Wind deflection at the muzzle

[Skinny Shooter]

Looked in the archives for this but came up dry.

I've heard it said that wind conditions at the muzzle are more important than during time of flight or at the target.

That doesn't make sense. When a projectile leaves the muzzle it is travelling it's fastest in open air. Why wouldn't wind deflection further downrange have the greater affect?
Last Summer I set-up targets at 1, 2, 3 and 400 yards with surveyors tape flags at each distance.
What a learning experience. Numerous times the 100yd flag was blowing one way, the 200yd flag was opposite and the wind leapfrogged like that out to 400.
Or while chuck hunting, it's blowing at the shooter position but not at the chuck.
I understand the wind is important, just need more input.
Thanx.

 

[Len Backus]

I just hate shooting in those 100 mph winds!

 

[Brent]

Len,

With a gust of wind, the earlier the angle of the bullets path is changed, the farther it will be off in a given distance. 1 moa at 200 yards is about 2", at 400 yards it's about 4", so if it has traveled 200 yards already and hits a 10 mph full value wind (3 o'clock or 9 o'clock) it will deviate half what it would have if it had encountered the gust at the muzzle and had twice the distance to still travel.

100 mph winds, reminds me of a time when I was younger on a fishing boat 75 miles off shore just joggin along in a storm with a steady 100 and gusting to 120 knots on the wind meter. I was setting in the wheelhouse on watch, the huge fire extinguishers had blown loose from the walk rail outside but were tethered off, they were flying perfectly horizontal in the wind. What a storm that was! Made the 220 foot boat I was on seem real fricken small!!!

 

[texas]

Brent, sounds like you were in the Coast Guard.

 

[STL_Shooter]

Wind deflection near the shooter induces a new flight path, the error of which is amplified the further the bullet travels...

Consider the extreme case - a 100 mph crosswind 1 inch from the muzzle vs. a 100 mph crosswind 1 inch from the target. Which would we prefer?

[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: STL_Shooter ]