently moved my bench gun from my basement to upstairs for the summer because the ambient temperature is higher. Store your pcp close to the temperature you will be shooting at if possible.
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