Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Triple Shock's and Rain

I noticed while hunting in the rain that water will bead up around the grooves of the Triple Shock bullets. Do you think this will cause a pressure spike with the wet bullets?
Thanks

Mike D.

Water on a bullet, or in a barrel causes a pressure drop, not a spike. Flinch

One can spray each bullet with Rain-X and stop the accumulation of moisture. Or, perhaps a bit of furniture or car wax would help. I prefer Turtle Wax. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Barnes bullets deserve carnuba! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

How do you notice water around the rings of the bullets? Are you saying that water is running down your barrel and then sits around your bullet in the chamber? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Uhh...point the barrel downward? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My experience with wet barrels is that it is indeed a pressure "spiker". A few yrs back in Alaska we had 2 solid days of rain. Our float plane operator told us the carribou had not made it to our area yet and he was right. We weren't seeing a darn thing and after hunting in the rain for 2 days I just had to shoot at something. A flowing lilly pad took the brunt of my .340 wby at about 200 yds. That "safe" load I had worked up gave me a sticky bolt and the case showed signs of pressure big time. Actaully I knew the load was stout but it had shown no problems during testing whatsoever in wisconsin 70 degree weather but the wet 50 degree AK weather definately made it "turn the corner".

One reason one shouldn't work up "balls the wall" or "stout" loads, is field conditions often aren't as ideal as working off the bench.

One possibility on the 340 load, is that it was a compressed powder load, and the bullet had moved out of the case enough to increase pressure.

I keep a piece of electrical tape over my muzzle, keeps debri out of the bore. I also have a few raps around the barrel to have it handy to replace after a shot.

Tape is cheap and works EVERY time,which is why I've been fond of the notion for a lonngggggg while...................

I don't hunt anything, anywhere, anytime without tape on the muzzle (including antelope on the high/dry)... chit happens.

The water thing was a lesson learned and tape is part of all my hunting too--especially here in Wisonsin where you get everything from snow to rain.

NOT only is water a pressure spiker but so is excess oil. A few yrs ago we were at my buddy's house shooting over the chrono. The chrono was giving real good reading and another friend shows up with his BAR 30-06 and factory rem 165's. He sits down and before firing says how fast will these be going. I say 2700-2725. First one out of thebarrel lands 3" high and reads 2850. Next one lands a little lower and reads about 2800. Next one lands a little lower yet and settles around 2730 and that's where the rest of them shot.
Back then we were a little more "uneducated" and we thought that the ones were faster because the oil made the barrel "slipperier". But better info later on made us realize that a high pressure bullet does not make a great "squeegie" and we had actually increased pressure to get the extra speed. When I asked him how he stores his gun he said I clean it and "slobber" a bunch of oil down my barrel.

SD300
I have found that even when loading the rifle in the rain or snow, water drops will bead up in the grooves. I have also found that when the rifle is exposed to a torrential rain the cartridges in the magazine will have water in the grooves.

Mike D.

Mike, thanks for bringing the issue up; I'll have to be careful to look for that when I go hunting.

I have a load worked-up with the 168 gr. TSX in my 300WM; I have to seat the bullet fairly long to get close to the lands, therefore I have one grove and part of the next groove exposed in the loaded cartridge. I'll look for moisture around the grooves when I'm hunting next week.