Something else that's been mentioned numerous times is that in order to know absolutely what your gun and load will do is to get out there during the off season and shoot it at temperatures you may have concerns over. Two guns, even of the same caliber and manufacturer, using identical loads can hand you very different results. You may find something while shooting in the cold that needs to be tweaked in order to be hunting ready so be sure you hit the range and proof everything. For me the final test prior to hunting is to take the gun, loaded on a primer fouled clean barrel, to the range after its sat overnight in a cold vehicle. The only shot I take is the same shot that I'd take at an animal. If everything comes together to put that only shot exactly where you were aiming, then the gun and you are ready to hunt. I do this with every gun that may, or may not, go to the field with me. There is no more sickening sound than a "pop" right under one's nose and no recoil that follows when the sights are dead on, on a deer. Or elk. Or any animal that was targeted as a taker.
