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Forget the snow! Let's get the 'mercury' below...
We have had four mornings in a row where temps read minus. Almost made double digit lows. I figured it was time to test lube to the "extreme"!
It is a slow process. I shoot a 4 shot group. Each shot is 15 minutes apart, so it takes an hour to do. Multiple test 'mules' are the best to get the most data. Each 'mule' and its 'load' should be capable of minute of angle accuracy in summer say at 80°F. Many have asked why I don't shoot a 'normal' group. Mainly, because you can 'warm' up a cold gun to shoot a bad lube for the cold... My procedure then, is basically 4 cold starts. What your gun and ammo will see in a hunting situation when the 'big' one appears!
My guns and their test ammo are fully saturated. This means I set them outside to 'chill out'! Say it is -7°F.... I start with a gun and ammo at minus 7°F and keep them there during the whole test. My criteria for a passing grade is about two minute of angle, but I'll give it a little leeway if I see certain patterns develop. When a lube fails it may be off the target!
I told Geargnasher I would test his SL68 lube and did (along with StarMetal's hi-soap lube we try to duplicate) at minus 7°F. They both passed and I think better than the groups show too. These hi-soap lubes seem to need more dwell time to normalize... (Maybe 30 minutes between shots) I'm just learning this and will apply it next test. We that have cooked these hi-soap lubes know how long they seem to hold the heat after you have removed them from it! Almost an insulative quality of sorts which could be a good trait!
These test results are here post #130 :http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...8-recipe/page7
I also played with 666-1. I just love 666-1! I hardly expected this simple 'old' NRA formula with 5% Ivory added would be complex enough for the -8°F test I put it on.... But 666-1 has continued to surprise me. I had to make a second batch even.!!!The first mule shot a 3/4" group at 85 yards! Almost as good as it does 85° warmer. So then I tried it in my old Savage Model 23 .32-20... I call it my bench gun! Not some wimp load with 3grs of powder on board either! A 99gr hollow point that chronographs 1928fps. It likes to think it can shoot 1/2 moa.:shock:
Well.... it almost did.... The third shot was out. I usually do cold tests with visually OK boolits. I think I'll use match grade in this gun/load! (I don't think it was lube purge but below zero I'm still guessing) Target is attached...
Be somethin' if 666-1 with a little tweak became "Extreme"!
I shot some this morning at -4°F. It was tweaked with 2% Jojoba oil (at the recommendation of Mr. 666-1)
Mighty, mighty, GOOD! I'll report back when I test double digits... even -25°F if I can get it!
Eutectic
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