Heat, ammunition, travel

[Bluejay]

Hey guys,

I've got a road trip coming up, and I'm concerned/curious about the effects of heat on ammunition. The drive is likely to last 2-3 days, during which the ammunition will be kept in the storage area of a truck.

Should I be concerned about ammunition degradation resulting from 2-3 days of exposure to car-trunk level temperatures in California? Is there anything I can do to mitigate the negative effects of heat, such as packing the ammunition in a cooler or something like that?

[Kodemonkey]

Hey guys,

I've got a road trip coming up, and I'm concerned/curious about the effects of heat on ammunition. The drive is likely to last 2-3 days, during which the ammunition will be kept in the storage area of a truck.

Should I be concerned about ammunition degradation resulting from 2-3 days of exposure to car-trunk level temperatures in California? Is there anything I can do to mitigate the negative effects of heat, such as packing the ammunition in a cooler or something like that?

Putting them in a cooler will help regulate the temp better (I don't think you need to add ice though!)

I do know that you are supposed to let the ammo "rest" and come to ambient temp before shooting. Higher temp ammo is supposed to have higher pressures associated with it. How much? I dunno, but it is in my HK manual so I follow their directions.

Not sure about longevity of it. I say just shoot it all and you won't have any worries

[EchoDelta5.56]

Dude,
Don't even worry about it.
I've kept ammo in the trunk of my car in Riverside through winter and a whole summer without ill effects.

ED

[CSACANNONEER]

Many people that I know preheat their ammo before shooting it. It will not get hot enough in your trunk to worry about nor will it get shaken up enough to worry about the powder breaking down after a few days. Just don't keep ammo in your ranch truck for 10 years and think that the powder hasn't been affected.

[Cowboy T]

If you're shooting maximum loads, then temperature can play a factor due to the increased pressure. But if you're shooting middle of the road or minimum loads, you ought to be fine.

[RaymondMillbrae]

Keeping it heated-up for a 2 or 3 day time period is fine.

Just make sure to cool it to a decent temperature before actually firing it.

During a hot weather match, I will keep my ammo (and loaded mags), in a cooler-type bag that is attached to a fold-away chair...or in some other cooler-type insulation.

In Christ: Raymond

[Turo]

If our boys in the 'stan can keep their ammo in 110F-120F desert climate for a couple months and still kill bad guys with it, I think your couple-days-in-the-trunk ammo should be just fine .

[CSACANNONEER]

Keeping it heated-up for a 2 or 3 day time period is fine.

Just make sure to cool it to a decent temperature before actually firing it.

During a hot weather match, I will keep my ammo (and loaded mags), in a cooler-type bag that is attached to a fold-away chair...or in some other cooler-type insulation.

In Christ: Raymond

That's funny. When I go to matches. I see just the opposite. MAny shooters either have custom made heater to heat their ammo to about 120 degrees, they use heating pads or both.

[RaymondMillbrae]

For rifle,

I am loading 26-grains of H335 over a 55-grain boolit.

It is already on the boundry of "hot".

Place that same round in a 90-degree sun for a few hours...and I guess you can say your compensator will REALLY be working well.

In Christ: Raymond

PS: Rifle rounds loaded with Varget, or 8208 XBR, may not be such a problem.
PSS: Maybe PRECISION rifle shooters heat their rounds, as this will guarantee that every single round is exactly the same, and will have the same expansion and pressures. But not with hot loads!