How far can wind throw a bullet?

johnnybow

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Dec 27, 2012
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I trying to practice with my rifle for a upcoming wy elk hunt and believe the wind is messing with my p.o.i. I'm shooting a 300 weatherby with a 200 grain barnes lrx. Last week I shot good but this week I was missing to the right 7 inches at 300 yards. So I re shot it at 100 yards and it seems to be still sighted in. Does a 10-15 mph wind throw a bullet that far at 300?
 
Factory or hand loaded?

Factory boxes usually have wind drift on the side of the box. Hand loaded you need to use an online calculator usually
 
I trying to practice with my rifle for a upcoming wy elk hunt and believe the wind is messing with my p.o.i. I'm shooting a 300 weatherby with a 200 grain barnes lrx. Last week I shot good but this week I was missing to the right 7 inches at 300 yards. So I re shot it at 100 yards and it seems to be still sighted in. Does a 10-15 mph wind throw a bullet that far at 300?
yes
 
I trying to practice with my rifle for a upcoming wy elk hunt and believe the wind is messing with my p.o.i. I'm shooting a 300 weatherby with a 200 grain barnes lrx. Last week I shot good but this week I was missing to the right 7 inches at 300 yards. So I re shot it at 100 yards and it seems to be still sighted in. Does a 10-15 mph wind throw a bullet that far at 300?
Download a good ballistics App. mtmuley
 
Yes it can a lot. For example this week I was shooting a 223 at 200 and 300 yards. And with a 15 mph average cross wind at 200 yards it was ranging 5-7 inches to the right. At 300 yards it was over a 12". Your 300 would be considerably less but 7 inches would seem pretty typical.
 
I trying to practice with my rifle for an upcoming wy elk hunt and believe the wind is messing with my p.o.i. I'm shooting a 300 weatherby with a 200 grain barnes lrx. Last week I shot good but this week I was missing to the right 7 inches at 300 yards. So I re shot it at 100 yards and it seems to be still sighted in. Does a 10-15 mph wind throw a bullet that far at 300?
That sounds like what a 10-15 mph cross wind does to a good bullet at 300. Im always taken aback by how much wind can push around a premium bullet-at all ranges
 
There are a lot of them available. Mostly personal choice and if it is user friendly to you. I have the Hornady one and also I think it is Applied Ballistics. Check a few out and get what you like. I liked Strelok but don't know if it is available anymore. mtmuley

I appreciate the starting point. I checked the App Store after your post and there are a lot. Hard to work through the noise sometimes.
 
There are a lot of them available. Mostly personal choice and if it is user friendly to you. I have the Hornady one and also I think it is Applied Ballistics. Check a few out and get what you like. I liked Strelok but don't know if it is available anymore. mtmuley
Strelok has the best UI. Can get it via galaxystore, or other back doors.

Not with an iphone though
 
Well, I had to check.
You didn't say what model of Weatherby you have.
A Mark V, until within the past 10 years or so were 1:10 twist.
Within are 1:9.5.
Barnes lists their 200gr LRX as needing a 1:10.
Wanting to see what others are saying, I checked Cutting Edge and Hammer.
Cutting Edge 200gr Lazer requires a 1:9.
Hammer has a 203gr HHT that also requires a 1:9.

So it may be that you are on the ragged edge of stability.

Also, you were shooting in a 10-15mph wind. Your going to want to shoot in more than that.
Say 30-40mph.
It is Wyoming we are talking about.

 
Last edited:
200 gr lrx at 3050 (high end of listed loadings) with a 90 degree 15 mph wind at 300.
 

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I switched over to Hornady after Sterlock dropped off my phone. So far it’s been working fine and seems easy to use.

7” is normal depending on the speed of the wind.
 
I trying to practice with my rifle for a upcoming wy elk hunt and believe the wind is messing with my p.o.i. I'm shooting a 300 weatherby with a 200 grain barnes lrx. Last week I shot good but this week I was missing to the right 7 inches at 300 yards. So I re shot it at 100 yards and it seems to be still sighted in. Does a 10-15 mph wind throw a bullet that far at 300?
https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi
is your friend.

Checking your windage at 100 yds for a 300 yds shot is not a good plan.

Most people vastly overestimate wind speed, when comparing their guesses to an actual anemometer reading. Becoming skilled at estimating windspeed is a lot like becoming skilled at distance estimation. It takes practice. Lots of it.
 
https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi
is your friend.

Checking your windage at 100 yds for a 300 yds shot is not a good plan.

Most people vastly overestimate wind speed, when comparing their guesses to an actual anemometer reading. Becoming skilled at estimating windspeed is a lot like becoming skilled at distance estimation. It takes practice. Lots of it.

Not sure who said it originally but....

"Drop is science, wind is voodoo"
 
Hunting conditions are never perfect. The only way to prepare is to practice shooting in the wind and poor conditions 👍
 

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