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measuring ammo temperature

Dunraven

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Minuteman
Feb 1, 2019
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I want to input ammo temperature data into a strelok pro program. I intend to use an infrared thermometer to measure temperature on the cases after freezing them, then heating them. Is the infrared thermometer the best way to do it? And, how high a temperature is needed and/or safe?
 
I want to input ammo temperature data into a strelok pro program. I intend to use an infrared thermometer to measure temperature on the cases after freezing them, then heating them. Is the infrared thermometer the best way to do it? And, how high a temperature is needed and/or safe?

The temperature delta between the brass case and the powder is going to be a wide variable if forcing temperature.

I simply assume that if the ammo is in the shade for more than an hour then it’s at ambient temperature. If forcing ammo temp, probably need to measure ambient of the container, not the brass itself.
 
Leave them in the respective heat environments long enough for the temps to have normalized instead of just the outside brass surface being the only thing thats actually cold.
 
?
 

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The temperature delta between the brass case and the powder is going to be a wide variable if forcing temperature.

I simply assume that if the ammo is in the shade for more than an hour then it’s at ambient temperature. If forcing ammo temp, probably need to measure ambient of the container, not the brass itself.
Leave them in the respective heat environments long enough for the temps to have normalized instead of just the outside brass surface being the only thing thats actually cold.
at that point is an infrared thermometer accurate?
 
Buy a home thermometer. It has a senser that goes outside through a window or hole in your house and a sensor inside the housing. Put the housing and readout part in the ammo box and the sensor into a case filled with powder and tape off the mouth of the case very well. Know you will have a reading inside your ammo box and an accurate temperature reading inside your ammo. You can test this thermometer to see how accurate it actually is against other measuring devices. They will be plenty accurate enough for measuring ammo temperature.
 
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why are people worrying about this?

Your marksmanship skills better be beyond reproach for you to spend time on stuff like this

While I don't necessarily disagree with you on this, some people just like to tinker. It's not a bad thing; I figure if it keeps them out of the bars and off the tables, it's all good (y)

And for the people interested in doing a project like this... here's something to help you *really* go off the deep end :ROFLMAO:
 
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why are people worrying about this?

Your marksmanship skills better be beyond reproach for you to spend time on stuff like this
a guy with a 2-mile cold-bore record thinks it matters. good enough for me.
 
a guy with a 2-mile cold-bore record thinks it matters. good enough for me.

You're missing the context. By more than 2 miles.

A lot of shit matters to fighter pilots going Mach 1+. A lot of it doesn't matter to me flying a Cessna 172
 
You're missing the context. By more than 2 miles.

A lot of shit matters to fighter pilots going Mach 1+. A lot of it doesn't matter to me flying a Cessna 172
Let’s discuss the Ammo temperatures effect on parallax next. OP, I’m just piling on with 308 pirate and picking on you but since it went there, parrallax threads are what makes me scratch my head. It would be better if people didn’t even know it existed so it wouldn’tbe the internet problem that it is today. ? It makes no practical difference unless you are looking sideways through the damn scope yet it is talked about constantly like people are missing because of the phenomenon. ??‍♂️
 
at that point is an infrared thermometer accurate?
Just chill on the infrared thermometer. Use the ambient temp in a shaded area outside not in you vehicle. I’m not sure about strelok but on my kestrel elite for factory ammo, I use the temp I chrono’d at. Usually takes me to 10 minutes to set up. If I chrono ammo again at another point in the same lot, I add that temp/velocity. The kestrel does the rest. I’ve never had a problem with drop after doing all the basics properly and adding this in. For handloads I actually have always used the temp sensitivity factor, so I’m not sure what happens if you don’t. Probably nothing.... I have no idea if strelok has something similar.
 
Just chill on the infrared thermometer. Use the ambient temp in a shaded area outside not in you vehicle. I’m not sure about strelok but on my kestrel elite for factory ammo, I use the temp I chrono’d at. Usually takes me to 10 minutes to set up. If I chrono ammo again at another point in the same lot, I add that temp/velocity. The kestrel does the rest. I’ve never had a problem with drop after doing all the basics properly and adding this in. For handloads I actually have always used the temp sensitivity factor, so I’m not sure what happens if you don’t. Probably nothing.... I have no idea if strelok has something similar.
well thanks for trying to help. the strelok program does factor in ammo temp. the guy with the 2-mile cold bore record teaches a class on LR shooting, and he thinks it's important. I'm interested in anything that can help me. Criticism doesn't help at all. I just thought that using the IR thermometer might help.
 
Temp matters but it’s not a big factor unless your shooting far and even then wind is a bigger factor.
I get speeds of my ammo at 20, 50 and 80 degrees and use that to figure an offset for my ballistic program.
Poof,,,,,Done!
You could make dope sheets for all three and fudge the in between and easily be close enough unless your going for that 4000 Yard shot.
 
This idea was presented to me by a ELR guy. I have seen others who factored temp into their tables. Just wondering how others were measuring it and using the info.
 
@Dunraven I use Strelok and record the powder and air temps. Especially as the powder temps get down around freezing i find it can make a clearly measurable difference. the best procedure i have found is to let the rounds stabilise for an hour or more to the ambient temp before shooting/chrono'ing them. For the cold temps i leave them in the car overnight and shoot in the early morning. If the rounds are out of their boxes in a breeze they reach ambient temp suprisingly quickly...
 
Pay no attention to the shit flinging dickheads.

To your question: IR thermometers are fine. I usually carry one with me in my range bag. As has been mentioned, just make sure that the ammo has been at the tested temp long enough to be thoroughly heat or cold soaked throughout.

In my experience, there isn't much difference between 20*F and 40*F. If you don't plan to do a lot of shooting at those temps, then it doesn't matter anyway. But if you are talking the difference between a 60*F ELR day and a 80*F or a 100*F ELR day, then it matters quite a lot.
 
Once you have the temp that you got your MV in are you just entering that number into the temp table? And then when you get MV again at a temp that is 30 degrees different you just enter than in as another entry on the table etc?
 
Once you have the temp that you got your MV in are you just entering that number into the temp table? And then when you get MV again at a temp that is 30 degrees different you just enter than in as another entry on the table etc?
Strelok keeps a table of 5 or 6 temps and velocities, and does the calculations for you based on whatever you input.

Otherwise, you have to tell the program what the powder burn rate change is per each degree ambient.
 
Freezing and thawing may cause condensation inside case or promote cold welding of brass to bullet.