Rifle issues. Your thoughts?

FireInTheWire · Sep 16, 2019

OK, let me lay this out.

6.5cm 147g Hornady match factory.

Savage LRP with a can. Barrel is 2yrs old.

I wen't shooting a few weeks ago when it was 104degs out. I experienced a couple shots that the bullet coming out the barrel sounded really weird. It had kinda of a 'tearing' sound. Not really a zing... its a sound that you'll turn to the guy next to you and ask "did ya hear that?" and he'll reply "yes I did and it don't sound right."

We looked the case over and they said I was having pressure issues from the heat and Hornady not having temp stable powder. I moved to a different rifle for the rest of the day. I came home and did a light cleaning.

I shot it since then with no issues.

Wen't out yesterday, nice day about 90deg, shot a 10rd string with no issues. It was shooting tight. Took a 2min break and loaded my 11th shot when I got the same sound out the barrel. I stopped and put the gun up and let it cool down for about 40mins. Finished my last 9 shots without issues.

What the heck am I experiencing? Is my barrel giving up the ghost? I've had this issue with 2 different cans, so I know its not that.

Younggun · Sep 16, 2019

Was the ammo laying in the sun during your break? If they are loading hot with a temp sensitive powder it could be causing your issues. I always keep my ammo in the shade during the summer.

I don’t know how fast those bullets can be pushed. I wouldn’t expect they would get fast enough to shed their jackets without loosening or dropping the primers primers when the case is ejected.

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Charlie · Sep 16, 2019

Younggun said:
Was the ammo laying in the sun during your break? If they are loading hot with a temp sensitive powder it could be causing your issues. I always keep my ammo in the shade during the summer.

I don’t know how fast those bullets can be pushed. I wouldn’t expect they would get fast enough to shed their jackets without loosening or dropping the primers primers when the case is ejected.

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Could be the key issue! It'll happen!

FireInTheWire · Sep 16, 2019

Younggun said:
Was the ammo laying in the sun during your break? If they are loading hot with a temp sensitive powder it could be causing your issues. I always keep my ammo in the shade during the summer.

I don’t know how fast those bullets can be pushed. I wouldn’t expect they would get fast enough to shed their jackets without loosening or dropping the primers primers when the case is ejected.

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Charlie said:
Could be the key issue! It'll happen!

Thanks guys.

Yes ammo was left out. I didn't think it was hot enough, guess I underestimated the sun.

My MV is 2720fps.

Commen sense was telling me its heat related. But wanted to verify with some other folks.

Dad_Roman · Sep 16, 2019

FireInTheWire said:
I didn't think it was hot enough, guess I underestimated the sun.

Remember that when its in the 95+ range that the temp in the sun will be around 110-115..

BUT...

When the sun is shining directly on something of a heat sink laying around like brass (or asphalt...or that frigging hood you burned your arm on) that the temp will easily reach the 140+ range. And thats on a reasonable day.

.

Younggun · Sep 16, 2019

We played with an IR temp gun while deployed in Iraq. A wrench left in the sun would get up to about 160 IIRC.

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Vaquero · Sep 16, 2019

Dawico did a test once. One set of ammo out in the sun. Another bagged and in a cooler. I don't recall the exact results, but the velocity difference was pretty substantial. I've slept since then too.

FireInTheWire · Sep 16, 2019

OK. I'll stop with the worrying and be more vigilante on ammo temp.

Younggun · Sep 16, 2019

Vaquero said:
Dawico did a test once. One set of ammo out in the sun. Another bagged and in a cooler. I don't recall the exact results, but the velocity difference was pretty substantial. I've slept since then too.

That was Orbitup IIRC. Think he was messing with Varget or it might have been one of Hodgdons other “temp stable” powders.

Unless I’m thinking of a different time.

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Younggun · Sep 16, 2019

FireInTheWire said:
OK. I'll stop with the worrying and be more vigilante on ammo temp.

Just leaving it in a he range bag or sliding it under the bench usually does the trick. Doesn’t take much.

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Dawico · Sep 16, 2019

Vaquero said:
Dawico did a test once. One set of ammo out in the sun. Another bagged and in a cooler. I don't recall the exact results, but the velocity difference was pretty substantial. I've slept since then too.

Younggun said:
That was Orbitup IIRC. Think he was messing with Varget or it might have been one of Hodgdons other “temp stable” powders.

Unless I’m thinking of a different time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, think it was Orbitup.

I did have some rounds loaded for one gun and shot in another. First group was over an inch. Said screw it and left 5 in the sun in the Summer just to see.

That group (rounds were very warm in the hand) shot a 1/4 moa group.

The powder was IMR 4895 and I am not sure where it rates for temp stability.

Dawico · Sep 16, 2019

FireInTheWire said:
OK. I'll stop with the worrying and be more vigilante on ammo temp.

Shade is all it really needs.

I have found factory Hornady ammo is loaded pretty hot already. Ejector marks and such under normal conditions.

I can see how a little extra temperature could push it over the edge.

FireInTheWire · Sep 16, 2019

Dawico said:
Shade is all it really needs.

I have found factory Hornady ammo is loaded pretty hot already. Ejector marks and such under normal conditions.

I can see how a little extra temperature could push it over the edge.

Ok thanks.

A little reinforcement on the mental side of it. I rode up this evening around 17:30 to pick up the spent shells from yesterday with my 2.5 yr old. weather was actually cooler. He bent down and the first one he grabbed- he threw it in the bucket and said; dang dada it hot. They were warm. I imagine 10rdns sitting in a black mag doesn't help :facepalm:

One of life's joys is learning.

Thank you all for the help on this.

Rifle issues. Your thoughts?

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