Lapua Polar Biathlon in the cold.

[orkan]

Had one of my TS Customs 40X repeaters out in the snow the other morning for some quick ammo testing. I got a new lot of polar biathlon and it was shooting really well, so I figured I'd share a bit. With the new Zermatt Arms RimX action being released right now, it makes me very happy to see a full-fledged 700-format repeater with all the right features, and the awesome team at Zermatt to support it! ⠀
⠀
Until those RimX's hit the supply chain, I'm quite happy shooting my full custom 40x repeaters, made possible by the collaboration of my friend Wayne, and my friend Travis at TS Customs. There will likely never be another made, but they represent something very special during a time when options were quite limited. Now with the RimX and Bergara B14R showing up... the world is our oyster as 22lr shooters!
⠀
This rifle sports a custom inlet McMillan A3A Edge carbon fiber stock with all the trimmings. Timney 517 trigger with custom bottom metal. The barrel is a 16.5" Benchmark 3-groove 16.5 twist #3 contour. The custom matching cerakote TBAC 22 Takedown keeps the critters calm. It's wearing an early model 3-12 bushnell FFP mil optic. Atlas bipod out front and TAB Gear in the rear. This sporter setup is really handy and it's nice to be able to carry a pocket full of small and cheap marlin magazines with rounds at the ready. ⠀
⠀
Today it was snowing and gusting 8-20mph. Not exactly excellent 22lr weather, but I wanted to demonstrate just how awesome Lapua Polar Biathlon is when the thermometer drops down below freezing. That breeze gets mighty cold out here on the open prairie. Have a look at that group! Shot about half a dozen that look similar to that. Some a little smaller, some a little bigger, but all quite good considering the weather. Really had to rock and roll to stay on top of the condition, otherwise the groups suffered due to the gusty winds. ⠀





Couple groups pictured here. 5-shots each at 50yds. The one shot during the video is the smaller of the two by a smidgen. Tough shooting for sure, but the polar biathlon was working very well in the 15 degree temperatures. Significantly better than center-x or midas+. Moral of the story is; if you're not shooting polar biathlon when it's below 50f, you're missing out!

 

[mercracing]

@Geno C.

 

[Geno C.]

I’ve tried PB and it is definitely better for colder weather than most others.

Recently had a lot of Wolf ME that shot sub moa at 90 yards with ease from inside a 68 degree house. Took it out in 40 degrees and it was closer to 1.75 moa at 100.

Had a lot of SK standard+ years ago that would outshoot anything in any weather no matter how much I tried to buy smaller groups. Sadly I think I only have a couple boxes of that ammo left

 

[Merlin O]

Good shooting in any weather!

 

[steve123]

Yep, that's what I shoot in my 1827F, good stuff in the summer too.

 

[Rover31]

To clarify your test, What was the actual temp?

Then what I have learned.
as the cold weather ammo does shoot better in the cold than non biathlon ammo that I agree... to a small extent. Most likely it is not the ammo but the barrel.

My suggestion, test the different ammo at the same temps in the same gun.
More likely you will see all ammo groups degrade at colder temps in said rifle.

I have extensively done this test.
My daughter was have problems in cold temps with one of her Biathlon rifles. Over the course of a month two winters ago. I did testing with 4 different ammos in 3 different temp ranges. I also took a few of my regular 22s along for the test. It was impressive what cold temps can do to individual rifle grouping.
Her Anschutz had no effect by temp. As one would expect with high quality ammo it shot smaller groups. And Polar was no different than say an equivalent price ammo. The Izhmash rifles well let’s just say it was interesting... one shot great no matter the temp, the other not so much. She no longer has the finicky one!

Btw Polar is not the same quality as center-x. Biathlon, sorry to dispel rumor, is not a small group competition. It helps but is not the goal.

The Ruger RPR and one of the Savages shot poorly in temps below 15-18f. No matter the ammo. Once the temp was above that they came back to life. Another Savage shot great in cold or above, with all ammo along with the Vudoo.

Little long winded and not meant to disagree with the op but just to share what I have learned.
My experience shows that test your rifle and ammo in all temps. Make notes, record all the data and you may come up with interesting results I know I learned a ton doing that.

 

[Merlin O]

Maybe cryogenic barrel treatments are the answer?

 

[Geno C.]

Maybe cryogenic barrel treatments are the answer?

No

 

[Merlin O]

No

Convincing argument for sure!

 

[orkan]

To clarify your test, What was the actual temp?

Then what I have learned.
as the cold weather ammo does shoot better in the cold than non biathlon ammo that I agree... to a small extent. Most likely it is not the ammo but the barrel.

My suggestion, test the different ammo at the same temps in the same gun.
More likely you will see all ammo groups degrade at colder temps in said rifle.

I have extensively done this test.
My daughter was have problems in cold temps with one of her Biathlon rifles. Over the course of a month two winters ago. I did testing with 4 different ammos in 3 different temp ranges. I also took a few of my regular 22s along for the test. It was impressive what cold temps can do to individual rifle grouping.
Her Anschutz had no effect by temp. As one would expect with high quality ammo it shot smaller groups. And Polar was no different than say an equivalent price ammo. The Izhmash rifles well let’s just say it was interesting... one shot great no matter the temp, the other not so much. She no longer has the finicky one!

Btw Polar is not the same quality as center-x. Biathlon, sorry to dispel rumor, is not a small group competition. It helps but is not the goal.

The Ruger RPR and one of the Savages shot poorly in temps below 15-18f. No matter the ammo. Once the temp was above that they came back to life. Another Savage shot great in cold or above, with all ammo along with the Vudoo.

Little long winded and not meant to disagree with the op but just to share what I have learned.
My experience shows that test your rifle and ammo in all temps. Make notes, record all the data and you may come up with interesting results I know I learned a ton doing that.

Actual air temp was 22-25'ish F.

My little test here was not meant to prove or disprove anything. Rather it was simply to show that polar biathlon will tend to group quite well in cold temps. That same day, I fired several groups of Midas+ and Center-X, all did at least 1/4" to 3/8" worse than the polar biathlon. During warm temps, this rifle will shoot both of those types of ammo every bit as good as evidenced by the polar biathlon. I've spent quite a lot of time in past winters with several of my high end 22lr rifles, and have witnessed the same conclusion. Polar biathlon shoots better in the cold than all of the rest.

I don't often trouble myself with the problems lesser rifles exhibit... because I've long since lost the patience to accept any of it. So while I don't doubt cold weather will affect poorly constructed rifles, I spend as little time as possible considering those lesser rifles and tailor my content to an audience that are spending their time shooting rifles that do not require a rifle smiths attention.

Regarding your comment on polar biathlon not being the same quality as center-x, and not being a small group competition... I am not following you at all. In my experience, polar biathlon will often shoot every bit as good as center-x and midas+ in any condition.

 

[Geno C.]

Convincing argument for sure!

Cryo treated barrels are nothing new. It won’t do anything for 22 ammo being shot in the cold. I have 2 rock creek 22 barrels that easily prove that. As temp goes down, no matter what you try and do to the grain structure of the steel, it just doesn’t change.

 

[Merlin O]

Cryo treated barrels are nothing new. It won’t do anything for 22 ammo being shot in the cold. I have 2 rock creek 22 barrels that easily prove that. As temp goes down, no matter what you try and do to the grain structure of the steel, it just doesn’t change.

Does this prove that cryo is not going to change a cheaper barrel or that you started with a damned good barrel which already had stable properties?

Don't know - just ... ahh. don't know. If a barrel shoots different at different temperatures, as a unschooled know nothing, I would guess that the temperature is affecting/stressing the steel somehow. I thought cryo minimized changes due to temperature.

I am definitely not an expert and will concede the point. It just (seemed) to make sense to me.

 

[Rover31]

@orkan
The Lapua folks have communicated in the past that the biathlon ammos are not at the same level of “quality” as the Center-x or especially the Midas. Those ammos are designed for bench rest type demands not biathlon.
As I poorly stated above biathlon is not a “group” based ammunition. Rather they want it to function in the cold and under less than optimal conditions. Accuracy is of course demanded but not to the same standards.

I totally get you on the lesser quality rifles I have become the same way. If we want performance why would we waste our time with lesser quality!

If you take center-x, Midas and polar out and test in say three temp ranges say, 10f, 35f and 80f do you get one better than the other In all conditions? Or do you get different results each time?

I find I get different results with Temps to some degree. And as you observe lesser quality firearms show greater differences.

 

[Geno C.]

Does this prove that cryo is not going to change a cheaper barrel or that you started with a damned good barrel which already had stable properties?

Don't know - just ... ahh. don't know. If a barrel shoots different at different temperatures, as a unschooled know nothing, I would guess that the temperature is affecting/stressing the steel somehow. I thought cryo minimized changes due to temperature.

I am definitely not an expert and will concede the point. It just (seemed) to make sense to me.

The barrel temp changing isn’t what’s causing the problem. It’s the ammo being cold

 

[PAYDIRT]

The barrel temp changing isn’t what’s causing the problem. It’s the ammo being cold

After 2 "warm up" shots my rifle settles down, but gets even better with warm ammo. I always thought it could be that the wax inside the bore was cold as well as the wax on the ammo.

 

[orkan]

If you take center-x, Midas and polar out and test in say three temp ranges say, 10f, 35f and 80f do you get one better than the other In all conditions?

Every single time I have tested 22lr ammo in freezing (32f or lower) conditions, polar biathlon has shot better than center-x, midas+, eley match, and RWS R50.

Every time, every rifle.

Thinking back on it... I've seen abnormal flyers and more sporadic behavior from the "normal" target ammo at temps as high as 55f. Seems like all that ammo can be genuinely relied on above that temp... but these days if it is 50f or lower, I'm grabbing polar biathlon. When there's a wet cold or something in the air... polar biathlon seems to perform better on a consistent basis. Even on days when its 50f, but it's just got that bitter wet chill to the air...

Upon close inspection, you can see the bullet on the polar biathlon is a different shape than "normal." Not sure if this was done to facilitate feeding in poor conditions, or is optimized for flight in dense cold air. Either way, if you look... you'll see it.

 

[Rover31]

Well, I would stick with what works for ya.
Results may vary.
And yes the nose is designed for feeding, so I have been told...

 

[Starbuck]

My experience is that since PB has a dry lube, as opposed to the greasy lube on CX and Midas (and other brands of match ammo), this facilitates the better performance of PB in the cold. The greasy lube on CX and Midas becomes thicker in the cold, compromising accuracy somehow, or at least requiring an up elevation adjustment.

In 80F+ weather, on the other hand, as the greasy lube in CX and Midas warms up, I then have feeding issues in semis such as my JP-22 and my VQ-22 . PB - in the warm weather - feeds like a champ in a .22 semi, and is 1 MOA accurate at 50-100y in my rifles, and opens up a little at 200, and I call it good.

For you scientists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity

Hope this helps.

 

[Tomiboy]

My CZ 452 and Tikka T1X both shoot SK's PB sport better than most anything, no mater what the weather