223 and wind

[fishshocker]

I've just started playing with a 223 lately. I was playing around shooting at 150-200 yards with some serious wind (30-40 mph at my 3 oclock). Shooting a 20 inch rock river predator upper with 69 grain otm ammo. Ballistic calculations say bullet travel should be 4 inch drop and about 15 or so inches left. I had a few hit 4 inches high and about 15 inches left. I was shooting from a bipod on ground.

Question is, is it possible for high gusting and swirling winds to actually blow a bullet upwards some in that situation.

I know that 223 in wind that high is unpredictable just curious.

 

[TurtlePhish]

It's possible that wind at the right angle could blow it back up, but I highly doubt that it would be very much. Even then, it's less blowing back up and more slowing down the drop.

 

[taliv]

yep, happens to me all the time. however, i shoot in natural hilly terrain, so wind hits hills and runs up sometimes. on a flat square range, it's unlikely

40mph is a LOT of wind!!

 

[txgunsuscg]

I shoot on a nice flat range, but the treelines on either side tend to create odd swirls and other such annoying phenomenon. I suppose it is quite possible for wind to actually be gusting upward if there is a decent groundswell in the target area, like Taliv said. I've watched the range flag at 1/3 to 1/2 the distance to my target blow right to left, but the grass and range flag at the target blow left to right....

Nothing is worse than hearing your spotter say "3 left, 3 left, 3 left, 3 right..." just as you take the shot...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Wind certainly can cause unexpected rise. Shooting into the wind tends to produce lift and shooting with the wind tends to produce drop. Your situation is a bit unusual. As noted, 30-40 mph winds can have dramatic effects. We were shooting at 600 yards on steel silhouette targets on a day that had on and off high gusting winds. The wind was from right to left and I had a buddy spotting for me. Winds were 0-25 mph.

First shot, was in the right shoulder of the target. Second shot right side center. Third shot was back up in the neck. All in all not terrible shots for a 3.5x ACOG scope on a 16" barrel carbine shooting 55 gr. ammo in gusting winds. The MOA was a little over 2. There was only one real problem. My rounds were all hitting the target 3 feet left of the one at which I was aiming.

The bottom line for me is that I have no real need for shooting in high winds at long range, or even high winds at 100 yards, especially when conditions are extremely variable. Such conditions can be great for practicing how to assess wind conditions if you need to shoot in the wind like that, but I don't. I am actually surprised you didn't have more issues with the lateral movement of your shots.

 

[meanmrmustard]

I've just started playing with a 223 lately. I was playing around shooting at 150-200 yards with some serious wind (30-40 mph at my 3 oclock). Shooting a 20 inch rock river predator upper with 69 grain otm ammo. Ballistic calculations say bullet travel should be 4 inch drop and about 15 or so inches left. I had a few hit 4 inches high and about 15 inches left. I was shooting from a bipod on ground.

Question is, is it possible for high gusting and swirling winds to actually blow a bullet upwards some in that situation.

I know that 223 in wind that high is unpredictable just curious.

Wind that fast is liable to do alot to most any round! I've been intimate with the .223 rem for the last 13 years, and I mean down right shot the hell out of that cartridge, and it can get blown all to hell when mother nature gets to gusting.

 

[Walkalong]

Even in flat terrain, wind direction can move bullet impact up or down a little, but the shoulder can do much worse.

I had a few hit 4 inches high

Apposed to what?