Maybe more than most guys, I pay attention to what the temp is when I shoot, by the way. It isn’t just the ammunition, either, those single triggers I hate so much come out when I ‘gotta wear gloves, I just got a new stock on the Silver Snipe 12 and the kid and I have been out with it just enough to know the LOP will work much better for both of us. My dad always loaded hot ammunition in that gun, because the squishy Pachmeyer pad he put on it interfered with the inertia single trigger. When the pad got old, and hard, that quit happening. I didn’t put a pad on the new stock.
Historically, I wander out with the ‘snipe during the waning weeks of the Minnesota pheasant season. If it is very cold, and the Vikings are still in the hunt (Pun!) so to speak, I’ve got whatever field pretty much to myself. That circumstance hasn’t occurred for a few years. But, I take it when I can get it. The hunting is tough, but, walking over a slew when it is frozen beats walking around it every time. The birds are spooked by that time of the year, and I load Federal “Pheasants Forever” 1 1/4 oz loads of 5s and 6s in the ‘snipes modified and improved modified 26” barrels.That load might be just outside what the gun was proofed for, as it is standard Italian proof, unlike my BL-3 20 gauge, with superior proof, and 3” chambers.
But, there isn’t a whole lot of shooting at that point in the season. I don’t have enough time left to be concerned about hurting that gun with 1 to perhaps 5 rounds of ammunition in the fall.
Best,
Ted
