My Cold Weather Gun Test

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  • 71silverbullet

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    36   0   0
    Oct 30, 2010
    736
    43
    Southern, In
    A recent thread about testing equipment in cold weather got me interested in seeing how a couple of my guns would perform in harsh cold weather conditions. So I sat 4 loaded guns, of three different styles outside in 23* air temperature for two hours.
    The guns and ammo details are:
    Colt Delta Elite 10mm. I used light ammo, PPU 180gr JHP, company claims 1083fps. I chose light ammo with this for two reasons. First, I am currently out of buffer pads for it and didn't want to run hot rounds in cold weather without them. Second, this gun has the most oil on it, and wanted to stack the odds against it a little. This gun has had a trigger job professionally performed, and is lubricated with Lucas gun oil.
    20171230_110218-M.jpg

    Next gun is a Glock 20sf 10mm. This gun had 200 grain hand loads in it. Fairly hot at about 1100fps. Factory springs and trigger, no lube.
    20171230_110147-M.jpg

    Next is a Smith and Wesson 642-2 loaded with Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135gr +P. Factory springs. Lightly oiled with Lucas gun oil at last cleaning.
    20171230_110158-M.jpg

    Last is a Smith and Wesson 686-3, loaded with Federal 158gr JSP, 357 magnums. This gun has had some trigger work done to it, but I am unsure of the details of work performed. Lightly oiled with Lucas gun oil at last cleaning.
    20171230_110204-M.jpg

    I have to admit that I was quite surprised at the results. Every gun functioned flawless. I was confident in the Glock, it was dry, the loads were hot, and its a Glock (hurts a little to say that, as I AM NOT A GLOCK FAN BOY). I also expected the 642 to perform well. I thought I may have some issues with the Delta because of the oil, and anemic load combination. Last, I totally expected a failure out of the 686 because of the trigger work that has been done to it. I have experienced light primer strikes form it before with Winchester primers in reloads, in warm weather.
    I think I may do more testing later with the Delta with the skide "wet" with oil. I also want to try this with an AR.
    While not really scientific, hopefully it was informative.
    Oh, and one lesson I did learn, firing hot 10mm rounds, and 357 magnum rounds, in 23* weather, with no gloves on, hurts the hands!
    *Edit: all guns were fired 6 rounds except the 642, it was fired 5 times
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
    113
    Lafayette
    I had a Marlin 336 in .35Remington out in the cold (in the teens) for a couple of hours before it took two doe in rapid succession. Boom-lever-boom. Two dead doe.
    No issues at all working the lever, or the trigger, but I didn't really expect any either.
     

    ghuns

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Nov 22, 2011
    9,308
    113
    Bump for any bada$$es who want to impress us with some testing this week.;)
     

    Winamac

    Expert
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    2   0   0
    Sep 11, 2011
    1,344
    83
    Logansport
    Yep, next few days in Miami county would prove quite a test for anything.

    Or right next door in Cass county. I believe they are calling for -30 with wind chill on Wednesday this week up here. That would be one heck of a cold weather test for a gun.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
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    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    I did some of this myself. Glocks hurt when it gets cold. I at least have a pair of Jersey gloves on. Plastic doesn't flex like it does in warmer temps. No effect on reliability.
     

    STEEL CORE

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    92   0   0
    Oct 29, 2008
    4,378
    83
    Fishers
    I once had a standard Glock fifteen round Glock-22 magazine freeze.
    I noticed I had left it in my car on a day like (you pick the coldest day you remember) and it was frozen when I picked it up.
    I left it like that and later on that same cold day, I stopped by the range, took the "Glocksicle" mag in, tapped it once on the range table, put it into my G-22, and sent all fifteen frozen rounds through the target into the backstop.

    I think tapping it on a hard surface first, kinda did the trick.
    I don't know I have spares in the same vehicle now loaded, lets see if it happens again.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 7, 2011
    1,229
    38
    My cold weather test is me running from the indoor range to the car.
    Then running from the car to closing the warm house door behind me.

    Seriously great test. You never know when it will come in handy.
    Then you know you can trust them to work.
     
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,184
    149
    On a hill in Perry C
    I've got 2 ARs out in the shed as we speak. One lubed with grease, the other oil. Gonna pull them out Thursday morning and see what happens with a 30 rd mag each. Also going to be an optics test, to see if the cold affects those also.
     

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,026
    77
    Southside Indy
    Be more like frog glue

    No doubt. I tried it on a pistol once that was stored in a safe in our family room, which is on a separate furnace from the rest of the house. It would normally be about 55-60 degrees in the winter (we didn't run the separate furnace) and that was cool enough to turn Frog Lube into Frog Glue.
     

    hps

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Jun 26, 2009
    1,932
    48
    THIS is great!!

    Exactly why I like friday night steel and Texas Star at MCFG during the winter months!! but to get a true and meaningful cold weather test one of these times i'll shoot my carry gun ( Kahr CM9) and not worry about my score, i will only be concerned with accuracy and how or if my edc runs.
    I have been thinking about a new carry, looking at the P365 or the Walther pps. I fully trust my CM9 as it has never failed me (thats right NEVER) but as gun guys thats what we do BUY NEW GUNS!!Right now i think the PPS is gonna bet my choice.
     

    LarryC

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jun 18, 2012
    2,418
    63
    Frankfort
    Can't comment on my gun tests because I FAILED! Looked outside, checked the weather station ~ -14 deg as I type this with roughly -40 deg wind chill. Ain't no way I am leaving my warm house......
     

    Rong

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 3, 2011
    112
    18
    NE Indiana
    I can't think of any gun failures I have had in the cold but several glove related issues over the years. I have learned my lesson. I wear lighter weight gloves most of the time and I am ready to lose the heavier ones if I need to.
     
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