Quote from: hunter177 on February 08, 2011, 06:29:26 PM
Here in PA the temperature during Spring Gobbler is usually between 45-75 degrees. If I pattern my gun now when the temp is 35, will the warmer temps during the season affect my pattern? Will it open up, tighten, or stay the same? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
The short answer is yes, your patterns will be effected by warmer weather, all other things being equal. Air density increases as temperatures drop. Dense air will disrupt the pattern. Your patterns should be better as the air temperature increases, sometimes dramatically better.
Conversely, those great patterns that we sometimes see shot in the middle of the summer, will not look the same when temperatures drop into the 30s or 40s.
Studies done years ago by the engineers at Olin/Winchester also demonstrated that shot had less penetration as temperatures dropped.
That's one reason it's good to pattern your gun in temperatures similar to those you encounter when and where you hunt.
Thanks,
Clark
