Do you agree? The effects of shooting in the rain ...
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Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Technically, I'm sure that rain hitting a bullet in flight does effect bullet flight. And presumably each bullet fired in the rain would hit rain drops in different ways. However, I have tested this myself over the years and found no noticeable effect on impact. I normally shoot at 400yds and had groups on paper before the rain started and continued to shoot as the rain picked up. I was surprised to see that there were no changes when firing in the rain.
I assume that if you were shooting in a complete deluge that the change in impact would be apparent, but I just wouldn't be shooting targets or game animals in such conditions.
I assume that if you were shooting in a complete deluge that the change in impact would be apparent, but I just wouldn't be shooting targets or game animals in such conditions.
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birddog 68
Well-Known Member
Normal hunting conditions under 400 yards never noticed a difference. 1000 yards, maybe. And that's my vote
Odds are if you didn't get a deviation then you didn't hit a rain drop. You have to think, there is a lot of open space in a rain storm so the odds of you not hitting a rain drop are significantly higher than the odds of you actually hitting one.
That article posted earlier in this thread made it pretty apparent that if you actually hit a drop then the bullet is not going where you aimed.
We shot the NRL Yeti match last year in Nehawka, NE, in pouring rain one day. We were shooting targets out to 1400 yards with sideways rain at times. Most everyone shoots a 6mm of some sort and the only trouble folks had with shooting was laying in 2" of rain and higher chamber pressure due to wet cases. Not a single person mentioned anything about different POI due to rain.
In the Army we shot a lot in the rain as long as it wasn't a torrential downpour and there was no lighting in the area. A M-14 or M-16, like a carbon fiber fishing pole makes a wonderful lightening rod. Anyway shot out to 600 yards in rain heavy enough to cause you to have to blow out the aperture of the rear sight between each shot with no apparent affect on accuracy. As it once was explained to me by a grumpy old Master Sergeant the shock wave in front of the supersonic bullet pushed the rain out of the way as it sped downrange.I just read through all this ... where gurus in Physics argued the same question about the effect of rain on a fired bullet ... I'll spare you the reading, as wow - they fought like anything over the formulas and whether or not mass or momemtum was the most critical component! Assume rain as in good droplets, like those that would sting your face if out on the boat in a good rain storm zooming for home at 40mph ... rain, not a shower, no mist or 'baby' shower here ...
The Effect a Raindrop Has On a Bullet
I had asked a question on the effect Recoil has on a bullet's trajectory and got wonderful help from this site. Thank you! Now I have another question... I used to think rain had no effect on a bullet until I realized I wasn't actually hitting any raindrops, when I started hitting them, I...www.physicsforums.com
Setup
Rifle: Howa 1500 in 30-06 cartridge
Load: Hornady 150gr FMJ, 2600fps, Varget 46.6gr, CCI 200 primer, Winchester case
Range: 300-yards, Water dropper devise placed 260-yards from target
Shots:
Shots 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9; hit water drops (verified by video), making an 8" group.
Shots 1, 2, 7, and 10; did not hit drops, making a 1.5" group.
Conclusion
The group shot that hit water drops was over 5 times the size of the group that didn't.
Don't know how true it is, but it seemed to make sense and I've never had normal rain affect my shooting, at least out to 600 yrds.
I read a study about 20 years ago (researching after I killed that dear in a heavy downpour) that said there is a "wave" in front of the bullet that pushes the rain out of the way. The way the info was presented made it sound logical.
del2les
Well-Known Member
My answer- It depends.
When I lived in the Southern US, we shot a lot in the rain. Everything from BR, Nat'l Match, hunting, small bore, etc. There were days when there was no appreciable impacts, but on other days and every so often, a flier would appear. Thus, it is my humble opinion that most of the time and depending on range, etc, it has little to no impact, BUT it is not zero.
When I lived in the Southern US, we shot a lot in the rain. Everything from BR, Nat'l Match, hunting, small bore, etc. There were days when there was no appreciable impacts, but on other days and every so often, a flier would appear. Thus, it is my humble opinion that most of the time and depending on range, etc, it has little to no impact, BUT it is not zero.
WiscGunner
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Can you share the video? That would be interesting to see.I just read through all this ... where gurus in Physics argued the same question about the effect of rain on a fired bullet ... I'll spare you the reading, as wow - they fought like anything over the formulas and whether or not mass or momemtum was the most critical component! Assume rain as in good droplets, like those that would sting your face if out on the boat in a good rain storm zooming for home at 40mph ... rain, not a shower, no mist or 'baby' shower here ...
The Effect a Raindrop Has On a Bullet
I had asked a question on the effect Recoil has on a bullet's trajectory and got wonderful help from this site. Thank you! Now I have another question... I used to think rain had no effect on a bullet until I realized I wasn't actually hitting any raindrops, when I started hitting them, I...
Setup
Rifle: Howa 1500 in 30-06 cartridge
Load: Hornady 150gr FMJ, 2600fps, Varget 46.6gr, CCI 200 primer, Winchester case
Range: 300-yards, Water dropper devise placed 260-yards from target
Shots:
Shots 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9; hit water drops (verified by video), making an 8" group.
Shots 1, 2, 7, and 10; did not hit drops, making a 1.5" group.
Conclusion
The group shot that hit water drops was over 5 times the size of the group that didn't.
Rain has never hindered my bullet flight personally although it has raised my velocity/pressure with wet chamber and a wet barrel will behave differently so tape my muzzle and wet optics obstruct /change the view of the target. The tape doesn't affect the bullet trajectory as gas moves it out of the way before the bullet.
I suppose there would be more derailment of trajectory on a subsonic .177 projectile than a supersonic heavy rifle bullet as but I have never had an issue with rain like with grass. The impact would have to be early to have much effect at distance just like wind.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Odds are that shooting bullets at 400yds in the rain would result in MANY hits on drops, glancing or otherwise. I'll add that it wasn't just once that I tested this out but on numerous occasions when it started to rain while I was already shooting at the bench. All of my groups were at 400yds.
While others may have seen something different, I stated what MY observations have been. I'm not skilled enough to shoot between drops over 1/4 mile.
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If a raindrop hits the bullet just before it (the bullet) hits the target then you wouldn't see a difference. If the raindrop contacts the bullet close to the muzzle then you might expect a bigger difference downrange. What happens in between, well... it depends; some bullets get lucky and avoid all the raindrops.
Mike Matteson
Well-Known Member
I find it interesting and enlightening at the same time. I hadn't given it much thought in the pass, but have hunted in rainy weather several times. I just dress for it, and have gear with me to stay dry. I will kept it in mind when the that times comes around again.
What about snow?
What about snow?
OldElkHunter1961
Well-Known Member
I can only offer my anecdotal experience, no double blind peer reviewed studies. Yes, I know; woefully inadequate for the collection of scientists gathered here...
The only negative affects I've seen personally have been on the formulas weakest link: the humans holding the rifle.
Perhaps we should try with monkeys on the firing line in the rain to eliminate that variable?
The only negative affects I've seen personally have been on the formulas weakest link: the humans holding the rifle.
Perhaps we should try with monkeys on the firing line in the rain to eliminate that variable?
Citified
Well-Known Member
My experience is comparable to what Teri Anne posted. I always thought the pressure wave deflected the rain. Just my experience and I like shooting in the rain.
