Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Has the cause of flyer shots ever been really figured out?

I have at least one flyer in all of my groups. Seriously. I only measure the best 4 out of 5, or the best 8 out of 10.

I give myself a half-MOA handicap.

Time for a physics lesson.



There are several functions that affect flyers. The "Big Five" are as follows:

1. Rotation of the earth
2. wind speed
3. wind direction
4. Barrel twist
5. Northern or Southern Hemispheric contra-polation aka Transpositional Mass Acceleration

Rotation of the earth

As you can see from this picture, the earth rotates counter-clockwise around its vertical axis. Flyers are more likely caused by shooting at right angles to the rotation - due north or south. Flyers are least affected by shooting from west to east or east to west.

Wind Speed & Direction

Wind can act in concert with or act resistively to the earth's rotation. In a nutshell, flyers are more likely caused by shooting at right angles to the wind. Flyers are least affected by shooting directly into or in the same direction as the wind.

Please note that when the wind is blowing, you must take into consideration its direction and the direction of the shot. Wind can exacerbate the flyer or, contrarily, minimize the rotational effect. It all depends on how your range is built and/or, if hunting, where the game is standing. It's a demanding science.

Barrel Twist

Is your twist a left or right hand one? A left handed twist with a left blowing wind will cause huge flyers. A left handed twist with a right blowing wind will reduce the flyers. A right handed twist with a right blowing wind shooting at right angles to the earth rotation will allow you to shoot around corners! Thank you Julius Sumner Miller!



Northern/Southern Hemispheric Contra-polation

Hunters that live in the Northern Hemisphere will find that, should they travel south - to Oz for example - they will have difficulties connecting with their targets. Transpositional Mass Acceleration or TMA, is the result of objects used to spinning in one manner or direction, being forced to spin in contrary juxtaposition.

We experience this when we speak to Australians. Their version of English is different. Known to linguists as the Coriolis Communication or Contra-Chat for short, it influences similar languages by forcing diphthongs in opposite directions. Vocoid pharyngealization is the result.

In conclusion, next time you see a science teacher, give him a hug...or punch him. They are to blame for the "half-full" versus "half empty" arguments that have torn up the physics community since 1829.

Now you know.

I'm talking about when load testing bolt action rifles. I usually shoot 5 shot groups at 200 yards, if all is well 5 shots @ 300 yards.
Usually load testing an un-tried load will produce a random pattern of various sizes. But then you can get a load that will put several close together then one way out, that's what I'm talking about.

Time for a physics lesson.



There are several functions that affect flyers. The "Big Five" are as follows:

1. Rotation of the earth
2. wind speed
3. wind direction
4. Barrel twist
5. Northern or Southern Hemispheric contra-polation aka Transpositional Mass Acceleration

Rotation of the earth

As you can see from this picture, the earth rotates counter-clockwise around its vertical axis. Flyers are more likely caused by shooting at right angles to the rotation - due north or south. Flyers are least affected by shooting from west to east or east to west.

Wind Speed & Direction

Wind can act in concert with or act resistively to the earth's rotation. In a nutshell, flyers are more likely caused by shooting at right angles to the wind. Flyers are least affected by shooting directly into or in the same direction as the wind.

Please note that when the wind is blowing, you must take into consideration its direction and the direction of the shot. Wind can exacerbate the flyer or, contrarily, minimize the rotational effect. It all depends on how your range is built and/or, if hunting, where the game is standing. It's a demanding science.

Barrel Twist

Is your twist a left or right hand one? A left handed twist with a left blowing wind will cause huge flyers. A left handed twist with a right blowing wind will reduce the flyers. A right handed twist with a right blowing wind shooting at right angles to the earth rotation will allow you to shoot around corners! Thank you Julius Sumner Miller!



Northern/Southern Hemispheric Contra-polation

Hunters that live in the Northern Hemisphere will find that, should they travel south - to Oz for example - they will have difficulties connecting with their targets. Transpositional Mass Acceleration or TMA, is the result of objects used to spinning in one manner or direction, being forced to spin in contrary juxtaposition.

We experience this when we speak to Australians. Their version of English is different. Known to linguists as the Coriolis Communication or Contra-Chat for short, it influences similar languages by forcing diphthongs in opposite directions. Vocoid pharyngealization is the result.

In conclusion, next time you see a science teacher, give him a hug...or punch him. They are to blame for the "half-full" versus "half empty" arguments that have torn up the physics community since 1829.

Now you know.

steve I rely on all 5 points plus caffine jerks and heavy heart beats wind shifts and stray bumble bees to improve my group size. You have to go with the flow and beeee the bullet...

......or some runout in the bullet seating could reasonably be a cause......

I thought thats what foil hats were for.....

I'm talking about when load testing bolt action rifles. I usually shoot 5 shot groups at 200 yards, if all is well 5 shots @ 300 yards.
Usually load testing an un-tried load will produce a random pattern of various sizes. But then you can get a load that will put several close together then one way out, that's what I'm talking about.