Ever seen a bullet trace?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Ever seen a bullet trace?

Posted: 8/21/2001 12:45:03 PM EDT

I read somewhere that when a .223 bullet is fired, it will leave a visible wake. I have never seen this, but I have also not shot very much at long range.
I have heard that the trace contains shock diamonds, and is visible enough for shots to be called using it.
Does anybody have any pics or information?

I am not talking about Tracer Rounds that utilize burning Potasssium to make them visible. I am talking about the supersonic shockwave.

Posted: 8/21/2001 12:52:46 PM EDT

[#1]

Very common sight in hipower. Usually at 600, sunny day helps, and yes, it's clear enough to make a good call.

What you see is more the shockwave...looks like a "V" of distorted or compressed air traveling in an arc downrange.

Posted: 8/21/2001 12:56:41 PM EDT

[#2]

I've seen it a few times. Conditions have to be right. We call it bullet swirl. You stand a better chance of seeing it with optics then the naked eye.

Posted: 8/21/2001 12:57:38 PM EDT

[#3]

Yes, especially through a spotting scope positioned behind the shooter on a warm day. The bullet appears to be disrupting the heat mirage. It's really interesting when you see how much a bullet arcs from 600 yards.

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:02:43 PM EDT

[#4]

When I was young and hunting jackrabbits in Eastern Washington State (Soap Lake/Moses Lake area), I could actually, for a split second, if shooting against a light back ground, could see my .22 LR Bullet heading to the target. Has nothing to do with this post, but it just brought it to my mind. Ah ! to be young again.

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:06:56 PM EDT

[#5]

yup, i've herd about them for years but never seen one personally till i actualy made it a point to look for them.

It helped (me) TO have some good glass to look through.

The best way i can describe it is,
it looks like the heat waves you see comming off of asfalt on a hot summer day moving twards your target.

its knda cool to see it [sniper]

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:08:03 PM EDT

[#6]

low light or dusk time on a hot day shoot with a spot light or a (CAR< TRUCK)head light and you can see the trace its kick ass.

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:12:24 PM EDT

[#7]

I heard high humidity helps make the bullet's vortex visible, too.

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:14:21 PM EDT

[#8]

I will definitely have to try some long shots. I have a decent scope, so we'll see.

Has anyone ever seen high speed pics of bullets hitting stuff? I have seen them around in print, but I would like some good quality wallpaper type shots.

I think a guy named "Doc" Edgerton made this his work, and was featured in National Geographic. I have been unable to find any of his work online.

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:22:34 PM EDT

[#9]

Back when I was teaching pistol at USNA, I remember following .45ACP rounds all the way into the target. Don't know if it was sunlight glinting off the jacket or what, but it was pretty damned cool. I was normally standing directly behind the student (the safest place to be aside from in another state).

- USNA 91

Posted: 8/21/2001 1:31:00 PM EDT

[#10]

On a humid day in August, shooting a 22-250 at a lased 550 yds towards a 2ltr soda bottle we could see a V-wake like a boat on water, pretty slick.

Posted: 8/21/2001 2:25:45 PM EDT

[#11]

Ditto, Celt. I see traces all the time shooting highpower, when scoring other shooters from 600 and 1000 yards. With a spotting scope you can indeed see them good enough to call the shot. I use a KOWA scope with a 27x eyepiece - the standard among HP shooters. You should see the arc from 1000 yards - like a rainbow! In fact, when someone has no zero for the yardage, and is not hitting the target, you can get right behind them with the scope and see where they are missing!

Doc Edgerton was a prof at MIT who perfected the art high-speed strobe photography, side-scan sonar, and many other cool things. We've all seen the bullet going thru the apple pic, but my favorite is the pic of a nuclear explosion the instant it detonated when the "ball" is only about 10 feet dia. Really spooky-looking. He had a company called EG&G Reticon. Do a web search and you should be able to find the pics.

Posted: 8/21/2001 2:40:10 PM EDT

[#12]

I believe there is a video of the phenomenon on biggerhammer.net. I'll try to find the link and post it. It's interesting.

OK, try [url]www.biggerhammer.net/barrett/wwwboard/index.cgi?read=32008[/url]

It's about 6.5Meg but its .223 trails.

Posted: 8/21/2001 2:40:22 PM EDT

[#13]

Here in Florida and close to sea level its Very noticable at longer ranges.
A .50 @ 600m leaves quite a "Wake".

Hows about some pics from behind the shooter ?
Anybody set-up to do this ?
[url]www.eng.vt.edu/fluids/msc/gallery/shocks/s_proj.htm[/url]

Posted: 8/21/2001 2:42:25 PM EDT

[#14]

Very doubtful you'll see your own trace, due to recoil. To see someone else's, get behind them, as in line with their barrel as possible, and have your scope with the target about 1/3 or so from the bottom. Tell them when to fire,(Do'nt matter where they hit, you're just experimentin') and be sure your eyes are wide open. The further away from the target, the better, and don't zoom in on the target. When you see it, you'll probably have to trade places, if the shooter has never seen it.

Posted: 8/21/2001 3:18:16 PM EDT

[#15]

Not just a .223 bullet. I've seen them when shooting long range, especially over water in the early am.

Posted: 8/21/2001 3:43:51 PM EDT

[#16]

I remember one especially vividly. I was taking a shot at a groundhog with an SKS at about 150yds. I remember clearly seeing a black dot with a trace arcing into the hog's chest. It was evening and starting to cool down closer to the dew point. I think you get some trail from water in the air getting compressed.

Posted: 8/21/2001 4:21:53 PM EDT

[#17]

USNA91, I've seen the same thing many times, but .223 not .45! Through binoculars it looks like a brass streak from reflecting the sun.

Anyone seen a red tornado? [url]http://www.ac-119gunships.com/stgrphl001.htm[/url]. Now that's a lot of lead.

Posted: 8/21/2001 4:47:41 PM EDT

[#18]

I have seen it once with the 223, somebody else shooting at the range next to me. I was looking downrange through a 20x scope, told the guy I could see his bullet trace, he looked at me like I was some kind of nut. I am sure he told every body at work the next day what some idiot thought he could see at the range. I have seen it several times with the 45acp. The coolest was a string of them in flight out of my 1928 TSMG.
Tuco

Posted: 8/21/2001 4:54:48 PM EDT

[#19]

Almost forgot I had a picture of a bullet trace. I snapped this just as it went past my nose: [url]http://www.povn.com/~4n6/fig2.htm[/url]

Posted: 8/21/2001 6:26:07 PM EDT

[#20]

I've stood behind IPSC shooters and seen .45ACP rounds zip to the target, when the light is just right....

It looks cool.

Posted: 8/22/2001 3:15:28 AM EDT

[#21]

I've seen this type of phenomenon both with pistol and long range rifle. I think they are two different hings though. At a recent IDPA match I was standing behind a guy shooting a .38 with the sun low in the sky behind us. I could clearly see a glint of the sun off the back of his fired bullets, like a fast, shiney penny. At the 600 yd line on humid days especially a "vapor" trail is created. I try to describe it to people as a snake moving real fast while being cloaked by the camo holograph effect like in the first Predator movie.

Posted: 8/23/2001 1:52:51 PM EDT

[#22]

Thanks for all the info!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Ever seen a bullet trace?

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