Wind Drift

[tikkaT3]

If two bullets of different calibers and weight are fired at the same muzzel velocity in a 10 mph cross wind will they impact a target in the same spot ?

[Dave King]

I believe you're roundabout asking if they had the same Ballistic Coefficient would they fly the same (or very similar). The answer is that caliber and weight don't matter too much if the bullet is of the same shape and launched at the same speed.

Weight alone does not make a bullet less or more affected by wind.

A big log and a small log both drift essentially the same in the current of a stream so long as they both are free floating and have the same sail area (amount above the surface). What matters is the amount of time differential of the two in the current (either wind or water).

[tikkaT3]

Thanks I have been having this discustion for some time. Why is it said get a heavier bullet to buck the wind? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[winmagman]

As a general rule heavier for caliber bullets have a higher B.C. thus less wind drift.

Chris

[Fiftydriver]

A more correct comment would be get a longer bullet to buck the wind better.

There are alot of things that need to be combined to get high BC to reduce wind drift. Bullet ogive is critical, bullet meplate diameter is important as is base design.

Its a pretty broad statement to say the heavier bullets buck the wind better and in some case not true at all. Compare a 220 gr Hornady 30 cal round nose to a 200 gr SMK and see which one is blown more by the wind. It will be the heavier round nose that gets blown around more.

But, if you take two bullets of the same basic design, a longer, in most cases heavier bullet will be more ballistically efficent. Again, not because of the added weight but the added length of the bullet given similiar designes are compared.

Kirby Allen(50)

[meichele]

In reality, it gets complicated. Some other factors of wind drift are when and if the bullet goes to sleep. A good stable bullet that is put too sleep sooner than later generally will have a bit less drift than it "should".

Windage isnt nearly as cut and dried as bullet drop.

[tikkaT3]

Thanks for the help you helped clear up something that was messing with my mind. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]