Science this 200 yard shot anomaly

[25WSM]

That video is super cool. Now I need to know how slow a Rim fire has to go to not have the supersonic air coming off in the vertical plane. Shep

 

[theosmithjr]

I have watched a .308 call bullet travel from within about 10 yards in front of the muzzle to about 80 yards out with my bare eye. The bullet left the muzzle @ a little over 2900 fps. Same day same time I saw about 4 of them . Tried to catch it on camera but could not. The sun was going down and we were shooting at a slight angle to it, but toward it. Why was I able to see it? The angle was perfect so the sun was flashing off it as it went.

Have not seen it again.

I too have seen this MANY TIMES over the years Groundhog hunting late evenings. I've seen it again on EXTREME LONG SHOTS thru the Spotting scope as well, and with multiple calibers.
Theosmithjr

 

[djm670]

Am I seeing this right.. does the water spout happen before the bullet reaches the location of the spout and the piece of wood?

I too have seen this MANY TIMES over the years Groundhog hunting late evenings. I've seen it again on EXTREME LONG SHOTS thru the Spotting scope as well, and with multiple calibers.
Theosmithjr

en

 

[Litehiker]

Same phenomenon as a jet flying very low over water and creating a big "wake" behind it in the water with the air pressure wave following it.

As JBHunter's photo shows, and as we all know, bullets have a supersonic wake. That is what disturbed the water just ahead of the instant of impact.

Eric B.

 

[chickm1]

Competitive long range shooters have seen this before.
Cool to catch it on video.

I don't see a phenomenon. What are you talking about?

 

[MagnumManiac]

The first time I ever saw a bullet in flight with the sun glinting off the base, I was in awe and disbelief as to how slow it looked and whether it was the bullet or not.
For about an hour and a half, every shot was visible from 3 different cal rifles, a 25-06, a 300WM and a 338WM.

Cheers.

 

[Toolhand]

Looks like the bullet skips off the water to me. I too have seen the video where a 50 bmg passes through a house of cards without disturbing them so hard for me to believe that the bullet caused a wake in the water. A jet actually has engines that are putting off thrust causing the disturbance, or am I looking at this totally wrong.

 

[25WSM]

A very low to the water jet is in the ground effect range. Once a plane is low to the ground the air between the wings and surface compress and provides more lift. On water the pressure displaces the water thus creating the tunneling effect. The spray out the back is caused by thrust from the engines blowing disturbed water. So if you look at a bullet and compare it to a wing it would be a symmetrical wing. That's the kind of wing on fast performance planes and jets because it has less drag. So as the bullet gets close to the water it's basically in the ground effect pushing the water down. The force coming off a wing is the Bernoullis principle. I would assume bullets have the same effects on them as wings. Full disclosure I am not an aeronautical engineer. But this is my best guess. Shep

 

[Don A Parsons]

Big white target, rainy day, distance between you and target.

Watch bullet fly down range,,,, call the shot before it hits the target.

Sounds simple to me. Ha

 

[Mustang72]

We aren't watching a 300 or 338 wm or a lowly 50 bmg. We are watching a 6.5 creedmore!!!! Don't try to understand or explain it----- it's just magic!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Deviant]

Neat ain't it.

It is pretty cool.

 

[duke75]

We aren't watching a 300 or 338 wm or a lowly 50 bmg. We are watching a 6.5 creedmore!!!! Don't try to understand or explain it----- it's just magic!!!!!!!!!!

"a lowly 50 bmg". However the 6.5 creedmore, "it's just magic" Please, with all respect have you interest in an ocean front property in Arizona? There are far more calibers that out class the infamous 6.5 creedmore in every respect.

 

[Toolhand]

"a lowly 50 bmg". However the 6.5 creedmore, "it's just magic" Please, with all respect have you interest in an ocean front property in Arizona? There are far more calibers that out class the infamous 6.5 creedmore in every respect.

Pretty sure he was being sarcastic hence why I gave it a like.

 

[J E Custom]

I was looking at the "Second bullet" image and had though it was the vapor trail behind the bullet that appeared to look like another bullet because it was going through the dew point becoming visible.

The camera shutter was another good analogy. notice how it maintained the same distance. I not sure that this distance would not change if it were the camera at different angles.

Maybe some of the ballistic experts on this site will give us the answer.

J E CUSTOM