I know the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle family has a few unique features that help it perform better in arctic conditions. for instance the bolt has tiny grooves etched in it to help with cycling the bolt (problems arose when to bolt would freeze shut in extreme cold weather) it is also fitted with larger than normal hardware.

From Wikipedia: The rifle now featured special de-icing features allowing it to be used effectively at temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40.0 °F). The stockhole, bolt, magazine release and trigger guard on the AW are large enough to facilitate use with heavy Arctic mittens.

other than the hard ware of the rifle needing to be a little different, when firing from long ranges the bullet behaves differently. factors may include Air density, bullet temperature, and probably taking a cold bore shot i believe would be much different.

I'm no sniper, just an enthusiast, so don't hang on my words. good luck with the book.

 

Cold weather at that extreme can certianly have an effect on both the mechanical operation of the rifle and the bullet flight.

Rifles with tight tolerances and very smooth surface connections between components can easily freeze together, AI placed those groves, and in fact looser tolerances, for just that reason. It makes freezing less likely and easier to break loose when it does occur. Which it will even if you weren't a sniper laying around in the snow all of the time because of blowing snow, freezing condensation and what-have-you.

Also extremely cold air is less dense which causes a bullet to travel faster that it would in warmer air. That in turn would cause the bullet's POI to be a little higher that it would be zero for a warmer climate. The thinner air of higher elevations would cause a similar effect.

 

..Also extremely cold air is less dense which causes a bullet to travel faster that it would in warmer air. That in turn would cause the bullet's POI to be a little higher that it would be zero for a warmer climate. The thinner air of higher elevations would cause a similar effect.

You got that backward. Cold air is more dense.

 

Oops. How more molecular movement making them further apart.

 

Thank you, that's exactly the information I was looking for.

 

Another issue:
Moving from cold air to an indoor atmosphere around here(OH) will cause moisture in the air to condense on the rifle and optics. I wonder what the humidity is inside building in the ant/arctic?
I always keep mine cased for at least 12 hours to allow it to warm slowly so as not to have the issue. I am only dealing with 18 to 25 degree temps here. Today the outside humidity was 51%.
Taking it back outside after exposing it to the indoor climate could expose it to high levels of moisture ready to freeze.
I'ld be interested in the book when it's out.

 

I understand that durring the "Winter War" the Finns were mixing gasoline with the oil used to lubricate their rifles to keep the actions from freezing up (the Russians may have been doing the same... I dont' remember). Both sides were using Mosin Nagants which are definately far from tight tollerances.

 

I remember reading that during the Korean War, In the winter, the GI's would always leave their weapons outside rather than bring them inside with them to warm up, or they would condensate and then freeze as soon as they walked back out.

 

Do most sniper rifles fire normally regardless of temperature, and are there any specific rifles that are designed for cold-weather use?

Thanks for your help.

From my experience my rifles shoot fine in the bitter cold. Up here where I live you get used to shooting in the winter or its a long 6 months off. I have not shot in -30 celcius but its been close.

These pics were taken on a -14 celcius day.

 

From my experience my rifles shoot fine in the bitter cold. Up here where I live you get used to shooting in the winter or its a long 6 months off. I have not shot in -30 celcius but its been close.

These pics were taken on a -14 celcius day.

nice range there dude. how far out does it go?

 

nice range there dude. how far out does it go?

max distance is 560 yards

 

wish i had that out my back door 8)