Wind and Light Effect on bullet drop

[dale2242]

Any of us that have done much shooting outdoors at any distance knows that wind has a definite effect on the bullets path.
Wind blowing at an angle across the bullets path has a effect on point of impact.
My question is, does wind blowing more or less straight into or straight from behind have an effect on the bullets drop? Read trajectory here.
Also, have any of you found a different in the elevation of your point of impact, up or down, from sun light coming straight on to your scope or straight from behind?

[country gent]

With iron sight light is a big factor. Light can affect elevation and or windage depending on the angle its coming from. Not an effect on the actual bullet but how you see the bull and hold on it. Light will affect the scope for the same reason its how you perceive the bull.

When looking at a target you see the bull and a "halo" around it light bends or changes this "halo" as you see it thus changing the hold you see. The old high power adage was lights up sights up light down sights down because of this.

Wind affects the bullet itself and its actual trajectory, one of the hardest winds to shoot is the fishtail head on or from behind due to it being harder to read. Yes a head wind or tail wind does affect elevation some especially at longer ranges. One of the best tools for reading wind is mirage on the range. Another factor in the head / tail wind is terrain, most ranges have firing mounds every 100 yds down them and the wind actuall gives a up thrust going over these. They can create swirls with side winds also. At just past 100yds on our local range the wind in the right conditions will have the light yarn tail on my flag blowing up.

Hardest condition to read is no wind dead calmn since flags do nothing mirage is a boil. next is the fish tail down range or up range ( 10:00-2:00 and or 4:00-8:00) as the flags angles are hard to see and mirage is towards or away from you. A heavy side wind can be used but highs and lows need to be watched for on the flags and mirage. Easiest is a light breeze from sides that stays even and constant, this can be easily seen in flags tails and or mirage. The heavy side wind may max out mirage around 12-14 mph and tails of yarn in the 18-20 mph. Actual cotton range flags may give info up to 20-25 mph.

Another thing is wind may not be the same down the range due to barriers, firing mounds, tree lines target backers. Most benchrest shooters put out 3-4 flags for up to 200 yds and close to the height of the bullets trajectory. For this reason they read where the bullet is moving and show wind down the range.