Extreme environments make the contact area of armature rail damage during launching of electromagnetic railgun,which will affect emission performance and barrel life. Temperature distribution of pivot rail contact surface can reflect pivot rail contact state,which has an important reference value to improve emission system performance and barrel life. The temperature of pivot rail contact surface and the cooling process of the rail were tested by infrared thermography during launching of electromagnetic railgun,and the test data were obtained. Temperature distribution profiles of pivot rail contact surface were gotten by using finite element method under different time;simulation results and test results were compared and analyzed. The results show that infrared heat imaging technology can be used for temperature detection of railgun pivot rail contact surface,and the simulation results are consistent with test data. Test data has a reference value for sliding electrical contact characteristics research of electromagnetic railgun pivot rail.