How Much Does Rain Affect Trajectory?

[Bart B.]

I’m saving this one for an excuse... did anybody see a plane go down?

A micro burst was responsible for a plane crash at DFW some years ago:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mic...droid-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

What should we call the micro bursts in clouds that make planes flying in them shake, rattle and sometimes roll?

 

[ED3]

A micro burst was responsible for a plane crash at DFW some years ago:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mic...droid-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

What should we call the micro bursts in clouds that make planes flying in them shake, rattle and sometimes roll?

Turbulence.

 

[Bart B.]

Turbulence.

Yes.

There's another atmospheric condition that has a different name depending on where it's at. It, too, could effect bullets flight.

 

[savagedasher]

Lack of sun light

 

[Warren Dean]

It amazes me where these threads can go...y'all must be bored and snowed in....LOL

 

[Immike]

It amazes me where these threads can go...y'all must be bored and snowed in....LOL

Hmmm, last 2 posts are from Florida and Arizona. Lol... it’s cold and horrible misery here in the state of Missouri (misery)
I personally enjoy most conditions threads if they stay focused on a central topic. We are just shooters trying understand the physics of our shooting. An explanation is helpful but what to do about it is rarely a discussion. I’m guilty for trying to shoot thru a condition and enjoy shooting for that reason. I’m not the guy that waits it out and shame on me when I don’t, BUT I personally like trying to figure it out. Sometimes it goes good and sometimes it doesn’t, but then again I’m ready for rough weather... most shooters would rather win a tough conditions match over a trigger puller...

 

[savagedasher]

Nothing I hate worse then cold weather
Looks like the IBS shoot the weather is going to be in the 30 and a high of 65 sunny on Saturday Sunday if shown as partly Cloudy
The voodoo gods can come out

 

[ED3]

It amazes me where these threads can go...y'all must be bored and snowed in....LOL

Mpls/ St Paul...
No snow...but it appears to be on the way.
Daytime temps today were around 10ºf, with subzero wind chills.
Should get up to about 20º tomorrow after a 2-6" snowfall tonight.
The warm glow of the monitor is soothing.

 

[ED3]

Nothing I hate worse then cold weather
Looks like the IBS shoot the weather is going to be in the 30 and a high of 65 sunny on Saturday Sunday if shown as partly Cloudy
The voodoo gods can come out

"....30 and a high of 65 sunny on Saturday Sunday..."

That's not cold weather...the lakes don't even freeze at those temps.

 

[Immike]

Nothing I hate worse then cold weather
Looks like the IBS shoot the weather is going to be in the 30 and a high of 65 sunny on Saturday Sunday if shown as partly Cloudy
The voodoo gods can come out

Don’t sweat it Larry, put your regular loads in a easy open cooler and keep them warm and normal. I’ve changed the load for freeze outs and that doesn’t work for me. Control the temperature of the ammunition and you will shoot normal.

 

[clunker]

As the OP, I must say that this thread has been an experiment in conversational tangents. I enjoyed reading all of it.

 

[JFrank]

As the OP, I must say that this thread has been an experiment in conversational tangents. I enjoyed reading all of it.

Did any of this BS answer the question?

 

[ED3]

Did any of this BS answer the question?

There was a question??

 

[clunker]

Did any of this BS answer the question?

It didn't really answer the question, but it got me thinking about the physics behind my question. Even though the air density is lower when it is raining, there is an awful lot of liquid water mixed in with that air. Even if a bullet's shockwave vaporizes the rain drops, the shockwave must still push against that water density. If my physics 101 class is worth the price I paid for it, then a bullet's trajectory would be dependent on the combined density of air and rain. Considering how much denser water is than air, I would predict that bullets would drop faster when it rains. This theory would support alinwa's experience. It sounds like some members have reported just the opposite. I'm pretty sure we have some scientists on this forum. Where are they?

 

[skibar_tx]

Theory is an educated guess. Several people have theorized on this subject, yet have not come to a conclusion. However, several people have responded with their practical experience and most concur that there is not a "noticeable" difference in elevation when shooting in the rain versus non-rain situations. I believe the question has been answered.

 

[CharlieNC]

It is a fact that higher humidity causes the air to become less dense because the lighter water vapor displaces the denser nitrogen and oxygen molecules. That is one reason it can be more difficult for some to breath at that time (less oxygen). It is also a fact that the resulting decrease in the air density is negligible, which is why many ballistic apps do not include it as an input.

 

[ED3]

It didn't really answer the question, but it got me thinking about the physics behind my question. Even though the air density is lower when it is raining, there is an awful lot of liquid water mixed in with that air. Even if a bullet's shockwave vaporizes the rain drops, the shockwave must still push against that water density. If my physics 101 class is worth the price I paid for it, then a bullet's trajectory would be dependent on the combined density of air and rain. Considering how much denser water is than air, I would predict that bullets would drop faster when it rains. This theory would support alinwa's experience. It sounds like some members have reported just the opposite. I'm pretty sure we have some scientists on this forum. Where are they?

I'm far from being a scientist, but there is demonstrated proof that, in spite of the shockwave in front of the bullet, there are numerous environmental conditions acting on the bullets trajectory.

It seems to some degree, the question about rain effecting trajectory, was generally answered with: 'bullets don't get wet due to the shockwave'.
So I pose (quite non-rhetorically): if the shockwave/ bullet's flight is not effected by falling rain, how/ why then is effected by wind?

 

[Warren Dean]

Theory is an educated guess. Several people have theorized on this subject, yet have not come to a conclusion. However, several people have responded with their practical experience and most concur that there is not a "noticeable" difference in elevation when shooting in the rain versus non-rain situations. I believe the question has been answered.

Yup. Just raise the sight and shoot.

 

[Warren Dean]

I'm far from being a scientist, but there is demonstrated proof that, in spite of the shockwave in front of the bullet, there are numerous environmental conditions acting on the bullets trajectory.

It seems to some degree, the question about rain effecting trajectory, was generally answered with: 'bullets don't get wet due to the shockwave'.
So I pose (quite non-rhetorically): if the shockwave/ bullet's flight is not effected by falling rain, how/ why then is effected by wind?

 

[Immike]

Lack of sun light

Your a genius Larry! Something like rain can mislead us to what’s really the problem. What we aim at guys, we will probably hit...if everyone is doing the same thing then we are all seeing the same thing.