How much wind does it take?

[86alaskan]

Ok, ran into a bit of trouble today, and I was embarrassed. So, had the 25-06 shooting today out to 500 to work out some drops. Worked my way back from 100-100 yds at a time. Dead on at each until 500, where it when to total SH!T. My last shooting position was at the farm house between 2 buildings, and unbeknownst to me, there was a 8-9mph 9 to 3 cross wind about 10yds in front of me. Apparently it doesn't take a constant 500yds of 8-9mph wind to blow you off target.

My question is this, how much wind can you shoot through before it matters. In this case I'd guess about 75yds worth of the bullet path was being impacted by this wind. The rest was virtually wind free or a slight headwind. I gathered that I was off of my 12in plate about 6-8in at 500 from a center hold. Elevation was on spot. Does it take 10yds of wind? 20yds? Also, if the wind had been steady 9-3 for 500yds, would it have still only drifted 2.8MOA? That was the solution from shooter app.

 

[learning]

Wind at the muzzle will effect you more than at target because it can change the direction the bullet travels if that makes sense.

 

[Joefrazell]

You also have a very small amount of spin drift at 500 yards that will throw right. Also, we're you using a reticle level?

 

[Joefrazell]

Wind at the muzzle will effect you more than at target because it can change the direction the bullet travels if that makes sense.

Ive always been taught that wind will effect your bullet more at the target because the bullet is moving slower and therefore is effected by it longer. Simply put the bullets being pushed longer.

 

[learning]

Wind at the muzzle will have a greater affect from what I've seen.

 

[86alaskan]

Was using a vortex GE on 40x well adjusted for parallax and very level. My dad is on the same boat with the close range wind causing more issues then the farther away wind. I can get behind the idea that the shove right at the beginning can cause on overall path shift rather than a gentle curved drift of a constant wind downrange.

 

[Joefrazell]

Was using a vortex GE on 40x well adjusted for parallax and very level. My dad is on the same boat with the close range wind causing more issues then the farther away wind. I can get behind the idea that the shove right at the beginning can cause on overall path shift rather than a gentle curved drift of a constant wind downrange.

Yeah I can see it causing alot of effect. If it blows it off 1 moa to 100 then your shot will be off 1 moa at 500 as well. But, it should be off 1 moa at all distances. I think the effect the wind is really subject to where the wind is. the way I've been taught is that the wind halfway to the target and further will have more effect then wind halfway and closer. That first 100 yards the bullet is bucking wind pretty well because its moving around 3000 fps.

 

[Plinker147]

The wind is a time of flight thing for bullets. The longer time the bullet is in the air the more wind affects the bullet path. Thus the further distance shots, the more the bullet is affected by wind . The higher the BC bullet and weight of bullet, the better the bullet bucks the wind.

25-06 115 bullets have around a .450 BC. So they will get pushed around by wind rather easy

 

[Zen Archery]

How much wind? Depends on the caliber, bullet and environmental conditions of the day. Every combo. will eventually have its short comings.
My advice is to contact a bullet company you trust (assuming you handload) seek out the professionals advice on reaching out to the distances you want to achieve and they'll get you their much faster.

 

[86alaskan]

Thanks for the tips. I've had plenty practice at this spot at this distance, but I've never encountered the wind blowing that hard from that direction. The normal wind is 5mph from 1 o'clock, so I only ever had to hold just a bit for wind if any at all. I actually hope it blows this way again so I can get it figured out.

 

[Canhunter35]

This confuses me a bit. Is there trees and shelter that you know it was blowing in front of you but not closer to the target? How to you know it wasn't blowing 20mph at the target? Do you have wind flags at intervals. Just trying to understand everything before I put my two cents in.
It was off 12" at 500...that's about 2.4moa so it lines up with what you describe the wind as doing.
I've shot my .257 at half a mile, even if you think there's no wind because it's only 2mph and you can't feel it doesn't mean it's not there and you still have to hold for it at long range especially with wind sensitive bullets.
Just giving an example but I'm trying to understand how u were doping the wind

 

[86alaskan]

It's hard to describe, but the targets are at the bottom of a hill/ridge line. Ridge is on the right, I shoot diagonally from the top crossing the field hill side to the bottom where the targets are at 500yds. probably a good 50-75 ft from the top of the hill to the target location. the bottom of the hill on the left side has large mature trees lining the field side protecting from any real wind from about 200-500yds. that first 200 has no shelter and line of flight has the bullet at or near the hill top level. I was in between 2 buildings that completely sheltered me from the wind, and I came to my unfortunate conclusion when I walked out past them and was hit by the 8mph breeze. My dope was 8.3MOA up and would've been 2.4moa for that wind, had I known it was there. no flags yet, they're going up before I shoot there next weekend. the wind usually blows along the hill top and into my face. this was a first for that wind direction while shooting.

 

[foggy]

The wind that impacts the bullet at the start of its travel, as it leaves the barrel, doesn't have to push that bullet much at all, but a tiny amount at the muzzle pushes the pellet for its whole travel, flight time. whereas the wind at 450 yards can only affect the bullet in the last 50 yards. imagine a gust at the muzzle of 20 mph for only a split second as the bullet leave, it affects the whole flight time of the bullet to the target, the split second wind at 450 yards only affects it in its last 50 yards...

Hope that makes sense,,,, it did to me Ha Ha ...

 

[Canhunter35]

I agree, that gust of wind pushed your bullet off course, plus even in shelter you will be getting some wind while reduced it will still affect the bullets flight