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Does snow or rain affect a pellet or slug in flight?

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MoeHofer

MoeHofer

Member
Dec 12, 2015
366
32
SD, United States
I have shot numerous groups in rain and snow to try do determine whether or not it does, with mixed results. 

What are your thoughts? I suppose the simple answer is yes, of course. A.droplet of water slamming against a pellet in flight will alter its trajectory, but my experience is it is al.least very very minimal. 

Maybe someone's gotten very scientific and has done extensive testing. Very curious to hear what you all think?
 
Just recently over the last couple of weeks I have done some target shooting during heavy snowstorms using an HW30s (low velocity) and an R9 (higher velocity) and I was finding that my accuracy was still spot on, and my groups were not opening up, or my point of aim shifting at 25 yards. I would bet that if I had 50 yards, I would see a lot more interference.
 
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Just a guess, but I don't think rain or snow would greatly alter the course of a well-stabilized projectile, but it would increase drag (water being a bit thicker than air). So it might just effectively reduce you BC somewhat, perhaps very little. Pure speculation. The dynamic is way too complex to model, so compensating for it is probably impossible in a practical sense (density of precipitation, size of drops/flakes, degree of frozen-ness, etc).

GsT
 
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I saw a study on that exact issue on one of the outdoor channels last year. High speed photography and more. Might google it.
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I saw that too. I don't know if it was the same show you saw. It was with powder burners and their results showed rain did affect accuracy. Some time later I was sighting in a 30-06 and testing some new loads at a 100yrds when a light steady rain started. I kept shooting and did not notice any difference in accuracy or point of impact.

As someone already stated above the wind is my main concern.
 
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I would think that a PB bullet —

of 100 or 200 or more grain weight,

with a huge momentum at this heavy lead piece is going at 2000 or more fps,

with a BC of 0.2 —

will be much less affected than an airgun pellet, with a thenth of that weight, half or a third of that velocity, and a tenth of that BC....



But thanks to so many assuring us that there was little if any POI change for 20-25 yard ranges. That's helpful! 👍🏼



Matthias
 
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I have to think rain would be one of many variables . But for what the vast majority of us do we would be hard pressed to quantify it. NOW if a fellow has shooting extreme distances in rain ( and he could still see this target unlikely) my guess is it very well might make a difference.
For our discussion pigeons at 300 yards in the rain. Wonder what Bob O might think. 
By the way I haven’t seen a post from Bob in quite a while. Or have I just missed them ?
 
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In 1993 at a FT shoot in heavy rain, I was using a Daisy 777. I thought to myself, how is that little .177 pellet at 450 FPS going to make its way through rain drops bigger then the pellet? I shot my best score that day and won the tournament. I was later told that rain didn’t have much effect on the pellet. I still don’t believe it to be true. I do a lot of hunting in the rain and it hasn’t seemed to make any noticeable difference on game. But I would think a pellet hitting any object on its way to a target has to have some effect. Kind of like shooting a PB through high grass. Does it really deflect the bullet? 
 
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In 1993 at a FT shoot in heavy rain, I was using a Daisy 777. I thought to myself, how is that little .177 pellet at 450 FPS going to make its way through rain drops bigger then the pellet? I shot my best score that day and won the tournament. I was later told that rain didn’t have much effect on the pellet. I still don’t believe it to be true. I do a lot of hunting in the rain and it hasn’t seemed to make any noticeable difference on game. But I would think a pellet hitting any object on its way to a target has to have some effect. Kind of like shooting a PB through high grass. Does it really deflect the bullet?
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Physics says yes. Only question is how much.
 
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Just my story:

I cannot confirm the accuracy with airguns, but I can confirm archery long range shooting, Field (80 yard) or FITA (up to 90 meters new name WA).

I think no, a steady=consistent rain does not effect the accuracy, but effects the POA-POI offset. The biggest effects on your your budget pretty aggressively for high end cost weatherproof clothing.

I had a season not long ago, every weekend every possible Tournament a pouring rain we could barely see a target at 70-80. I could see my arrows cutting a tunnel through the rain.

My target arrow weights 385 grains and my compound bow speed is 285 fps, 10x heavier arrow then a pellet/slug and a speed is less then 1/3rd of the PCP.

I did pretty good ranking that season, also couple state records in a Masters class (50-60). Retired from archery and waiting for my local ranges to open up so I can training again.



Ten years ago, even five years ago...in competition days I would take a pouring rain against a gusting wind no question.
 
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The only time I've noticed it was shooting from my porch out in the rain, and it was possible to see a "spray" when pellet intersected falling water. Groups at 25 yards did not suffer, but that's pretty short range for noticing ballistic deviations.
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Hi Whimpanzee, I think I read somewhere in this forum that you sold your WC MK3 .25. After FX fixed your lack of power I thought you were happy with it. What happened that you sold it ?

cheers


 
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