Shooting black powder in sub zero temperatures

[Randy C]

I had a knew rifle barrel put on my 4570 Sharps I took it to our local guy he ream the chamber to match my bullets, it was -5 yesterday and temperature Rose to 15° I shot for four hours I run a patch through after every shot I use BP I noticed the steam in the barrow would freeze if I let the rifle set to long some of my bullets had excess lube on the outside the bullets,, the cold froze the lube made It hard to chamber some of them I had to add I A few minutes to my sites I was shooting the 500 and 725 yard targets they weren't covered in snow.

I think shooting frozen black powder loads made my 70gr loads sound like 65gr loads, I had to add a couple minutes to the sites they shot good.
I was amazed at how the condensation in the barrel would leave ice crystals in it.
The Krieger barrel Took six patches to clean no leading, this barrel is a large improvement over my last one money well spent.

If you ever send your 4570 shaps to have a new barrel put on send some of your ammo with it it's a pain in the xss when you get the rifle back and your bullets don't and never will fit, I was fortunate we had a local guy that shoots with us and he had a reamer, I took him some of my ammo and it took him less than an hour to match the chamber to my loads.

[Gunlaker]

The hardest part, I find, is frozen trigger fingers. I had my rifle out the other day and I just couldn't feel the trigger. It made for some really lousy shooting :-).

Chris.

[Randy C]

I left the car running I have an extra pair of gloves on the dash keeping warm, our range has nothing but volunteer help, the road going in from the highway has a large birm the maintainer that plowed the road should have thrown the deep snow in the ditch not on the approach when I got there someone Was stuck in his pickup I pulled him out told him to go up the hill come down and he could get in the approach from the other direction, he got stuck halfway in the range and I had to tell him how to drive in the snow I said slowdown and try and stay in one set of tracks.

[beltfed]

wiping barrel in cold conditions:
Use RV antifreeze probably half and half with water or Windex with vinegar as wiping liquid
But, that does not do any good for cold fingers....
a little coleman propane heater- the kind that fits on top of a small propane bottle,
and positioned near the hands on the bench helps a lot.

beltfed/arnie

[MIEagle]

The only other thing I would add is to soften up your lube for cold weather and stiffen it up for hot weather. Shooting muzzleloaders in Michigan I learned the hard way. Accuracy goes south real fast. Plan ahead for the temperature.

[Randy C]

Thanks good to know

[greenjoytj]

RV antifreeze? The stuff to keep the plumbing form freezing or for the windshield?

I’ve used General Motors “Opticlean” windshield washer antifreeze it has cleaning capabilities built in. I used it straight as it did not mix with Ballistol. Maybe I should have added a squirt of Dawn to get them to not separate.

Keep your cartridges in a small insulated box with a hand warming hot pack or two.
I put a hot pack in my glove so it rests on the back of my hand. Keeps hands warm and doesn’t interfere with my palms grip.

[Lead pot]

RV antifreeze has turned to ice crystals for me when it gets below zero so I turned to windshield washer fluid.

[dirtball]

RV antifreeze has turned to ice crystals for me when it gets below zero so I turned to windshield washer fluid.

My guns won't even let me open the safe when it gets that cold!!!

[Gunlaker]

Kurt it doesn't get quite cold enough to freeze RV antifreeze where I live. That must be seriously cold. The RV antifreeze I use is good to -50 Celcius or almost -60 Fahrenheit. How do you keep the plumbing from freezing in the gypsy wagon? You must drain it I guess?

Chris.

[rfd]

what helps me best is knowing i'm moving to arizona.

[Gunlaker]

what helps me best is knowing i'm moving to arizona.

Sounds like a much better plan than using RV antifreeze :-). I couldn't handle the summertime heat though, unless I lived in Flagstaff of course.

[Lead pot]

I used to use the RV antifreeze I drain out of the gypsy wagon in the spring it has some water in it but not much because I pull the jug away when the pink turns light. Yes the jugs say it's good for -50 but I found unused jugs in the shed that are slushy.

[beltfed]

When its subzero, you can also use Vodka for wiping.
---and internal antifreeze after shooting is done.
beltfed/arnie