vapor trails

missed_another · 06-01-2005, 07:41 AM

is it possible to see your own vapor trails. i was out shooting the other night at a medal target out about a 180 yards and i believe i was seeing a vapor trail on the last i'm guessing 40 yards before bullet impact threw my scope. i had the sun to my back and it was just about to go down behind the mountain. the air just started to chill abit for the evening. i was using a .22 mag on a bipod and the scope was set on 9 power. i was shooting from the prone position so i could watch bullet impact threw the scope. at first i thought it was the grass moving from the energy as it went down range but the more i watched i could see it was not that. anyone else witnessed this before.

Sniper151 · 06-01-2005, 07:55 AM

Yes, it's actually the shock wave of the bullet passing through the clean air on the way to the target. When shooting at long range a spotter can actually track the shot in flight giving the impact point to the shooter for a follow up shot if needed.

Roskoe · 06-01-2005, 10:47 AM

I was out prairie dog hunting one summer day and an afternoon shower came along. Right after it quit raining, we resumed shooting. Amazing vapor trails in the moisture laden air - almost like a tracer round.

Virginia7 · 06-01-2005, 12:39 PM

Must be them 243's; velocity = vapor trails!

Aught Six · 06-01-2005, 01:21 PM

I saw that effect once with a .223 while spotting for a friend. A similar incident occured during a rainstorm. I was just about to pack up and go home, but I figured I'd put another magainze through his HK SL8-1. Apparently the first shot put the bullet through a couple of raindrops because I could hear the sizzle up close and see a tiny wisp of steam further down the range.

Smokem Joe · 06-30-2005, 10:11 AM

I've seen it and it wasn't even a humid day. It was late afternoon in mid june and we were shooting at dogs in the grasslands on a ranch. We started seeing it and wondered what in the heck it was. We were taking longer shots from an elevated position and it was near the end of our trip, we had gotten pretty good at holding on target with the minor recoil of the rounds we were shooting.

It was almost freaky. I think I noticed it first on a couple of my rounds and then was spotting for a buddy and saw it with his. I was starting to think that I had been in the sun for to long. It is really cool to see almost like something out of a movie.

This bubbly, expanding trail that ends with a dog popping!

I haven't seen it ever at the range our in any other type of hunting situation, but that may be due to the lack of rounds shot in one position for the majority of different types of hunting. I rarely spot for some one at the range and so don't get the chance to see it there.

aunsaber · 06-30-2005, 10:26 AM

I shoot a lot of Black Powder Cartridges with big slow bullets.
If the humidity is just right ,you not only see a vapor trail but you can hear the bullet going through the air. Although it is easier to hear and see if you are not doing the shooting and are standing a couple feet behind and to the side of the shooter.

gopher slayer · 06-30-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

you can hear the bullet going through the air

I know what you mean at my trap Club on the right day you can hear the shot sailing through the air

ajg2425 · 06-30-2005, 12:07 PM

i dont know if i saw the same thing before but this one time i was shooting a .22lr and i swear i saw the bullet flying through the air.

snipehunter · 06-30-2005, 07:39 PM

just a bit larger than a .22lr but