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AR15.COM
11/21/2006 7:21:22 AM EDT
I'm doing a project for an aerodynamics class about bullets and have some questions about the ballistic coefficients used by bullet manufactorers. Is the BC constant for a given bullet or does it change with velocity?

What I'm interested in doing is figuring out a bullet's BC using data gathered from testing (velocities at different ranges and atmospheric conditions).
11/21/2006 7:26:16 AM EDT
[#1]
BC is not constant with velocity.

There are a few web sites with advanced explanations including mathematics and the method used to back BC out of test data; I will let you find them.
11/21/2006 7:26:29 AM EDT
[#2]
I don't know much about the technical side of it, but I do recall seeing data on Sierra 77's that had different BC's depending on whether the muzzle velocity was over or under a certain number.  
11/21/2006 7:30:26 AM EDT
[#3]

Quoted:
BC is not constant with velocity.

So the bullet's BC changes with velocity? Are the published BCs for bullets an average or something?

There are a few web sites with advanced explanations including mathematics and the method used to back BC out of test data; I will let you find them.

Yeah, I'm scouring them now.


Thanks for the response.
11/21/2006 7:49:41 AM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:

Quoted:
BC is not constant with velocity.

So the bullet's BC changes with velocity? Are the published BCs for bullets an average or something?

There are a few web sites with advanced explanations including mathematics and the method used to back BC out of test data; I will let you find them.

Yeah, I'm scouring them now.


Thanks for the response.


Sierra is the only bullet manufacturer I know that publishes BC variation with speed.

Since BC is basically a measure of a bullet's drag, it should make sense to you that drag will vary as a strong function of dynamic pressure; in this case, the dynamic pressure undergoes an enormous change from its maximum value to its minimum value.
11/21/2006 8:50:47 AM EDT
[#5]
This page may be of some help to you...


ETA----technical stuff at bottom of page.


www.frfrogspad.com/ballisti.htm
11/21/2006 9:04:26 AM EDT
[#6]
Slight hijack please forgive me.

I was talking to a 1000 meter competition shooter last weekend and he said that he was using flat based projectiles with a lower BC because they did better at "transonic transitions" than boat-tails.

I have no doubt that this was true... the guy has enough trophies on his wall to prove he knows his shtuff.

My only question was: WTF is a  "transonic transition" and why would a flat base do better at it than a boat tail? Any insight or linkage to an explanation would sure be helpful.  

/hijack
11/21/2006 9:28:25 AM EDT
[#7]

Quoted:

My only question was: WTF is a  "transonic transition"


A transonic transition is when the bullet slows down from faster than the speed of sound to slower than the speed of sound. I don't the answer to the rest of your question though.