Cold temps ... light strikes

[johnbu]

Thursday shot a 3 stage steel challenge in 38f temps. Light strike, no fire EVERY STRING. using ammo reloaded last year. Ran over 5000 rounds last year with zero issues. I had over the winter,lightened the S2 hammer spring, so Friday put in a new 14# spring.last year, it ran a 13# spring. Ran 150 rounds with 45-50 DA, zero problems. Temps about 48.

Shot first uspsa match today starting temps high 20s. Light strikes on every stage.

My son ran the lim pro, set up nearly identically, and he had no problems.

Obviously, something is amiss, but not sure what! According to my "pencil launch" it's launching (when warm) higher than when the gun was in factory tune.

Edited April 9, 2016 by johnbu

[bulm540]

My stock 2 ran with no hitches in 29 degree weather with a wolf hammer spring with fed primers. The shooter did not, too dang cold.

[johnbu]

Cleaned everything, polished stuff that was already mirror like. Everything is...perfect.

Shot it and STILL had no fire light strikes at 60f.

Felt some gritty when moving the firing pin manually. REMOVED the FPB, still felt it sporadically. I found the firing pin keeper (back plate) is moving randomly and binding the pin. Not sure how to correct it. Polish the hole? Chamfer the hole? Or....?

[Beastly]

I've never noticed such a corellation. What type of primers?

[johnbu]

S&B primers.

[Beastly]

Known to be hard primers, never heard of a temperature dependency though.

Possible I guess, metal could be less malleable at cooler temperatures.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Beastly

[johnbu]

Known to be hard primers, never heard of a temperature dependency though.

Possible I guess, metal could be less malleable at cooler temperatures.

I was more leaning to THE GUN not able to hit as hard when cold. Tolerance stack, oil viscosity, erc etc.

[Beastly]

How are you lubing the firing pin/channel? Light oil, grease?

Run a pencil test at room temperature, then put gun in freezer for a while and re-test.

[johnbu]

Light clp. Finger rub, not much oil at all.

[GrumpyOne]

Light clp. Finger rub, not much oil at all.

More/thinner oil. Metal contracts when cold.

[johnbu]

Cold yesterday, shot 150 rounds at about 32F had a few light strikes running S&B primered ammo.

Today around 50F, shot 100 rounds of hard as rock WOLF primered ammo with ZERO light strikes.

I'm thinking that the slide needs be dyed vibrant red, because this gun is acting like a temperamental red head!

[bulm540]

Never had luck with s b. About a 10 percent failure rate.

[johnbu]

Never had luck with s b. About a 10 percent failure rate.

I've shot 6,000 ish rounds of them. Only issues were this year in the cold.

Now WOLF primers.... I'm about certain they randomly sustitute A500 steel for the brass!

I do have federal match primers on the way for matches.

[KelsonAK]

I've shot my Stock 3 a bit in cold-ish weather, using S&B primers. I have not noticed any difference in performance (of the gun and ammo) even into the sub zero range. I tend to shoot a little slower in sub z...

My lube method is a little gun grease (tetra usually) followed with a bit of very light oil on the rails. Lightly applied grease to the sear, disco, etc last time I took it all down to the frame, with light oil added occasionally. Light oil applied to the other friction points. I do change over to some CLP that is a little heavier later in the year, but mostly because it goes with me to 3gun not because it's planned out that way. I tend to run a bit wet.

I did have an issue with my firing pin channel getting gunked up - tightgroup fouling and oil - in the flutes of a Henning firing pin. Went back to factory and no issues. 14# spring, Titan hammer, one piece sear - nothing exotic.

Stock 2? Can't say the same. I got it this winter, so it hasn't seen a warm weather firing day yet. I've been working on it to get it 100% on S&B primers - but have only used it well below freezing. Things have been a bit busy, and I haven't messed with it in a while. Perhaps I'll take it out on one of these warming days and see if there is a difference. 14# spring, titan hammer, 2 piece sear. Same lube job.

[johnbu]

I've shot my Stock 3 a bit in cold-ish weather, using S&B primers. I have not noticed any difference in performance (of the gun and ammo) even into the sub zero range. I tend to shoot a little slower in sub z...

My lube method is a little gun grease (tetra usually) followed with a bit of very light oil on the rails. Lightly applied grease to the sear, disco, etc last time I took it all down to the frame, with light oil added occasionally. Light oil applied to the other friction points. I do change over to some CLP that is a little heavier later in the year, but mostly because it goes with me to 3gun not because it's planned out that way. I tend to run a bit wet.

I did have an issue with my firing pin channel getting gunked up - tightgroup fouling and oil - in the flutes of a Henning firing pin. Went back to factory and no issues. 14# spring, Titan hammer, one piece sear - nothing exotic.

Stock 2? Can't say the same. I got it this winter, so it hasn't seen a warm weather firing day yet. I've been working on it to get it 100% on S&B primers - but have only used it well below freezing. Things have been a bit busy, and I haven't messed with it in a while. Perhaps I'll take it out on one of these warming days and see if there is a difference. 14# spring, titan hammer, 2 piece sear. Same lube job.

I switched to federal match, ran 350 rounds @ 100%. Temps from 50-80f. With trimmed wolf 14# spring and da below 6#. Also ran a couple hundred S&B primers at 100%. Same temps. Happy it's running good now.