Seeing bullets travel down range

[Taildraggerdave]

I shot an IDPA Classifier today and the light was in such a way that I saw dozens of bullets-- 9, 40, 45. I lost count. Awesome day. Sometimes I'd see them right out of the muzzle and they'd make a visible line to the target.

Take care,

Dave

[dleat]

Shooting steel plates using 158 gr. Ranier w/ 4.2 gr Trail Boss allows you to see the bullets a lot when sunny.

[Litig8r15]

You can see them with the indoor ranges with the good lighting and rubber traps pretty easily too.

[snertley]

I have seen many .223 bullets (or the vapor trail) in flight while shooting praire dogs. When the conditions are right (warm enough and high humidity) they produce a vapor trail from the gun to the target. Its almost like a tracer when the sun is right, pretty cool.

[h2osport]

I saw some at a local match. Was really freaked out standing at about 8:00 to the shooter. Said something to a friend and he could not see them, but said he had seen them before if it was sunny which it was this day. At first I thought the shooter just had some really slow loads, but then saw some from other people in the squad.

[Sarge]

Any of you military guys on here make sure you go watch artillery when they schedule direct fire excercises. The 155mm round looks like a garbage can going downrange with a big ole pressure wave laying the grass down in its wake.

Sorry guys this thread just brought back memories.

[sargenv]

I used to shoot skeet at night and if you stand in the right place, you can see the shot cloud proceeding to the target. In most cases though I use the wad as a gauge if someone is "ahead or behind" the target. It was interesting seeing it for the first time.. I've seen many otherbullets over the years proceeding down range and making hits or misses on targets. One time I was shootinga plate rack at night with lights.. and was a bit uncomfortable seeing those fmj's bouncing back and over my head..

[Aryfrosty]

I began to see .45s first some years ago. I noticed it while doing night firing on the range for quals. I then realized I could see 38spl wadcutters and .25acp rounds. Bright sunlight enhances the effect but shooting beside a strong flashlight does so as well. I have never seen any of the higher speed projectiles.

[Sam]

Over Christmas, we were out back shooting 9mm after dark with a spotlight behind us. Really cool effect, copper clad bullets zipping downrange almost like that Hornady Vector night shoot thing they did one year at the Handgunner. I could easily see every bullet that my niece fired. She only caught a few glimpses of the ones I was shooting. This is probably good "seeing" practice.

Whut i did on my Chrissmas vacation: "I went up to Wyoming with my Mommie to visit my Uncle...uh... and we all practiced shooting bad guys in his back yard after dark. I can't wait to see what fun we can have with the Easter Bunny".

[Suwannee Tim]

I was shooting some 180 grain 40s the other day and the light was such that I could see every one. One thing that really impressed me was they are damned fast! Of course I already knew they were fast but to know it in a numerical sense is one thing, to see it in a physical sense is another.

[Griz]

Sometimes in the afternoon with the sun low behind me, when shooting long range (450 yards), I can see my bullet going down range and the *shadow* of the bullet zipping up the target. It's the coolest thing to see the bullet and the shadow meet on the target and a hole appear at that spot.

[GrumpyOne]

Out duck hunting early one morning, I could see the "cloud" of pellets as they were fired, all the way to the duck. Funny thing, I swear he saw them too and "ducked"!

Edited August 16, 2009 by GrumpyOne

[JM Neighbors]

I once thought I saw a .243 in flight however other people have told me what I was seeing was the vapor trail. Which is true I don't know.