13 replies to this topic

[rdsii64]

I have found an oppurtunity to get some 40 grain vmax rounds from fiocchi on clearence at 9.95 a box. Being a small round I have some concerns about wind drift. Can I shoot though 350 yards without wind drift being to much for reasonable accuacy.The Gun in question has a 24 inch 12 twist barrel.

[A17Shooter]

If you're shooting a 40 gr, 22 cal, BC of .200 and your velocity is 3400 fps you'll have the following at 350 yds if the wind is 10 MPH at 90 degrees to your line of fire.Wind Drift 20.1"Drop at 350 yds with 100 yd zero, -18.4"Velocity@ 350 yds, 1828 fpsYou'll have to decide if that is reasonable.

[tawnoper]

Can I shoot though 350 yards without wind drift being to much for reasonable accuacy.

Sure..as long as the wind ain't blowing.

[Portagee_Shooter]

Good knowledge A17! I sure wouldn't want to try to make that shot work without one helluva spotter and a GREAT sniper scope.

[fakawee]

I shot at a yote out at 260yds once with a 40gr Hornady Vmax with a 5 mph breeze coming from my left. I will not take another shot over 100yds again with those rounds because I wounded that animal and it took all my tracking skills to find it and finish it off. Be sure of your choice of rounds and leave the lighter rounds to the squirrels.

[clampdaddy]

At 350 yards it doesn't matter what you're shooting, you're gonna have to deal with wind drift. The ballistic charts don't always tell the truth either. On one windy afternoon I shot my .270wsm loaded with 110gr bullets right alongside a friends 300wsm loaded with 165 gr. SST bullets and his fathers 7mm mag loaded with 140 gr. nosler ballistic tips. After we each sent five shots downrange we walked up to the targets, to all of our surprise my little bullets that they both made so much fun of drifted alot less at 400 yards than either of theirs did.

[Frank]

Clamp is right on. One cannot always believe the charts. One of my personal best examples of this is: In 1988 while on one of my (several) Idaho mule deer hunts I had to take a long 400 yard shot on a nice 4 point muley buck that I honestly did not want to try. He was heading for a steep canyon with heavy timber & was only a few yards from going into it & disappearing forever. I then decided to take the shot anyhow! I was shooting a 257 Weatherby mag with 100 gr partition bullets at nearly 3600 fps. My point blank range was approx 375 yards from how it was sighted in. The wind was howling with strong intermintent gusts of 20+(?) m.p.h. going from left to right on your pc screen. The buck was broadside going from right to left.I was able to lay prone with a bipod. While the bipod & being low to the ground helped the bullet still had to cross 2 wide open ravines. With everything in mind, I slid the crosshairs onto the left on the (large base) of the neck believing the bullet was going to hit far to the right. BUT IT DIDN'T, and instead hit EXACTLY where I was aiming, SLAMMING the buck to the ground as if a safe was dropped on his head. I still have the bloody tags and mounted deer head in my den. So much for the wind Frank

[Desert Fox]

The secret is velocity as Frank and Clampdaddy had proven. Speed is as much of a factor as bullet BC when determining which bullet will perform well on wind.

[clampdaddy]

Yep, time of flight makes all the difference in the world. That's probably why I've found that most folks who talk about how bad a centerfire .17 drifts hasn't actually fired one. I've missed one coyote and more than a few ground squirrels by overestimating the effects of wind on my .17 remington. At 4300 fps the wind doesn't get much time to push those little bullets around.

[Frank]

Exactly Fox & Clamp... I have probably missed more mammals & birds by leading too much than anything else. Irritates the heck out of me too, as I should know better by now. lolA close 2nd is over shooting an animal. That causes a lot of misses for lots of folks it seems to me. Warmer temp, higher elevation & steeper angles creates a much higher P.O.I. than many folks realize. An(other) example of that, if I may: A few yrs back, BADCOYOTE blew the nose off a running coyote (the ole leading too much culprit) which of course caused the pooch to do the coyote spin.I guesstimated him at 400 yards so I held a tad over the top of his back with may lazer beamed, super sonic 250. To my amazement I hit exactly where I was aiming; right over the top. I thought, ok, it was just me... & then did it again!. The 3rd shot I held dead on & HAMMERED him. It was a (later) measured 315 yards!SPEED KILLS ! Frank

[tawnoper]

Although velocity is desired when shooting long distance, a bullet's BC actually has more effect on wind drift and retained velocity then actual muzzle velocity does (within reason). As an example (see pic) you can take a 22-250 and load it up to 4000 fps with a poor BC bullet like a 40gr V-Max, then take the same round but load it up to 3700fps with a 55gr Vmax which has a better BC number. Even though the heavier but sleeker bullet started off 300 fps slower, by 300yds it is going faster by retaining it's velocity much better (which makes for less time of flight as distances increase). It's also much less effected by a 10mph crosswind. My .204 is a good example. It shoots a 35gr Berger great...but that little bullet has a terrible BC and is really pushed around by the wind on any shots over 200 (very few when we're talking coyotes). I can load up a 39gr BK 100fps muzzle velocity slower and have it drift half as much in the wind due to it's relatively good BC.  bc.JPG   154.95K   51 downloadsI also somewhat disagree with not believing the charts...they are usually pretty accurate. The problem usually come from over/under estimating wind speed...it might be blowing more or less near the target...lots of variables. Truthfully, most shots we take in the field are in ranges where all this stuff is moot. Well, at least myself and all the guys I hunt with. Every so often I'll have to apply a bit of Kentucky windage but for most of my field shooting, bullet BC plays little role.

[clampdaddy]

Wind drift can be a funny thing especially with big, slow, heavy bullets. When I got into blackpowder cartridge rifle shooting I found out an odd piece of information. The guys that shoot long range competitions with them actually try to keep the velocity low (around 12 or 1300 fps with a 500 gr or heavier round nosed .458 cal bullet) because a bullet that travels just above or below the sound barrier will actually drift less than the same bullet started at 1500 fps or faster. Go figure.

[Frank]

WOW, interesting... Great (& correct) points as usual, tawnooper!True story... I have one friend that could (almost) challenge Einstein in Math. He is an engineer (of course), hunter & handloader & smarter in math than anyone else I know. A genius would not be too far off.Anyway, I explained our ballistic dilemma to him today and his immediate, off the top of his head response was, "it is too convoluted" (to arrive at a definite conclusion). He next stated the existing ballistic manuals would be correct... for the most part! BUT, we could also obtain much different actual field results. He went on to state so many various reasons for the convolution, that he lost me after the 2nd one. lol He also stated that when he gets time he will calc it out. So I may have more in a few days. Maybe? Finally, I only know what I saw and experienced first hand (some are above)... at least on rare occasion! And it was a HUGE difference from the "book stats". There are very few absolutes in life, with death being one of them. I guess this may be no exception (not absolute)?Frank

[ehd]

I have a range at my house to shoot up to 600 yards. Usually the wind flags at my range blow north at the shooter, south at the 300 mark and north at the target. Just from shooting it alot ,I know to hold right on, where most people walk up and compensate for the wind at the target and at their feet. (home field advantage is always good)