Windage and Spin Drift

[Oak_Leaf]

There is a great thread going about wind calls, but I think my question should be kept out of that one.

So when yall talk about your wind holds, in general, are you separating out the spin drift from the total drift? Or are you just lumping it all together in terms of total windage hold? Or does it even matter for your rifle and shooting distances? This is just for my own curiosity. I know guys at the club who talk about wind holds and almost never talk about spin drift and I find this curious. In fact when I've mentioned spin drift to some people, the response can be anything from "whats that" to "it doesnt matter until you get out to 1k" to "yes I account for it" - all of which could be valid. For instance my spin drifts at 600 are around 0.5 moa for my 100 zeroed 223 and 308, and 0.25 moa for my 200 zeroed 300WM. I dial these drifts before I do a wind hold. I know spin drifts vary depending on zero distance, BC, velocity, target range, and environmental conditions, but I just never see anybody discussing it. I guess spin drift on 6.5cm at 600 yard range probably aint much to talk about, but some of yall do go wayyy out there.

I know I probably just set up the first several responses

 

[buckbrush]

My $0.02. You're overthinking it. Just compensate for wind. Calculators generally apply way too much and the reality is spin drift isn't applicable in any practical scenario.

1/2 minute of spin drift at 600 yards can't be right. That's ~ 3".

 

[Oak_Leaf]

Yep, 3". I've verified it many times at our 600 range under different wind conditions - calm, R-L, L-R. It drove me crazy why I was sighted in at 100, then go to 600 dial up distance, make good wind call, and the groups were always ~3" right of my dot. I finally I started adding the spin drift, then everything has been spot on since. This is 223 and 308 with 100 yard sight in.

 

[Beluebow]

Spin drift absolutely matters.....At 1k it's gonna be 1/2 to 3/4 moa typically. Most ballistic calculators will allow an option for spin drift in your firing solution.

I can tell you on the U.S. Fclass team you are required to have a deadnuts 100yrd no wind zero. The wind coach will tell you if he wants the spin drift on or off primarily based on the conditions.

 

[Oak_Leaf]

Figured this would get interesting