cold weather reloading

[ds1]

I have had to do some reloading in a cold room - about 0c degrees.

 

Is there any risk of condensation inside the case forming when I take the ammunition somewhere warmer. I know the outside of the case can get condensation (this is not a concern) However does anyone know if the inside of the case will form condensation - the air space inside the case would be cold and the components used were also cold when assembled - everything at about 0c.

 

Trying to work out what happens when a cold object meets warm air (condensation) is making my head hurt.

 

Thanks,

 

David.

[John MH]

I would have thought it unlikely. Most of the air in the case is displaced by the powder charge and any moisture in that small amount of air will probably not have any noticeable effect on your loaded rounds. The moisture content will be dependant on the humidity and whether it comes out will depend on the dew point of the air inside the case; I'd not worry yourself about it.

[ejg223]

Freeze drying!

Might be better, or even dryer than warm air.

 

Warm air can load a high moisture content.

Cold air can't hold as much.

 

I wouldn't worry.

 

As long as you don't take brass out of the freezer into a warm room and load at once...

 

edi

[Ronin]

Simple fact is I have never reloaded in cold air (except that time at Strenla, when it was cool rather than brrr cold)

 

 

 

 

I have loaded in a warm atmosphere (heated by central heating) and then gone outside to shoot minutes later at a friends place where it was just below freezing, there was no notable difference in POI and I didnt notice any condensation outside the case.

 

 

I guess (and this is an assumption) that any moisture will be burnt off at the moment of firing and that the powder will not be affected (to a degree and up to a point anyway) by the added moisture.

 

Yes, sometimes I am a fence sitter

[Alycidon]

I suppose it is possable but I would keep the cases in the warm then take them in 10 at a time and load them. The powder should be pretty well up the case anyway so I cant see any issue doing it like that. Just prime them in the warm first.

 

A

[casts_by_fly]

no, what you're proposing won't happen.

 

Condensation happens when warm moist air interracts with a cold object below the dew point of the warm air. As you said, condensation will form on the outside of the brass because the warm interior air has a dew point above the temp of the loaded rounds. When the warm water vapor hits the cold brass it condenses into liquid water.

 

At the same time on the inside of the cartridge, the air is still about the same temp as it was when you loaded it. The dew point inside the cartridge is below the temperature of the brass (and subsequently the powder). It must be because you just loaded them at the same temp.

 

When you loaded the rounds, the air and powder inside the brass was at a certain temperature (really cold) and humidity. The total moisture content of the air was very low because cold air can't hold that much water. Even if the relative humidity of the cold air was 95%, there still isn't that much water because that 95% is a percent of the potential water vapor capacity of the air. When you warm the cartridges up to room temp, the capacity is much higher so the relative humidity inside the cartridge will go down. This will happen because the cartidge is essentially a sealed system.

 

Long story, but short answer is no, you won't get any condensation inside the cartridges.

 

Now if you loaded them in florida during the summer (35 C and 95% humidity) then went to shoot them in alaska, then you might have to do some more precise calculating.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[ds1]

Thank you evryone for the replies, I`m learning.

 

I thought it would be ok, but I did not understand why. Again thank you,

 

david.