Cold weather and its effects on ammunition

A side effect of cold weather is that it can affect the way your ammunition performs. Check out this video, where Kristian Bjerre test shoots with cold ammo to see what the effects of cold weather might be

Cold weather and its effects on ammunition

Crisp cold air, blue skies and white snow all around you. Are you a winter hunter? Then you probably already know that a side effect of cold weather is that it can affect the way your ammunition performs. In this video, Kristian Bjerre test shoots with cold ammo to see what the effects of cold weather might be.

- When you find your target, it is key to know how you equipment will perform in order to maximize your hunt, says Kristian Bjerre.

Temperature affects how your propellant burns. It burns faster in hot temperatures, and slower in cold temperatures. Because of this, Kristian’s hypothesis is that there will still be propellant left to burn as the bullet leaves the barrel in minus 5 degrees Celsius, which causes a change in the point of impact.
In this video, Kristian tests his hypothesis in 100meters, using 30-06, in an indoor range outside of Stockholm. He performs the test by shooting at a target, with three shots in three different temperatures, and he checks the muzzle velocity to see what the real output is. Since the night before the test, Kristian has kept one box of ammo in room temperature, one box outside at about -2 degrees Celsius, and one box in the freezer at -18 degrees Celsius, which gives him varying temperatures for the test.

Kristian wants to see if there is a change when the ammo is colder than room temperature, and if that change affects precision. Have a look at this video to see if there are any changes, and whether there is something you need to keep in mind when hunting in the cold.

Check out the video here at norma-ammunition.com or on our YouTube channel.