What is the prefered thermometer (small, accurate, durable, easy to read, etc) to use. I would like to keep one in my Eagle cheek piece pouch instead of my range bag. Any ideas?

Thanks, Keith

Harbor Freight usually has some little mechanical thermometers for $5.

Just an idea:
you may want to know not only the ambient temperature but the barrel temperature as well.
This requires an external sensor.
The one I use costs about $30.

Digital Infrared thermometers run from about $81 up and work fine if you want to know the temp of a particular surface (see Page 1073 of Enco's 2003 "Big Book").

I don't know if they would fit your need, but to use one you just aim the infrared thermometer at the surface of which you wish to know the temp, and pull the "trigger" of the thermometer.

They are accurate to 2% +/-, and range from 32F to 120 F. A surface temp over the chamber of 120 F is hotter than I care to have my barrels, so that might be enough range for you.

If you need a broader range, look on Page 973. Models there range from -25 F to +750 F, and have an accuracy of +/- 1%, but they start at $174 U.S.

[ 03-21-2003, 02:21: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

The one I mentioned goes up to 700 �Celsius - enough to the melting process of lead (what I did not try yet).
The infrared thing sounds interesting. I was just wondering if glueing thermometer strips to the barrel is a good idea (to get warned when the barrel starts climbing).

Maybe these answers are no more meeting Keith's question as he wants to know the air temperature on the range (in order to decide to take the jacket on/off).

Hi all !
I don't remember the name but years ago I used a sticker on the barrel and one on the stock. they were 2" long and the change of color indicated exact temperature with 2 to 5 � precision..

Hi Edmond - was it ALTEC ?

I remember an ad in Precision Shooting a couple of years ago, and a gun firm bought the system, but I didn't see a barrel with this sticker on it yet.