Brrrrr.....but fun

[Vashper]

Yes, the main thing is to have the mechanisms dry, without oil drops. One weapon designer, for a long time, advised using synthetic engine oil, and not experimenting with gun oils. Alpha-olefin is best at low temperatures.

 

[Vashper]

I bow down to Pherose. I was going to drive the foxes myself, I broke off on departure - deep snow, a record in this century. It's impossible to get anywhere by SUV, and we don't have snowmobiles. It makes no sense to have them if you live in the city.
In general, shooting at low temperatures gives a lot of interesting things to think about. For example, it turned out that subsonic cartridges (for example, some 22LR) become supersonic at low temperatures, and, accordingly, the sound of the shot is louder because the speed of sound decreases at low temperatures.
For winter hunting, I used three-fingered army mittens, but switched to simple fur mittens that are easy to discard.

 

[Pheroze]

Yes, the main thing is to have the mechanisms dry, without oil drops. One weapon designer, for a long time, advised using synthetic engine oil, and not experimenting with gun oils. Alpha-olefin is best at low temperatures.

I am a fan of G96 gun treatment for general cleaning, bolt etc. It has some good testing data behind it too. Although I avoid getting anything into the trigger mechanism.

 

[Vashper]

On our main rifle forum, the topic about lubrication has existed for 7 years and occupies 21 pages, which, of course, is not much, but they did not come to a final conclusion
I think that your oil (it is also sold here) is most likely synthetic engine oil, with some additives, but hardly significant. Engine oil has exactly the same tasks as gun oil. In particular, easy engine start in cold weather. Well, let's be realistic: what can be the basis for the most beautiful oil? Only some kind of industrial one, hardly the fat of virgin elf ponies.
But of course, the best oil is personally proven.

 

[Pheroze]

hardly the fat of virgin elf ponies.

G96 is better

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Pheroze I have a question for you: After returning from downrange to staple your targets up and prior to shooting, did you exhibit good range safety and etiquette by shouting "The Range is Hot!"

 

[WAB]

On our main rifle forum, the topic about lubrication has existed for 7 years and occupies 21 pages, which, of course, is not much, but they did not come to a final conclusion
I think that your oil (it is also sold here) is most likely synthetic engine oil, with some additives, but hardly significant. Engine oil has exactly the same tasks as gun oil. In particular, easy engine start in cold weather. Well, let's be realistic: what can be the basis for the most beautiful oil? Only some kind of industrial one, hardly the fat of virgin elf ponies.
But of course, the best oil is personally proven.

I’ve run oil facilities in the most extreme conditions on the planet. I can assure you that conventional engine oil is not your solution regardless of what manic additive package the marketers sell you. You need synthetics, the products of a hydrocracking process. Conventional oils are a dogs breakfast of molecule sizes and will not perform well in extreme conditions. Synthetics are very predictable in molecule size and performance and thus can be designed for specific applications.

Royal Purple was the first I worked with that really extended run times on high speed rotating equipment. There are many others now.

For truly extreme conditions I personally would go to a dry lube.

 

[Tra3]

@WAB @Pheroze et al, what do you consider truly extreme cold conditions? I think the coldest air temp I’ve hunted in was -15F, the windchill was around -30. That was for our MN muzzleloader season. I’ve seldom seen below zero F during rifle season. At those cold temps, it is more about just the adventure of staying out in the cold. When we have taken animals in that cold we have to bring them to a butcher so they can thaw out in the cooler.

 

[lwaters]

If you want cold weather book a muskox hunt in Greenland during the winter. It could be -30 or so. The outfitter said I think that they cleaned all oil off the bolts or the firing pin would freeze. Glad I hunted in September.

 

[WAB]

@WAB @Pheroze et al, what do you consider truly extreme cold conditions? I think the coldest air temp I’ve hunted in was -15F, the windchill was around -30. That was for our MN muzzleloader season. I’ve seldom seen below zero F during rifle season. At those cold temps, it is more about just the adventure of staying out in the cold. When we have taken animals in that cold we have to bring them to a butcher so they can thaw out in the cooler.

I have shot a round of skeet at -44’F, that’s fairly chilly. I’ve done a fair bit of shooting at -10 to -15 ‘F. Below -15 ‘F you need to be careful about exertion. Freezing your lungs is a real issue and does not end well. I was a Nordic ski instructor and raced in the inter-provincial circuit as a young man. We were very careful below -15’F.

 

[Pheroze]

@WAB @Pheroze et al, what do you consider truly extreme cold conditions? I think the coldest air temp I’ve hunted in was -15F, the windchill was around -30. That was for our MN muzzleloader season. I’ve seldom seen below zero F during rifle season. At those cold temps, it is more about just the adventure of staying out in the cold. When we have taken animals in that cold we have to bring them to a butcher so they can thaw out in the cooler.

In the -20 to -25°C range is probably the coldest I have done (about -4°F ). That was moose hunting. I walk a lot in the thick stuff when I moose hunt so it didn't seem too bad. I am not sure what my tolerance would be. I love how clear the air is when it is cold, and good clothes really make all the difference.

The absolute worst was when I was rained on while in a deer stand. The temperature dropped and everything turned to ice, even me. That was a terrible walk back to the cabin and I don't think it was all that cold.

 

[Zambezi]

Coldest I have ever been is -23/-24 (not sure if it was Celsius or Fahrenheit) December 1983 in St John's Newfoundland. Went there to visit friends from sunny 30 degree South Africa. Was a tad chilly! But I did get to go skating on a frozen lake and ride a skidoo.

 

[Woodcarver]

@WAB @Pheroze et al, what do you consider truly extreme cold conditions? I think the coldest air temp I’ve hunted in was -15F, the windchill was around -30. That was for our MN muzzleloader season. I’ve seldom seen below zero F during rifle season. At those cold temps, it is more about just the adventure of staying out in the cold. When we have taken animals in that cold we have to bring them to a butcher so they can thaw out in the cooler.

Been elk hunting in mid-November in -25 to -10 in Colorado more than a few times; it sucks. Really tests the quality of your gear.
Somewhere I have pics of the nekkid elk herd running through the woods. We filled out that year, 7 cows as I recall. We had to skin them immediately or there was no skinning. When we broke camp to head down the mountain, we were standing the elk up as we took them down. It really looked like a naked herd running through the trees! They were frozen hard enough that one of the guys climbed up on a big cow like he was riding it, and it held him up.
No oil allowed on the bolt at those temps. Former boss had his firing pin freeze up, costing him a shot, and a hike back down to camp to clean his rifle.
I do tend to wait for temps on the positive side of 0 to go shoot at the range. Just can't get up the desire to go shoot below that. Even better if it's above 0 Canadian.

 

[Tra3]

Been elk hunting in mid-November in -25 to -10 in Colorado more than a few times; it sucks. Really tests the quality of your gear.
Somewhere I have pics of the nekkid elk herd running through the woods. We filled out that year, 7 cows as I recall. We had to skin them immediately or there was no skinning. When we broke camp to head down the mountain, we were standing the elk up as we took them down. It really looked like a naked herd running through the trees! They were frozen hard enough that one of the guys climbed up on a big cow like he was riding it, and it held him up.
No oil allowed on the bolt at those temps. Former boss had his firing pin freeze up, costing him a shot, and a hike back down to camp to clean his rifle.
I do tend to wait for temps on the positive side of 0 to go shoot at the range. Just can't get up the desire to go shoot below that. Even better if it's above 0 Canadian.

That must have been a sight to behold. It takes quite a bit out of a man to hunt in that kind of cold. At very cold temps we skin and quarter immediately, otherwise the butcher does it! We’ve had a few deer freeze solid so they stood up on their hind legs, we just leaned them against the garage wall. I prefer to butcher my own game so trying to avoid a rock solid freeze is important.