Wind Drift

kc_hhsl

kc_hhsl

New member
Is there a calculation that you can use to determine what the wind drift will be based on estimated wind speed, bullet weight, and other known factors? Or are there any tables on the web?
 
Along Interstate 90 in South Dakota, there is a truck stop with a sign over the door that reads... "We Only Start To Worry When the Wind Stops Blowing"

That's one of the few states where I traversed the whole state on a motorcycle on a 45 degree angle to the road... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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Just remember, you will miss more coyotes from bullet drop than you ever will from wind drift...unless you are in Kansas.


I have not found this to be true. Bullet drop is quite predictable, especially if you laser range objects in your calling field. Wind drift is much harder because reading all the various winds from muzzle to target takes a lot of skill, which requires a whole lot of practice.

Jack
 
Usually when I'm out shooting pasture rats, the wind is gusty, rarely even. Being a non-scientific soul I just do some "Kentucky windage" estimating and hope for the best. Not great, but then I do OK. My numbers aren't great, but then not bad.
 
Get a program called shooter ready, it's mainly mil dot training but it has
wind drift in it as well. You need a 1mile an hour wind chart for your load,
and a calculator to sine the angle of the wind. Much easier to practice with
shooter ready and get a feel for it.
 
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Being a non-scientific soul I just do some "Kentucky windage" estimating and hope for the best.



That's about all you can do. It's almost always gusting here, too. They're in a lot of trouble without wind; if it's gusting, not so much. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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Usually when I'm out shooting pasture rats, the wind is gusty, rarely even. Being a non-scientific soul I just do some "Kentucky windage" estimating and hope for the best. Not great, but then I do OK. My numbers aren't great, but then not bad.



Buster!!! You are one of, the only true splatterers on this site!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I would have to agree with Jack also. Variable wind here in Oklahoma can really mess with a bullet. In my experience I can handle the drop, but wind drift is never a constant, and therefore more problematic for me.
 
When calling yotes, it is extremely rare to have time to get the range on a yote. The common distances where you unzip them is from 250-340 yards.
 
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Usually when I'm out shooting pasture rats, the wind is gusty, rarely even. Being a non-scientific soul I just do some "Kentucky windage" estimating and hope for the best. Not great, but then I do OK. My numbers aren't great, but then not bad.



Yep, you can drag out all the computer generated models and charts, graphs and hokus pokus but the real world doesn't allow for "the perfect wind". Where I go, near KS wind blows in every direction depending on where you stand and what time of day....rarely does it blow at 90 degrees to anything around me. Never been to Kentucky but someone there figured out how to hold for the wind, I can do it to a point. Once it gets past where I'd hold for the wind I'll save my shootin for another day.

Bullet drop may be predictable but range estimation is not. I don't shoot with very many people who are even remotely good at it past about 50 yds. Most of the misses I see are from either poor range estimation or incorrectly sighted in rifles.
 
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I agree with you that range estimation is hard to figure for some. Since I've gotten my LRF a couple of years ago I practice that as often as possible and have gotten pretty good at it. Might have to find a way to figure wind velocity sometime.
 
On another thread the question came up about a 'wind puffer'. Out on the prairie we'd consider that a joke. If you want to know which way the wind is blowing just go find the roof of your barn. The direction you had to go to find the roof will be your first clue as to which way it is blowin.
 
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