In the cold.

I

imabmwnut

New member
My shooting partner and I went to the range this morning. The temperature was 26 degrees. He was shooting a Rossi snub nose 357 with magnum rounds. After 2 shots the cylinder wouldn't advance. There was a young man shooting beside us that mentioned that it might be because of the cold. My friend holstered the gun and put it in his jacket and after about 3 minutes the cylinder would advance. We couldn't even get the cylinder open when it "froze" or whatever. Anyone here ever experience this?
 
I can't imagine 26º would do that even if you lubed the gun with water. Sounds more like debris in the action, maybe under the extractor star or in between the rounds and the recoil shield. I've had revolvers lock up for no apparent reason in warm weather, then work a few minutes later. I've also shot in much colder weather with no problems.
 
I have gone shooting in sub zero weather. I found that guns needed to be totally free of oil or they would freeze and not function. Not sure at what point this happens. Anyone know the freezing temperature for oil?
 
FP-10 works well below zero, I think they claim -50º or so. I've been using it for many years and have never had an issue here in MN.
 
I have gone shooting in sub zero weather. I found that guns needed to be totally free of oil or they would freeze and not function. Not sure at what point this happens. Anyone know the freezing temperature for oil?
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That was my thought. Oil thickening in the cold?

What's the freezing temp? Don't know. Irrelevant. They make oils of different viscosity for car engines, for the different anticipated temperatures.
 
When I was younger and went to year around outdoor matches, no matter the weather, it was quite often well below freezing during the winter.
And our shootin' irons did, indeed, get sluggish if they were overly lubed.
The trick was to just put a little thin oil on a patch and rub it on the necessary places.
 
Use graphite in very cold weather for lube.

Never ever use plain oil in such climates.

History is replete with instances of guns freezing in cold climates.

Oil will freeze, and if the gun has been brought inside after a while the humidity will put water all in the gun. Take it outside and the water will freeze up.

Solution? GIs would urinate on their guns so to warm then up.

I suggest instead use graphite.

Deaf
 
I bicycle to work and recently I have found when it drops belows 32 degrees Fahrenheit the grease in the shifter on my 3 speed freezes up and I have a single speed. And when the Germans invaded the USSR and ran into General Winter they found they need special lubricants to keep their vehicles running.
 
I'm thinkin' the fired cases backed out and bound the cylinder. After the brass cooled and shrunk a titch, the cases slid back into the chambers and the cylinder would advance.
 
I'm thinkin' the fired cases backed out and bound the cylinder. After the brass cooled and shrunk a titch, the cases slid back into the chambers and the cylinder would advance.
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I have had this happen many times with a Rossi 44 spl in cold weather.
The gun is stainless steel and the brass expands and wedges the cyl.
Give it 3 - 4 minutes and the cyl frees up.
 
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