# Wind Effect on Small Centerfire Bullets?



## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

I've been checking out the Ruger .204 a bit and looked at a couple of nice .17 Remingtons lately too. 
My question is, do you think wind drift can be overcome by shear velocity?

I've read about this concerning the .17 Rem., and there isn't a doubt in my mind that wind does effect bullets at extened ranges. But I've also read, the other side I guess, that the .17 shoots so fast that wind drift is negated to some degree by the velocity at which the slug is traveling.
I don't know about this, but I would think that many of the same issues would come into play for the .204 as well.

Any thoughs or experience in shooting in windy conditions?

Good shooting,
Dan


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## ndm (Jul 22, 2007)

No sheer velocity can't overcome wind. Most centerfire calibers drift between five and ten inches at 300 yards in a 10 mph cross wind. 20 mph wind the drift is greater.

Limit your shooting distance on windy days regardless of what you are shooting if you want to make a clean humane kill.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Learning to dope the wind is a very inexact science. Better to limit your shots.


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## DuaneinND (Jan 22, 2005)

Sheer velocity does not "overcome" wind drift, but time of flight limits the effect of the wind on the projectile.
The other factor in the equation to remember is that small fast projectiles lose velocity faster than slower moving heavier ones.
I have chronographed through 2 machines with 1 at the muzzle and the other at 100 yards. We shot a 36gr 22 caliber bullet at 4000fps and an 80gr 22 cal at 3400fps. When the bullets reached 100 yards both were traveling at 3200fps. A 20% loss versus a 6%.
Another interesting thing about actual wind drift in the field is that it makes a difference on the wind direction versus the rifling twist.
We shot a 17 remington (right hand twist) with factory ammo in a 20mph wind. Shooting east ( twist with the wind) with a north wind the bullet was moved around anywhere from 12 to 18". Switching and shooting west (twist against the wind) the same bullet was within 4-8" of the point of aim.
Head winds and tail winds will cause a bullet to either rise or sink and can vary from shot to shot. As mentioned doping the wind is a guessing game, but with wind flags and practice many benchrest shooters seem to have a very good ability to figure how the bullet will be affected.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Dan, the simple answer is that wind drift is directly relative to time of flight...all else being equal. As fas I know there are only three ways to reduce the effect wind can have on an object....increase the object's mass, decrease it's surface area WITHOUT reducing it's mass, or decrease the time it can be acted upon. The experts have found many ways to enhance a bullet's ablity to "beat" the wind, such as VLD ogives and boattails, but in my mind those changes work for the same reason a .22/250 shoots "flatter" than a .223......the bullet simply gets there sooner. In the case of the .22/250 because it's shot faster, and in the case of the particular bullet shape because it retains it's velocity better.

Duane brings up an interesting point about whether or not the rotational force of a bullet can affect it's drift. It's well documented that the gyroscopic effect of a bullet's rotation is a variable that does affect the bullet's travel, but I can't think of any explanation of how it could affect wind drift like that....not to that extent. But Duane's a smart guy and I believe his tests, so I would love to hear more details.

By the way...great name! Bet the women love you! :wink:

Dan


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