"But below freezing, the air gets very dry, and patterns improve.".......................................................................................... my data does not show this to be the case with my 16 gauge 42 inch barreled chambers shotgun.. .... the cold air in our homes finds its way down the steps and into the basement (with the same humidity throuout the house) becouse the cold air is heavier. the heavier cold air is the more dence.. these patterns loads im going to list here very greatly, as i was researching different loads for different types and sizes of shot for different temperatures, trying to achieve the best patterns possible..... patterns are at 40 yards in a 30 inch circle cylinder bore , i put every pattern that i could find that had data that pertained to the variance of temperature,without buffer and cups,, leaving none out that did not support my argument.... .............12-9-2000, 6-10 degrees, 5 patterns using lead and bismuth average 25 percent.......... 2-10 2001, 25-28 degrees nickleplated lead shot, 4 paterns 31 percent........ 2-5-2001, 45 degrees 4 patterns 44 percent...........12 30-2000, 33-38 degrees 4 patterns using 7 1/2 lead shot 22 percent........12-16-2000, 0 degrees, using number four bismuth 3 patterns yeild 16 percent average..........9-3-2001- 80-90 degrees one pattern using number 8 nickle plated lead shot 41 percent..........number 5 nickl plated shot, undated pattern 52 percent,,........undated load, 80 degrees,number 8 shot 41 percent pattern........ the last undated patterns are listed as best loads in my field data log that i use at these temperatures, and are unusually good and not average for a normal data curve. none of these patterns in themselves mean nothing, but they do show the trend that colder weather without using buffer or shotcups in these loads do suffer greatly the colder the weather.. most of my loads below freezing for hunting use buffer and shotcups, but some days shooting differnt powder loads with up to 10-15 patterns (each day) i would include several non cupped and unbuffered loads for a balanced data sheet.... the cold weather problem was definitly apparent shooting clays and ducks in cold weather, of course they are both tougher in cold weather and the loads are slower, (but loads can be compensated with more and faster powder).. but to continue i would not shoot clays in cold weather without buffer and cups at anything but short distance compared to summer where i dont use cups and buffer as i dont find it nesesary unless i was tryiing to shoot long distance.. .... dave..
