Shooting in the Rain
- Thread starter WildRose
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The fact that the bullet drops when it's pouring down does not mean accuracy falls appart.
For example again when shooting Silhouette a little rain does not matter but during matches in the summer during monsoon season as we call it down here where it pours down hard bullet impact will drop between 4 and 6" at 500m, but knowing this we adjust the scope 5 clicks up and done. During The Nationals in Raton New Mexico a few year ago the sky was falling down hard and sideways due to the wind, to the point we could barely see the rams at 500m, still knocked down 8 out of 10 and the bullets impacted where I pulled the trigger, made the adjustments to the scope before the set started and I was good to go.
Knowing your rifle, scope and ballistics is what matters in situations like this and especially out in the field where an animals life comes in to play.
For example again when shooting Silhouette a little rain does not matter but during matches in the summer during monsoon season as we call it down here where it pours down hard bullet impact will drop between 4 and 6" at 500m, but knowing this we adjust the scope 5 clicks up and done. During The Nationals in Raton New Mexico a few year ago the sky was falling down hard and sideways due to the wind, to the point we could barely see the rams at 500m, still knocked down 8 out of 10 and the bullets impacted where I pulled the trigger, made the adjustments to the scope before the set started and I was good to go.
Knowing your rifle, scope and ballistics is what matters in situations like this and especially out in the field where an animals life comes in to play.
oldpilot
Well-Known Member
I wonder, when I pull the trigger on a rainy day, how many rain drops will be lined up with the curving flight path of my mach three bullet in it's .08 second hundred yard flight? Should I do the probability computations??? Nah, I am just gonna enjoy myself.
High Master
Member
I've had the same experience shooting high power matches in the rain. Never a significant difference. From .223 at 600 yards, or a 6.5-284 or .308 at 1000. The rain never played a big impact on poi. Certainly hard to believe a 2' difference at 100 yards. I've never seen anything close to that at even 1000 yards.I haven't seen any significant changes in impact when raining in competitions or just playing around out to 1000 yards on steel targets. Granted it was not a torrential downpour, but it was a steady rain. Just my experience.....
For as the tape on the muzzle; I plan on doing my own testing on that performance, just haven't got a round tuit yet.
freddiej
Well-Known Member
I have seen those videos, I have been told that no matter what the bullet will deflect and all that happy H/S. well, through the 34 years hunting I have. the rain in Montana, Oregon, Washington State, and Northern California is well, sort of something you deal with. I have seen a bit of a widening of my groups in the rain at the range about 0.25" to 0.37" depending on the round. this is at 300 yards in the covered target holders. yes, there is a noticeable haze on the targets. that could be a little of it.
out in the field I have yet to see any significant deviation of the slugs path to the animal. if there was a slight deviation, the animal never complained nor did I.
JE Customs stated he does a procedure of taping his muzzles. I do to, but I have a different way that has helped me. I might not be in Alaska, I have hunted the whole west coast states along with some other rainy states. I have three ways I tape my muzzles, the first is double thickness of cling wrap taped around the barrel. a little weak for some places but found it perfect in Montana and parts of Idaho. second is fingers cut off nitrile gloves taped to the end of my rifles. this is the best over all set up I know. then the last is acetate packing tape. out of desperation back east I found this worked well in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. I used to put one run of electrical tape side to side in front of the muzzle then a second piece around the muzzle to keep the tape over the muzzle in place and found it never rubbed off. my supply of electrical tape dried up once I was no longer working as a wire monkey.
out in the field I have yet to see any significant deviation of the slugs path to the animal. if there was a slight deviation, the animal never complained nor did I.
JE Customs stated he does a procedure of taping his muzzles. I do to, but I have a different way that has helped me. I might not be in Alaska, I have hunted the whole west coast states along with some other rainy states. I have three ways I tape my muzzles, the first is double thickness of cling wrap taped around the barrel. a little weak for some places but found it perfect in Montana and parts of Idaho. second is fingers cut off nitrile gloves taped to the end of my rifles. this is the best over all set up I know. then the last is acetate packing tape. out of desperation back east I found this worked well in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. I used to put one run of electrical tape side to side in front of the muzzle then a second piece around the muzzle to keep the tape over the muzzle in place and found it never rubbed off. my supply of electrical tape dried up once I was no longer working as a wire monkey.
Lee Goodwin
Well-Known Member
Listen to this guy, LVJ76
I am new to long distance but did shoot 15 rounds kind of F class style at 600 yards and midway thru 15 rounds the rain came down and I think the wind changed with it. I took some pictures and the circled in red were shot during a significant rain.
Attachments
Please don't take this the wrong way...but based on the target and previous shots, I'm not sure your load is capable of showing much of anything based on environmental changes.Not much accuracy or precision going on there. Not being disrespectful.
Lee Goodwin
Well-Known Member
That's 600 yards dude....let's see your 600 yard groupings...
basinman
Well-Known Member
The study I saw done on raindrops affecting accuracy did show that it would yaw the bullet if it was struck by a drop. However, they also mentioned that the odds of hitting a drop were very very small.
cohunt
Well-Known Member
I knew beluebows comment would start this---saw it coming
it might help him out if you told him how large that target actually is or how large the grouping is--if its a 18" target then it would be about a 8-9" grouping, if its only 12" target then its would be closer to 5.5" group, if its an 8" target then its only about 3.5"
if that is an official MR-1 600 yard NRA target then the X ring alone is 6" in diameter
but if its an MR-1FC target then the X ring is only 3"
also you said you shot 15 rounds but there are 22 "X's" on your target-- kind of confusing--you also stated that the wind changed with the rain, could you tell if your POI shift was due to wind or rain?
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High Master
Member
Not bashing, but Beluebow is correct. You stated you are new to long range and maybe this was your first F Class match. Everyone has to start somewhere. Maybe you aren't aware what the rifles are capable of or what is required to be successful in F Class. If you are serious about it you need to spend some time evaluating your rifle and load. The group posted is very spread out both elevation and windage wise. You should be looking for a load that can consistently hold waterline elevation so that you can focus on the wind. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more information. I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.
High Master
Member
That's not correct. MR-1FC target has a 6" 10 ring, and a 3" x ring. FC targets are based around a 1 MOA 10 ring. Sling targets have a 2 MOA 10 ring.
Like I said please don't take it personal, wasn't intended to be that way.
