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Light vs. Heavy bullets

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Wing master View Drop Down
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    Posted: 14 August 2018 at 00:26
I have always thought heavier bullets carried more momentum so they had less drop at longer range. 

The light bulb just came on when Bear said heavier bullets drop less because of BC/shape of bullet/aerodynamics. 

I never thought of that. It makes total sense now. 

Bear and Robert also made comments about bullets dropping faster as they slowed down. Could one or both of you explain this more?

I'm thinking I might understand a whole lot  more about ballistics with a little more knowledge. I see a whole new world of understanding opening up. Instead of just accepting what a ballistics chart says I think I am starting to "get it".

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 August 2018 at 07:27
Bullets fall at the same speed regardless of howw fast they move.  think they fal at a rate, inches per minute.  But as they slow down they are moving forward less in each minute.  so in each foot they travel they will fall more as they slow.

Interesting thing is that the same thing is true for wind deflection.  As bullets slow down the cross-wind will deflect them more; because they are subject to the force of the wind for a longer time. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RobertMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 August 2018 at 11:41
To add to Bear's excellent explanation,

Bullet's with higher BC have less area for wind to act on, along with less time, for it to work.

At some point Kinetic energy, benefits heavier bullet. IE: a 750gr 50bmg bullet has same velocity and shape as 168gr 30/06 bullet, but because of it's increased mass, carries much farther. Inversely 55gr 223 bullet, as same basic shape and drops much faster. The actual calculation of BC, takes all this into account, even though I don't know formula, I understand principles involved.

As far as wind's effect and shooting, even though wind downrange has greater effect on bullet, it also has less time to work on it, before target. On the other hand crosswind up close, leaves bullet with much more distance to travel, before target. I learned this shooting at longer ranges, where you have different wind speeds and sometime directions, on way to target.

As much info, as you can stand on ballistics.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wing master Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 01:11
I'll read through that Robert when I have a little more time. Thanks for posting it. 

This is making sense more all the time. I'm surprised I haven't thought about it more before now. I just accepted that heavier bullets dropped less. 

Thanks for the input. 

Wing master
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 09:15
Actually, one only needs to rely on BC and muzzle velocity to decide drop.  When I first started to reload, 1960, few bullet manufacturers published BC info.  So we looked to length and sleekness.  Boattails decrease the low pressure on the bullet base in flight, so that is less drag...lower BC.

it is sort of like looking at cars/vehicles.  small frontal area means less drag.  trucks have more drag and travel slower.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote d4570 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 11:05
Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 11:09
looks like a 45-70 loaded max!


remember that record is for truck/tractors...not sport cars.  Figure a Vete could lose it in the rearview mirror.

But those engineers under stood BC-----"Volvo did as much aerodynamic cheating as possible and features a fiberglass cab, with air ducts in the side skirts to help keep the engine cool."  


Edited by BEAR - 15 August 2018 at 11:13
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote d4570 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 12:56
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 August 2018 at 16:03
I was just wondering what was the speed record for a tractor????

figure  250 mph.  that big profile makes the drag go up fast!
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