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Posted: 1/13/2004 8:17:47 AM EDT
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Howdie - For those who are experiencing the sub-zero temperatures (well, not today) of the NE, is anyone aware of any potential problems that can occur while firing an AR-15...or any rifle for that matter? Thanks. |
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You mean cold like this (in the NW)? [img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid99/p1799f38caec631c92da87eec497e9b9e/f9f59283.jpg[/img] Unless your AR is constantly exposed to sub-zero temp's, then it has no problem with cold. Especially if you use a lube like LAW. You on the other hand... The only concern I could see is moisture in the form of condensation. If your AR was exposed to the bitter cold for a period of time, and then heated, condensation will form in the barrel. Not a big concern really unless you are planning to store it. And then you are always supposed to clean it before doing that, right? [;)] Bottom line: The way that 99% of us use their rifles, cold won't matter a bit. |
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We shot them at -40 and below in Alaska with no problems other than the VERY RARE reduced handload refusing to cycle fully. Pressures go down, but this doesn't mean you should go ahead and load hotter. Metal gets brittle about -58 or so. Anything colder than -55 and I wouldn't shoot. Or even be outside. Unless I was dead. Which wouldn't take long at that temp. |
| BUWAHAHA!, I only WISH it were that warm. Coldest I shot at was at -77degF - and that is NOT including wind chill factor thank you very much. At that temperature, you had to be carefull not to even BREATH on the firing pin lest it freeze in place, or touch your rounds leaving a moisture film that would freeze your rounds together. It was a pistol I shot (Ruger P89MkII) at that temp, which worked. At that temp, I either used no lube or a hint of Hoppes #9 solvent. No, I don't like to shoot below -20deg (raw temp) normally, but where I am, the sheer boredom drives one to do strange things. If it get's cold like that again, I am going to see how cold an AR will operate down too. My hometown sees -50deg usually at least 2 weeks or so each winter, sometimes more, sometimes less. Wind is the killer here, I spend a lot of time at well below -100deg when including wind chill. You can throw a hot cup of coffee in the air and have it freeze before it hits the ground, same thing if you are brave enough to whip it out and take a tinkle. |
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Well, the -77deg was unofficial, but that is what our calibrated thermometer said. It was in the town of Fort Yukon. I am from Fairbanks, which has the widest temperature range of any city on EARTH -66 to +99 officially, but I am telling you I have see those numbers broken. I know someone who was in -103degF, and house windows started shattering of their own accord. However, those temperatures were isolated areas and not taken at locations where the official temperatures are recorded so that -89.4deg does not mean a whole lot to me. The coffee cup trick is somewhat of a trick in itself, it has to be hot or warm water. The hot water vaporizes as you throw it up making the particles small and easy to freeze. When tinkling, you have to arc it up or be standing at an elevation... When I shot at -77deg, it was probably more like a toasty -68deg as it was at a different time. I was wearing clothing rated for -70 temperatures, only dumped two preloaded magazines of 9mm, and quit. I had absolutely nothing else to do at the time and was curious. Currently, I am in Barrow, you cannot get any farther North in the US or Alaska. Strangely, it's not as cold here as the interior. The sun which set back on 18 November, officially, will not rise until the 22nd or 23rd of this month. By the way, when shooting in cold like this, giving your warm barrel a hug means more than affection... |
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There's nothing odd about that in Barrow. Water is a temperature moderator, like trying to heat up a big bull bbl with only 5 rounds. I was born in Fairbanks, lived in Tok for a while (where I think the temp range is more extreme, having seen -66 and +102 PERSONALLY, so I imagine the records would be higher. Anyhow - |
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