Frozen powder?

[P7M13]

.... What in the world doe's a guy do all day when it's that freaking cold????? I know .....Reload

Avoiding the words that might get me a reprimand.... Statistically, there is often a local spike in births 35-40 weeks following an event like a massive blizzard...

 

[GrayCreed]

Avoiding the words that might get me a reprimand.... Statistically, there is often a local spike in births 35-40 weeks following an event like a massive blizzard...

In GA we called those "hurricane babies"

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'm glad I read this thread. 3 days ago I moved all my powders and primers from reloading room to bedroom. The reloading room isn't heated. Moved on here last August. I keep door shut because it gets so dam cold in there. Was 45 in room . -17 outside. I wondered if getting cold them warm off and on would degrade powder and primers . It's always dry air so I figured that's a good thing. After reading this I'm moving it all back. I pretty much knew temps wouldn't affect loaded ammo so I didn't bother with it. I should of thought the same with powder. Primers I wasn't sure of. Thanks for everybody's input !

 

[Chas1]

The heck with the powder! I DON'T WANT ME to be out in that kind of weather! Thank God I live in more temperate climate! Ya'll have fun!

Ditto, left NY in 83' and never looked back.

 

[WYMIKE]

Had -11°F yesterday to test load development in a .300 Weatherby Mark V. Winning powders were H1000, Retumbo and RE-26 with Hornady 220 and 225's. Velocities were lower and checked with chronograph loads of my 6.5 PRC. Just keep the powder sealed well and the primers in a good environment. Several good loads to pick from with low ES under 13. Try shooting with non temperature stable powders in cold weather sometime - a real eye opener.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

I've never had an issue even with multiple freeze/thaw cycles in loaded ammo over the years and I live in a place that's always below freezing during hunting season, so many years my ammo has probably been in and out of the cold a couple dozen times...no problems.

I know others have suggested mag primers but I've never needed them either. I do often choose to load with them now but have never had an issue with normal ones.

it's nasty cold here these days, the lamenting over how cold it is in this thread has me entertained in a good natured way...but I realize the big thing is how out of the ordinary it is for many of you further south, especially Texas and such. Here's a screenshot of the weather here this morning, in Celsius and Fahrenheit for good clarity.

let the record reflect I'd still rather be outside in this than +30c any day. I overheat super fast, can't stand being hot, don't mind being cold.

well we are setting at -40 when I got up in two days we will start wolf calling travel in at night and locate just be for daylight then call on any rifle that I can use CCI LR mag primers I do so up here even my 6.5 PRC. during the winter boo season we might hunt at -50 at night it can get down to -60-70 below, those night I drag the snow machine in to the cabin just so there is no trouble getting going in the morn. central Alaska. gun stays out side

 

[Dean2]

well we are setting at -40 when I got up in two days we will start wolf calling travel in at night and locate just be for daylight then call on any rifle that I can use CCI LR mag primers I do so up here even my 6.5 PRC. during the winter boo season we might hunt at -50 at night it can get down to -60-70 below, those night I drag the snow machine in to the cabin just so there is no trouble getting going in the morn. central Alaska. gun stays out side

I agree, when we hunted wolf, Caribou and Muskox in winter in the NWT, it could be as much as -55F ambient. Guns were never brought into a heated house, tent or cabin. All heating them up did was create a ton of condensation. Same with ammo, it was left outside with the gun. The other thing you find out in those temps is dry graphite for lube is about the only thing that works, or shoot them completely dry. Equipment that can be made to work reliably in those temperatures will work anywhere else in the world.

WYO300RUM

What messes up powder and primers the worst is excess heat and high humidity. Temperatures above 90 degrees will make both deteriorate over time, as will too much moisture, especially in primers since they are not sealed. My buddy that lives in a highly humid area keeps his primers in a waterproof ammo can with desiccant.

Speaking of Blizzard Babies:

 

[Rick Richard]

My teeth are chattering by just reading these post. Lol.

 

[PAGSDIII701]

Temp up here in Ole NoDak is colder than -20 lately. Say one has a powder order coming and that order sits on the delivery truck in the cold in transit and than sits out side in the cold (-20) for a few hours. Could this have negative effects one ones powder? I am guessing you would want to warm the powder back up slowly as to not produce too much condensation? It would be worrisome seeing frost one ones powder container. Maybe it's nothing To worry about since I have had frozen loaded cartridges in the same weather go bang just fine?! Something to discuss anyway

North Dakotan here too...never thought about this

 

[StumpGrinder]

Temp up here in Ole NoDak is colder than -20 lately. Say one has a powder order coming and that order sits on the delivery truck in the cold in transit and than sits out side in the cold (-20) for a few hours. Could this have negative effects one ones powder? I am guessing you would want to warm the powder back up slowly as to not produce too much condensation? It would be worrisome seeing frost one ones powder container. Maybe it's nothing To worry about since I have had frozen loaded cartridges in the same weather go bang just fine?! Something to discuss anyway

Air below freezing is very dry because the moisture freezes and falls out as snow, ice or frozen mist. The problem would be opening a really cold can in a warm moist environment. Then you could possibly get condensation. Let the cans come to room temperature before opening.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I agree, when we hunted wolf, Caribou and Muskox in winter in the NWT, it could be as much as -55F ambient. Guns were never brought into a heated house, tent or cabin. All heating them up did was create a ton of condensation. Same with ammo, it was left outside with the gun. The other thing you find out in those temps is dry graphite for lube is about the only thing that works, or shoot them completely dry. Equipment that can be made to work reliably in those temperatures will work anywhere else in the world.

WYO300RUM

What messes up powder and primers the worst is excess heat and high humidity. Temperatures above 90 degrees will make both deteriorate over time, as will too much moisture, especially in primers since they are not sealed. My buddy that lives in a highly humid area keeps his primers in a waterproof ammo can with desiccant.

Speaking of Blizzard Babies:

Thanks Dean2. I figured the humidity. Heat wasn't sure.

 

[StumpGrinder]

Ooh Noooo! Not sure my guns will go bang in that cold. Once hunted geese in -24F. My Browning A5 would only shoot once

Gun oil will freeze at those temperatures. Wipe them dry and use dry lubrication in severe cold. Or stay home and watch westerns.

 

[Dean2]

Air below freezing is very dry because the moisture freezes and falls out as snow, ice or frozen mist. The problem would be opening a really cold can in a warm moist environment. Then you could possibly get condensation. Let the cans come to room temperature before opening.

Your advice to let powder warm before opening is very good but your comment about cold and low humidity isn't completely accurate. It has been between -30F and -45 F here the last two weeks, humidity is running 70to 80% outside. Now you do have to keep the humidifier on inside or the constant hot air from the furnace will take humdidty in the house down to 10%. It is a balance however, if you allow the humidity inside the house to rise above 35% when it is this cold, you will get water build up on your windows, and you will also find your bathroom vents tend to leak water onto the ceiling or floor from the moist air going up the vent pipe when they aren't on and freezing the moisture on the inside of the pipe once it hits the attic. As soon as it warms up outside or you turn the fan on that ice melts and drips back down. You also have to knock the ice build up off from the moisture in the exhaust from natural gas appliances like your hotwater heater and furnace vents or they will plug off and shut them down.

 

[PAGSDIII701]

Your advice to let powder warm before opening is very good but your comment about cold and low humidity isn't completely accurate. It has been between -30F and -45 F here the last two weeks, humidity is running 70to 80% outside. Now you do have to keep the humidifier on inside or the constant hot air from the furnace will take humdidty in the house down to 10%. It is a balance however, if you allow the humidity inside the house to rise above 35% when it is this cold, you will get water build up on your windows, and you will also find your bathroom vents tend to leak water onto the ceiling or floor from the moist air going up the vent pipe when they aren't on and freezing the moisture on the inside of the pipe once it hits the attic. As soon as it warms up outside or you turn the fan on that ice melts and drips back down. You also have to knock the ice build up off from the moisture in the exhaust from natural gas appliances like your hotwater heater and furnace vents or they will plug off and shut them down.

Correct Mandan is currently 65% Humidity, and -24° (-36° with Wind Chill)