Wind Drift

[slipper 116]

Just got back in after waiting on some bait I've been putting on a muck pile, didn't have to wait long and along comes charlie about 150 - 200 yards anyway I had to wait 20 minutes for a clear shot and you've guessed it I miss, was thinking on way home how I missed then I realised I didn't allow for wind, what would be the allowance for a 223 40 grain at 200 yards with a 35 mph cross wind

[alan81 110]

according to Hornadys ballistic calculator the drift would be 17.1" or 2.4 mill dots at 200 yards with a 35 MPH cross wind.

[slipper 116]

Thanks mate

[The Seeker 3,048]

I have a program calculator and with the info you provided assuming the 35mph is a Cross wind at 90deg this shows 10.6"

[alan81 110]

what bc and velocity did you enter Seeker? the Hornady 40 grain has a bc of .200 and a velocity of 3800 FPS. if that is what you entered then one of the calculators is wrong, I used the one on Hornadys web site.

[The Seeker 3,048]

It's an app called isnipe, reputedly to be quite a good one.

 

I got the bc correct but the muzz vel I did from memory and underestimated it, when I calculate with 3700 fps the results are even less than 10"

 

I don't punch paper so never really tried these calculators against real situations I wonder how accurate they really are?

[hutchey 147]

Don't forget muzzle velocity differs at different temperatures. The info on Hornady website is based on 72 degrees

I know cause I asked them recently

[hutchey 147]

You could go to Jbm ballistics . Com

[Deker 3,478]

...hence why you have to know your ammo and rifle, the fact is a 35mph crosswind is a serious contender, and whichever way you look at it there will be a lot of bullet drift at 200 yards!

[slipper 116]

I know deker to be honest I haven't got a lot of experience shooting in strong winds, this is my first winter with this rifle, I have spent hours shooting long range crows etc and have shot a lot of foxes out to 200 yards but not in wind like we had last night, it was rocking the 4x4!

So thanks for the replies and I suppose I'll have to do some paper punching in wind or get an app

[danw 1,748]

ballistic calculators have a place but don't expect them to be accurate in the real world the simple fact is that the topography you shoot over will cause the wind to be as inconsistent as an inconsistent thing, wind speed is rarely a constant and unless you can range find,use a windmeter, assess the value at which the wind is in relation to shot and then run the app whilst foxy sits there and waits for you to shoot it is of little use. best guess and experience is what gets the job done

[Deker 3,478]

I know deker to be honest I haven't got a lot of experience shooting in strong winds, this is my first winter with this rifle, I have spent hours shooting long range crows etc and have shot a lot of foxes out to 200 yards but not in wind like we had last night, it was rocking the 4x4!

So thanks for the replies and I suppose I'll have to do some paper punching in wind or get an app

:thumbs:

 

As others have said, charts and tables will only tell you so much, so a lot is experience, but I do my best to stay out of winds anywhere near 35mph, you are too much in the lap of the Gods!