Shooting in rain.

[loghome]

I was wondering how much difference it makes shooting in rain. I know if it's raining too hard you wouldn't be able to see anyhow. But a lighter rain 500 to 1000 yards. What would that do to the impact of your bullet.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

This subject comes up periodically. I have shot in the rain many times. Typically, it will start raining while I'm at the club which has a full roof and overhang. Just out of curiosity, I have shot groups in the rain right after I completed shooting groups before the rain began.

At 400yds, I could not see the difference in group size or POI. But, as you stated, it's nearly impossible to see any distance in a down pour, and I have not shot in those conditions.

 

[memtb]

Many years ago I read that poi would be a bit higher at distance!

I have no idea whether it's true or how it was determined. Seems improbable to me!

All that said, I would think that in a hard rain the groups would open up a bit! I would think that bullet impact on something (even raindrops) would tend to upset the bullet some! memtb

 

[just_jon]

Effects of Rain on Bullet Trajectory - Guns and Ammo

Does shooting in the rain affect a bullet's trajectory?

www.gunsandammo.com

 

[Beluebow]

At the 2018 NRA Fclass Nationals three 1000yrd Fclass national records were shot in the rain. I'd say it has little to no discernible effects, obviously dependent several factors.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

I've shot a few state level matches in the rain. Never affected POI a bit. When it started raining so hard we couldn't see the targets it just shut us down.

 

[loghome]

Thanks for all the info. I often wondered if it would make a difference or not. Thanks again.

 

[FrogFire7]

I was thinking about this... I'm just spitballing, but how many drops can hit in the same spot? Or rather at what frequency?

If you took a cross section of air one bullet width high over the distance to the target, as wide as your vision, how many drops would be in that 6mm slice of air? How many in that 6mm high and 6mm wide slice of air, if you take the bullet path? (Especially considering your bullet is only in that cross section for a fraction of a second, for most shooting). Rain is coming down fast but nothing compared to your bullet velocity. My assumption is that you are impacting fewer drops than you might think.

Of course, I could be completely wrong, and it's more than I think . Just thinking out loud

 

[crystalgayleguy]

I think the bullet wouldn't even get wet

 

[loghome]

It was raining here all day. And I was getting caught up on so reloading. I was looking out side at It raining and started thinking about that. Just wanted to see what someone else thought about it.

 

[SportsmanCDA]

Living in the Pacific NW, I end up load testing quite a bit in the rain / Springtime. Haven't noticed any difference but that's 100 & 200 yds mostly.
Maybe easier wind calls at distance..?

 

[RidgeTop]

You would have very, very clean bullets.

 

[CA48]

I have seen guys claim that with most cartridges there hasn't been much of a difference until you start shooting faster cartridges. Such as 22-250 with 35gr at 4400fps, or 243 with 58gr, 204 ruger ect. Haven't ever tested my self though

 

[dfanonymous]

It's kinda of a two part answer. As someone said, the bullet wouldn't even get wet at supersonic. It's because at super sonic there's air displacement from the shock wave of the projectile.

At super sonic, it's the opposite though I don't know the effects of the rain drop itself.

As far as atmospherics, it's also a yes as it's safe to say humidity is around 60-100%