Sabotloader and I were talking last year (actually the end of December
) about conducting a test to see if different methods of storing a rifle after hunting all day would make a difference.
intent of the testing - to see if temperature variance extremes when subjected to a loaded muzzleloading rifle would have any degree of change to accuracy and change to ignition quality.
Method of testing -
It was suggested to load a rifle, and leave it outside in the cold all day. Then at dusk, gradually bring the rifle from an unheated roomof the house for two hours, to finally a heated room in the house, overnight. To continue to repeat this pattern over a period of three days. And finally after the third day to shoot the rifle and see if the accuracy was effected. The rifles would be capped and finger cotted during the day, but the primer removed and the cot taken off at night, so the rifle could breath.
Test rifles -
The rifles I used for the experiment were a
Knight .50 caliber Disc with the orange primers. This is supposed to seal the breech better during the outside extremes. A piece of "Handi Wrap" was placed over the end of the muzzle during the day while the rifles sat in the unheated woodworking shop on the property. The rifle was loaded with 90 grains of Kik 3fblack powder, and a 300 grain Saber tooth Conical. I chose black powder as it would give the rifle the best opportunity to have the rifle fire after the third day.
The second rifle used in the experiment was a .50 caliber
CVA Staghorn Magnum. It was picked because technically the breech is exposed to the elements during the day. I loaded this rifle with 90 grains of Kik 3f black powder and a 300 grain Saber tooth bullet.
The average mean temperature outside was 34 degrees during the day and 22 degrees during the evening. The inside house temperature was 74 degrees.
The Knight Disc was brought into the house during the evening, while the CVA was left outside with the plastic removed off the muzzle and the primer pulled, during the evening. It was never allowed the change in temperature like the Knight Disc rifle was. When the final test to shoot the rifles came, both were supplied with fresh primers.
Firing test - I put a standard Remington Target up at 50 yards. I shot from a bench rest position. The first rifle tested was the
Knight Disc. With a fresh primer holder and Winchester W209 primer the test was started. The primer ignited perfect but the rifle did not fire. I then loaded a second primer into the rifle. This time the rifle fired but did not
sound as sharp as normal with the report of the ignition. The 300 grain Saber tooth hit almost eight inches low and three inches to the right. I then swabbed the barrel clean, popped another primer through the breech. I then loaded as normal and placed three more Saber tooth conicals into the bulls eye.
The second rifle, the
CVA Staghorn Magnum, was loaded with a new Winchester W209 primer. The primer ignited and the rifle failed to fire. The second primer was then placed in the rifle and this time the rifle fired. Accuracy was terrible. The round almost hit off the target itself to the lower right corner. I then swabbed the barrel with alcohol. Then ran three dry patches down the barrel. I then popped two primers. I then fired three shots, all of which hit in or very near the center of the bulls eye.
The kicker - I then cleaned both rifles completely. I then reloaded them except this time used 250 grain Saber tooth conicals (shot off my 300grainSaber tooth, but got more coming to the house) Only this time I changed the rifles out. The CVA was brought into the house at night and the Knight Disc was left outside at night.
All other influences were left the same. The actual temperatures were basically about the same for the next three days.
Test firing - The first rifle shot was the
CVA Staghorn Magnum. The rifle failed to fire with the first primer and fired with the second primer. The first hit was about seven inches low but centered. The following three shots after swabbing were all acceptable.
The second rifle, the
Knight Disc was loaded with a fresh primer. The Disc rifle that was left in the cold fired with the fresh primer. The accuracy suffered a little. The rifle hit low by a couple inches and right by an inch. I swabbed the bore, dry patched it, and popped a cap again, and the next three hit in or near the bulls eye. More then acceptable accuracy.
Overall observations - The weather conditions were not the greatest. Wisconsin has been suffering warm temperatures during the day but humid. It rained two of the days, and snowed at night a couple times. Other times during the day you would think you were walking is a humid fog back almost. Very over cast, cold and damp. I think the weather had the biggest influence in this whole test. Northern Wisconsin this time of year can be a nasty place to be when you talk weather. The old saying up here is, don't like the weather, just wait five minutes.
It is because of results just like what I experienced, that I now fire off or pull the load at the end of the day, clean the rifle, and load fresh the next morning. Your part of the State or country might effect rifles, powders, and primers totally different. I would not consider my results as anything near what your results doing similar tests would do.
There you go Sabotloader...