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Temperature?

Posted: January 10th, 2019, 12:13 pm
by Wegetem
I see people talking about the temperature when they pattern their guns....never thought about it....does it really affect the pattern?? If yes what would be ideal temps?

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 10th, 2019, 1:25 pm
by Hoobilly
Ideal temps to pattern is the temperatures your gonna be hunting in.

I wouldn’t be shooting in sever cold weather like in the teens or 20’s. Real world patterning would be in the 50’s to 70’s for around this part of the country. However it seems lately we have been getting crappy cold weather during the begging of turkey season

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 10th, 2019, 4:37 pm
by Turkinator
I've read that some powders don't work great in friged temps. But neither do I. As far as Turkey loads, I don't think the pattern difference in the loads I shoot would would be affected by the temperature I hunt.

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 11th, 2019, 7:52 am
by howl
Absolutely. Pattern in the conditions you will hunt.

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 11th, 2019, 3:56 pm
by TerkyMan83
It's a good idea to pattern your gun in both cold and warm temps. Ive done quite a bit of patterning in both and my experience has been patterns do open up in colder temps. Ive shot tss 9's out of my 20 and averaged 310-10@40 at 60 degree temps. At 30 degrees and below ive averaged 260-10@40. Same choke, same gun, and same ammo. Averages were 3 shots each. Colder air is denser and causes shot to disperse at a faster rate then if shot in warmer air. Velocity may also be effected by colder temps. Apex has a note on their website that says performance may be effected by cold temps. And indeed it does.

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 11th, 2019, 6:47 pm
by coconut
Would lead shot suffer the same problem?

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 11th, 2019, 9:39 pm
by TerkyMan83
Yes all shot types will be affected.

Re: Temperature?

Posted: January 12th, 2019, 6:49 am
by howl
Powder burn rates vary. Just look down the bore on a cold foggy morning versus a hot dry afternoon. That's my reason for wanting an overkill pattern further than I will shoot.