Too cold for primer to ignite

[nathan0259]

Have you guys ever heard of it being too cold for the primer to ignite? I was shooting this morning, it was 7 degrees at the range. I was shooting silver bear. Its not a light primer strike and some PMC I had ran fine. At first it was was every 5th or 6th round. As the wind picked up and the temp dropped it was 10 rounds in a row that would not fire. The rifle chambered them fine and like Isaid the PMC ran just fine. Can it be too cold for a primer to ignite?

[MarkCO]

Based on the physics, should not matter. I have shot down to -38F and still got reliable ignition. Now slowing down the firing pin due to grease or thickened lube, sure.

[asmo]

While technically it is possible -- not at 7 F.. Try below -70 C, there can be small issues with the priming compounds forming (the wrong kind of) crystals. But like MarkCO said - I would bet the issue is mechanical vs. chemical.

[nathan0259]

Must not have lubed it enough. Thanks for the input guys.

[MarkCO]

Must not have lubed it enough. Thanks for the input guys.

Or too much. When it is cold, you need a lube that will not thicken. I use 50/50 30 wt with ATF, both synthetic. Crap like Rem oil will congeal like Crisco. Frog Lube did not do well in the cold tests I have seen either.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Learn something new each day on this board.

[brutal]

Or too much. When it is cold, you need a lube that will not thicken. I use 50/50 30 wt with ATF, both synthetic. Crap like Rem oil will congeal like Crisco. Frog Lube did not do well in the cold tests I have seen either.

I was liking frog lube on the pistols until it got cold.

[ray1970]

Could have been the ammo. I had some Russian stuff that had about five or six "duds" in a 50 round box. Good, solid primer strikes. Never had any problems with the pistol before or since then.

[paddywagon]

If you ever get a chance to shoot some ammo with cordite you will find that temp is a big deal. Cordite does not like igniting when it gets cold hence warming the ammo up in the vehicle or leaving it warm. This was very common with the old .303 Brit cordite rounds. I do not know if it is an age factor that causesd it or just the nature of the cordite itself.

[SA Friday]

If you ever get a chance to shoot some ammo with cordite you will find that temp is a big deal. Cordite does not like igniting when it gets cold hence warming the ammo up in the vehicle or leaving it warm. This was very common with the old .303 Brit cordite rounds. I do not know if it is an age factor that causesd it or just the nature of the cordite itself.

No disrespect, but this isn't a direct comparison to the question in the OP. Cordite is a secondary explosive and chemically a deflagrating explosive. Primer materials are impact sensitive primary explosives and all of them are salts meant to ignite a secondary material. Basically, you are comparing a blasting cap to C4 at a smaller level.