This is very interesting stuff, thanks for the good responses even if I don’t understand some of it (physics was not my forte in college).

If I know anyone needing a PhD thesis in aerodynamic engineering, I will revert him or her to this post.

One question I have is from a post above. Someone was saying that a bullet drops faster in cold weather versus warm weather due to the density of the cold air. Why would the air temperature affect this if gravity is pushing down at a constant? An example would help to clarify this if at all possible.

If you are using Barnes X bullets, you will not have to worry about any of these things. X bullets defy all laws of physics - especially if fired from a Weatherby Vanguard.

Air density affects the bullet path independant of gravity. You would need a super computer to try to figure where a bullet would travel in real conditions. You have different air densitys, wind speed, wind directions, bullet rotation speed, bullet velosity and more along the path of a bullet. The only constant is gravity down at 9.8meters per second. So gravity is only one of the many forces acting on the bullets path.

If you can find a vacuum to shoot in. Your bullet will drop 9.8 meters per second directly straight in front of the direction the barrel was pointed when fired.

Bmullin, you haven't been watching this thread long aparently!!!

9.81m/s is pretty accurate even for air, unless you're talking a LONG fall, at which point a terminal velocity might be approached or reached...the fall of a bullet SHOULDN'T be in that category.

Joe D. Check out my last post before this one re: the air density/bullet fall relationship

Nomercy
I was just trying to answer the one question. I was just saying gravity is independant of everything else. And is constant.

A bullet would actually fall slower in dense air because of resistance. But the trajectory would drop off faster because the velocity would be slowed faster also.

Guys, no need for a super computer. Throw this into bernoullis equations in a intregal equation over time for dynamic Bullistic Coef, mix in Newtons third law of motion, throw in more of bernoullis for average turbulance, and your done.

or you could buy 300 bullets and 300 targets and set up a target every foot for one hundred yards and trace the point of impact. Either that or try to catch the bullet on film and slow it down.

When ever I hear someone who is "miss informed" about something (particualrly hunting/shooting) I try to educate them. 1. it will help them out 2. it may stop them from "miss informing" others. Walking away to hit my head against a wall will not do anything posative for anyone.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" really applies to explaining the path of a bullet in this situation.

The line of sight
The line of the barrel
The path of the bullet

drawn on a scrap of paper helps a lot to explain the "bullet rise" and also to show the big advantage a .270 has over a 30/03 when shooting at deer at longer ranges.

Robin