Does rain affect bullet flight?

[gunnoob75]

No.

 

[Ops]

air mass density

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Raging debate going on right now while we are waiting for a heavy shower to pass (no one wants to get wet changing targets).

Question:
Is a bullet's flight trajectory impacted by colliding with a raindrop as it travels toward a target.

I think the answer is yes, but to varying degrees based on size and number of impacts.

Others here say it makes little or no difference.

Thoughts?

E

It does slightly, but it also depends on the weight of the bullet and the velocity of said bullet:

As you can see in the above pic, I could have shot better, but blame it on the rain disturbing the bullet in flight Wait, how about this one:


With this being said, the rain doesn't affect the accuracy near as much as this does:

 

[BPOR11]

prob doesnt affect 6.5 creedmoor

Nothing does

 

[Bobbay]

Raging debate going on right now while we are waiting for a heavy shower to pass (no one wants to get wet changing targets).

Question:
Is a bullet's flight trajectory impacted by colliding with a raindrop as it travels toward a target.

I think the answer is yes, but to varying degrees based on size and number of impacts.

Others here say it makes little or no difference.

Thoughts?

E

Rain does not affect trajectory, humidity does. Bullet is moving and bulldozing raindrop out the way with a nice pressure wave.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Two Words:
Density Altitude!

 

[Lee Goodwin]

Are you sure you dont have it backwards? Usually i notice a slight riseing of my shots during stormy weather on long range shooting.

Yeah, about 5 shots dropped noticeably during a pretty good rain, it was 15 shots over 20 minutes, and, as the rain got heaviest the marker placed about 6 inches low at the paper. So after 5 I held high, and the last three or so rose up as the rain let off, so I ended a little high at the end of 15. I have never shot in the somewhat heavy rain before and I was just wondering about other's experience with it.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Yeah, about 5 shots dropped noticeably during a pretty good rain, it was 15 shots over 20 minutes, and, as the rain got heaviest the marker placed about 6 inches low at the paper. So after 5 I held high, and the last three or so rose up as the rain let off, so I ended a little high at the end of 15. I have never shot in the somewhat heavy rain before and I was just wondering about other's experience with it.

How far were you shooting? Were you at COSSA?

 

[Ralgha]

Short answer, it depends, Caliber and Velocity are key! The larger the diameter, the slower it will exhibit these following effects!
Couple of things to ponder here, First is shock wave compressability and divergence, and second is called Boundary Layer deflection! Basically, a bullet in flight above a certain speed will create a frontal shock wave at the tip and it will also create a boundary layer around the bullet, the faster it flies, the tighter and firmer that boundary layer becomes, and finally Compressability, once you reach a certain speed, those shock waves compress to a certain level and rebound off the boundary layer creating a second shock wave! So, the bullet it's self is not impacting rain drops, its the frontal shock wave, and as the bullet passes, the boundary layer pushes the water/vapor away! It what creates the cloud that looks like a possible splash! In fact, the bullet will be traveling so fast, it will actually vaporize the water as it passes through the air! You can actually see this at a much slower speed with High Performance Aircraft, when turning and maneuvering, you can actually see the moisture being compressed out of the air! You can also see this with Propellers in high humidity operation! You can also see it when shooting during high humidity, the bullet will leave a vapor trail behind it on the way to the target!

The water vapor you see from airplanes and propellors is from decompression. The wing/prop creates a zone of low pressure air, which can't hold as much water, so the water condenses out of it and you see a cloud.

Also, while the rain drop may not physically touch the bullet, the force it imparts to the pressure wave is, at least in part, transmitted to the bullet. That force doesn't just disappear into the ether.

 

[Kruel J]

I know this much. I spent yesterday with a wet RSO vest on watching others shoot. I don't know if it affected their bullets, but it sure affected my attitude!

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Yeah, about 5 shots dropped noticeably during a pretty good rain, it was 15 shots over 20 minutes, and, as the rain got heaviest the marker placed about 6 inches low at the paper. So after 5 I held high, and the last three or so rose up as the rain let off, so I ended a little high at the end of 15. I have never shot in the somewhat heavy rain before and I was just wondering about other's experience with it.

How far were you shooting? Were you at COSSA?

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I know this much. I spent yesterday with a wet RSO vest on watching others shoot. I don't know if it affected their bullets, but it sure affected my attitude!

You were a ray of sunshine, werent you.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

How far were you shooting? Were you at COSSA?

600 yards at COSSA, yes.

 

[Stomper]

If you use RainX and wipe down each bullet before shooting it helps cut thru the rain, and keeps the raindrops from adhering to the bullet, thus slowing it down.

OK, I just had to be a smarta$$.

Consider the rain just like anything else (wind) that can impact bullet flight.

Have a great time between showers.

Don't forget about strapping on those mini-umbrella thingys!!

 

[Koda]

I figured there was a discussion somewhere to dig up from the grave. Again.

Was watching a video on this, guy shoots out to 1000yds in heavy rain with no change in impact on target.

basically the bullet has a pressure cell around it that deflects rain...

 

[moose]

I figured there was a discussion somewhere to dig up from the grave. Again.

Was watching a video on this, guy shoots out to 1000yds in heavy rain with no change in impact on target.

basically the bullet has a pressure cell around it that deflects rain...
View attachment 1428108

I'm going to go out on a short limb here and say this guy didn't take a high school physics class.

 

[CamoDeafie]

It's kind of the same sort of bovine scat ideas like the one where ".50bmg pressure wave is Lethal enough to kill even with a near miss"

Fluid dynamics y'all. Boundary layer aerodynamics and basic physics. A pressure wave does not[/i] increase in magnitude and energy the farther it goes. It's the other way around.

And relating to rain drops affecting bullet trajectory? You'd need enough mass within the raindrops to affect the trajectory of a bullet, depending on its mass. Hailstones are more likely to affect the bullets than water, also again, fluid dynamics and boundary layer around the supersonic bullet.

 

[Koda]

I'm going to go out on a short limb here and say this guy didn't take a high school physics class.

Did he miss his targets in the rain?

 

[moose]

Did he miss his targets in the rain?

His video editing skills sure do make it appear so.

What would impress me more is adherence to the scientific method.

 

[Koda]

His video editing skills sure do make it appear so.

What would impress me more is adherence to the scientific method.

He hit all targets out to 1000yds in the rain calculating wind and drop, ...thats using science.

Im guessing you disagree but your being vague. Feel free to elaborate on the science.