4 Environmental Factors That Affect Ballistics - Bulls, Bullets & Ballistics with NOSLER

Great instructional video. Lots of information in this one. By the way, what happened to your arm? Hope everything is ok.

Wow , that would be lots of fun !🤘🤩🤺 Having the time and money to practice odd rifle shots would be GREAT !

I don't worry about environmental conditions until after 600 yards as they don't make a big enough difference. At 600 yards with my 6.5prc, comparing a wild extreme of sea level at 100% humidity vs 9000ft with 0% is only a 0.66 MOA shift, or 3.5". The changes at 100 zero to 200 POI are so negligible for most cartridges, like a 308win.

I do my load development at sea level. Because that's where I live. But only 2 hours away is where I hunt, with an elevation of 5000ft. - 7000ft. I have chronographed both locations. It is a difference of 45FPS from sea level to higher elevation.

I've suggested that Randy and crew take a long range precision rifle course in the past. Sounds like he's on the right track in speaking with the Leupold shooting team. I can say it made me a better centerfire rifle shooter/hunter after I went through one myself...not because I have any interest in dropping an elk at anything beyond 400-500 yards at all, but because I now know how to deal with many of the same factors and challenges that LRP shooters use at extended ranges when I'm shooting at 200-500 yards. I'm a better, more well rounded shooter whether in the field on on the bench these days and it's very satisfying and rewarding. Great video, Randy!

This is why I sight my guns in once I get to where I am hunting since there is a range to test them just down the road a few miles

According to 2 different ballistics calculators, assuming temp, humidity, barometric pressure, etc is the same, the difference between a shot taken at 250 feet above sea level and 10,000 feet above sea level is less than 2”. That isn’t enough to make a difference.

Environmental solutions … drag bc etc earth / coleus affect everything on a bullet fired at long range north east west pressure humidity practice makes perfect

Elevation, don't worry about it, I don't have elevation above 1000' where I live, I made no allowances when I shot my elk at over 8000', we are only talking 2'' maximum for my 180 grain over 400 yards, I would be more concerned on wind deflection and shooting at extreme angles.

Somehow I knew that mountain goat was gonna make an appearance.... 😉

"Rain" is another element

A bullet flies through the air easier at higher elevations because it's less dense but it also has less air pressure too and that affects your powder charge just like an engine acts like it has less compression at higher elevations I've known people to load bullets at 7,000 ft where they live and they shot just fine but they've bought them down to 1,200 ft and they had over pressure signs

I concur. My .30-06 was zeroed at Sea Level. My Mule Deer buck was shot in the SE corner of Montana and my POI was higher than my POA. Not enough to defeat a bang-flop kill, but definitely higher than I was aiming. Shot was about 200 yards, POI was 3-4" higher than POA.

Hi Randy. I did a quick calculation with my cartridge.. I see at only 200 meters I see only 1.5cm of difference from sea level to zero pressure. So I'd say at this short distance, sighting in at high elevation and shooting at sea level was not the reason for missing the bear.

Temperatures can change the velocities. For every single degree thats colder than when you sighted in is equal to 2 fps slower. Temperatures above are 2 fps faster.

Now we need the Leopold class in shooting steep angles. Great studd really appreciate it.

Re-zeroed my gun when I arrived to Africa and entered the data in the ballistics app. My Nosler Accubond in 6.8 Western performed flawlessly in Africa. Dropped Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Impala, Blesbuck in their tracks.

Randy the video looks like you hit the rock. In front of the bear. Barrel below line of sight. And prone. Got you

Thanks for another great video.

Well Done