OJW Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) Evening, I know cold cartridges can make a mess of the barrels, I'm not very worried about that. But will cartridges that have spent a couple of nights in the car boot in potentially cold temperatures work as well as ones lovingly kept inside, or even better, inside on a radiator? A friend I shot with on Tuesday on the amazing PW day kept his on the radiator all night before the shoot. I admire his dedication but I am lazy and am hoping everyone says it is fine to leave them in the boot (secure on private land ect). Also I read on a previous thread titled "cold cartridges" on post 4 that the topic starter "Could swap to a cold weather powder cartridge such as a jk6 or ch6". I happen to use JK6s but didn't know they were a cold weather cartridge? What is different about a cold weather cartridge....? Edited January 19, 2017 by OJW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog1408 Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Was shooting Wednesday at -4c the cartridges worked fine, I don't think this country would get cold enough to worry about it??!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I keep shotgun cartridges in the car permanently, just so I have them. Never had a problem with the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavvy Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Its the damp you have to worry about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I've always got a couple of slabs in the back of the van. I can say with all honesty I can't tell the difference to ones kept in the airing cupboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted January 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Thank you everyone, this is good news so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I have used cartridges at minus 35c!!!! Shooting Ptarmigan in Greenland in March, and the guides leave all rifle and shotgun ammo plus guns outside at night, so if they work there ok I wouldn't worry about what the uk has to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 They soon get warm when you pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Its the damp you have to worry about yessum.........like a local gunsmith near here who used to lay the slabs down on damp concrete .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 And there was me thinking that you were playing with yourself, I mean adjusting your thong, on the peg next to me. Turns out you were warming your cartridges I've never worried about it to be honest. They soon get cold once off the radiator and standing out on your peg. For the record,mine are locked in the back of the truck permanently during the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted January 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 And there was me thinking that you were playing with yourself, I mean adjusting your thong, on the peg next to me. Turns out you were warming your cartridges I've never worried about it to be honest. They soon get cold once off the radiator and standing out on your peg. For the record,mine are locked in the back of the truck permanently during the season. Haha very good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) There almost certainly has to be a measurable fps variation between cold and warm shells but extremely unlikely that anyone could detect it in a blind test so the only real draw back remains the crud in the barrels. Also bear in mind that some more expensive shells are comprised of what they call double based powder to combat this very issue. I keep mine indoors just to make sure they don't suffer dampness but always think keeping them on the rads a little extreme, in the winter they probably die back to sensible temperatures by the time you arrive at the shoot but I wouldn't have thought even hot countries get as hot as the top of a radiator. Edited January 20, 2017 by Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 put them on a radiator isn't advisable at all!!! the heat from the radiator might prompt the powder to dry up becoming a lot faster than is intended. The cartridges should be kept at room temperature away from the heat .... cold doesn't affect them as much as heat , you only have to stick them in your pockets before shooting and they will go back to normal temperature if you're worried about it...if not, just stick them in the barrel and fire away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon69 Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 If you put them on the radiator, then took them out at -0c temps, would that not cause condensation issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) put them on a radiator isn't advisable at all!!! the heat from the radiator might prompt the powder to dry up becoming a lot faster than is intended. The cartridges should be kept at room temperature away from the heat .... cold doesn't affect them as much as heat , you only have to stick them in your pockets before shooting and they will go back to normal temperature if you're worried about it...if not, just stick them in the barrel and fire away George Digweed tells people to put them on the radiator every Saturday before shooting on Sunday ! Edited January 20, 2017 by deershooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roostshooter1 Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 if you are getting a lot of un burnt powder in your barrels then the carts are not performing as well as possible I keep all mine in the house and do not get any flakes left in the bores now but I used to when storing them in my main shed I find rc and gamebore are good whatever you do with them but eley and lyalvale suffer bad when kept in the cold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 Fiochi developed there powders to work in cold temperatures. If your getting unburnt powder in the barrels it's got to affect the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted January 21, 2017 Report Share Posted January 21, 2017 I had unburnt powder in the chambers after the cartridges were ejected, plus the barrels were full of muck Maybe it does make a difference. Time for them to come back inside and next to the radiator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted January 21, 2017 Report Share Posted January 21, 2017 George Digweed tells people to put them on the radiator every Saturday before shooting on Sunday ! Yep, he also tells people he uses Full/Full chokes too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted January 21, 2017 Report Share Posted January 21, 2017 Eley firsts left my barrels filthy Only cartridges that ever have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 George Digweed tells people to put them on the radiator every Saturday before shooting on Sunday ! yeah, people also tells others to load powders stored for decades ... You can do whatever you want, that's for sure, other things is what is advisable to do.... i just said what is chemically happening when you put your shells on the radiator in fact, i think it should say on the powder tins not to store above certain temperatures ... for a reason, but then, you can still disregard the advise and store them as you please... As mentioned by others, powders are developped to resist the cold, double based powders being the prime example, not the heat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Best is just keep them at room temperature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Performance wise I've not noticed a difference hiwever When cold in do get much more dirty barrels. I don't think it matters much. Not enough to spend much time thinking about in any case. Just keep them indoors and as others have said, dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Performance wise I've not noticed a difference hiwever When cold in do get much more dirty barrels. I don't think it matters much. Not enough to spend much time thinking about in any case. Just keep them indoors and as others have said, dry. The extra dirtiness of your barrels in cold weather is un-burned powder, so your pattern will be slower than in warmer weather. I make sure my shells are at room temperature well before taking them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) As above, all my boxes of carts are stored in the house so no damp or cold carts on shoot days. Only ones I didn't think as my fowling carts as I left them in the bag in the garage when it's usually kept in the house,got I burnt powder come out the ejection port and blown into my eye. That's bloody painful until eye waters enough to flush it out. Carts in house every time now no matter if in pocket of jacket or bag. Edited January 23, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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