Cycle Pressure

[lizziedog1]

This morning I went bird hunting. I took my trusty 28GA auto.

I was using reloads that in the past have cycled, but barely. I like this because 28 gauge hulls are precious, and having them land near is very helpful.

Anyway, the gun was not cycling at all this morning.

The temperature was near zero and the air was bone dry.

It was a quicky hunt. As I was getting ready to leave I took a loaded shell and held it in my hand for several minutes to see what effect warming it up would have.

I placed that round in the gun and it cycled perfectly.

Could the extreme cold have lowered the pressure generated enough to affect cycling?

If I buy one of those hand-warming bags and place it in the vest pocket with the shells, would it help? Could it cause a problem the other way, too much pressure?

Any theories and ideas would be appreciated.

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, very cold weather caused it.

If they are that light, warming them up couldn't hurt a thing.

rc

 

[Mike 27]

Here is Alaska the cold and autos do not really like each other. Some of my autos don't even come out of the safe in the winter. Also a dry lube on your gun will help. If we use a wet oil on autos here it will freeze up many of the moving parts in your action. I was at the range for work last year my M9 firing pin froze solid after 2 shot's because of normal military clp. Always an adventure, and RC is right as always it cant hurt to warm them up.

 

[243winxb]

Are the friction rings installed correctly? If your shotgun has them??

 

[kingmt]

Yes. It will lower the pressure.

No a hand warmer in your pocket won't keep what is in your gun warm.

 

[Striker Fired]

When the powder in your shells are cold,they will be slower in velocity.Warm the powder up and pressures will go up.Some powders are really temp sensitive and in my 40 one round that I chrono'ed in the summer at 80F was almost 100 fps slower at 35F.Now when I shoot in the cold, I try to kepp my ammo in the truck where its warmer,and just take them out when I'm about to shoot.Loaded up mags I keep in an inside pocket.
I think this spring, if I have the time, I'm going to take several boxes of loads from different calibers and chrono all at various temps as it warms up into summer and find out which powders are the most stable.

 

[gamestalker]

I now live in the S.W. Arizona desert, but prior to this I lived ad hunted in S.D. in sub zero temps.. I learned fairly quickly that firing pins and other moving parts don't function well, if at all. An example of this with one of the most reliable shotguns on planet earth, the Rem. 870 would not fire at all when the temps. were below zero, not at all. When I first moved there with my wife and 5 boys, I bought everyone a brand new 870 12 ga.. It took less than 1 minute of exposure, I'm not exagerating here, and the firing pins wouldn't move. We tried everything we could think of to solve the problem, and finally had to give into letting the weather decide when we could, or, couldn't, hunt upland game birds. 5 minutes in the warm truck confirmed by dry firing, that the element was the factor.

 

[rfwobbly]

It's like the kid that sees the trophy winning ice fisherman out on the lake one day, so he walks over and asks him the secret to success.

The man mumbles something at him, and the kid says, "I'm sorry but I didn't quiet catch that."

The man mumbles something else at him, and the kid says, "I'm sorry but would you mind repeating that."

Finally, the man swipes a finger though his mouth, brings out a big pile of worms, and yells, "You gotta keep your bait warm !!"

 

[fecmech]

Will the cold affect shotshell pressures, you betcha! We shoot sporting clays all winter here in the Buffalo NY area. You can sometimes tell if someone on the squad kept his ammo in the car trunk overnight by the different sounds and occasional bloopers.

 

[lizziedog1]

Thanks for the reponses.

Sorry for my delayed feedback. I was involved in holiday travel the last few days.

The temperature has moderated some around here. Later I am going to try these loads again. I'll wait until the temperature approaches fifty.

I guess when it gets really cold I'll use my over and under. If it gets too cold for that, then I'll stay in the house.

 

[lizziedog1]

I guess it is a temperature issue.

I took the gun out. The temperature was near 50 degrees. The shotgun cycled flawlessly. She fired and ejected as fas as I could pull the trigger.

No maintenance was done to gun since last time and I used the exact same loads.

I guess there is a physics lesson here.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I guess it is a temperature issue.

I took the gun out. The temperature was near 50 degrees. The shotgun cycled flawlessly. She fired and ejected as fas as I could pull the trigger.

No maintenance was done to gun since last time and I used the exact same loads.

I guess there is a physics lesson here.

Sorry, I can't resist. Not physics. Chemistry.

Happy New Year. I hope your hunt went well. 28 gauge. Very sporting. I admire you.

Lost Sheep

 

[1SOW]

physics

"relieve" gas.