Can you "see" the bullet traveling to the target?

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SteelyDan

New member
I target shoot handguns at an indoor range. About half the time--especially with jacketed bullets at slower speeds--I'm positive I can see the bullet traveling down to targets at the 25-yard range. It's easiest to see if you put your head back a few inches from normal, with both eyes open, and focus more on the path of the bullet than the target itself. Or if you stand right behind someone else who is shooting.

I've mentioned this to a friend I shoot with sometimes. He's looked for it, unsuccessfully, and has decided I'm nuts. So I'm curious; is it possible to actually see the bullet heading downrange?
 
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Kermit

New member
Shooting a buddy's reloads, I noticed a golden streak. After closer examination, I realized it was the bullet flying downrange. Kinda cool initially, then realized he needed to make some rounds w/ some cajones :D
 
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coonan357

New member
there is a picture in the revolver thread where you can see the bullet smear in the picture it's a guy shooting a Ruger Gp, I can watch the bullets come out of my lebel rifle it's kind of neat , i like when it's humid and you get a vapor trail like effect from the rife
 
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orlando5

New member
Depend on the caliber and range. Try going to an outdoors range and shoot at 100 yards or more. If you use big heavy bullets like a 200+gr .45ACP you will see the bullet very clearly beyond 50 yards.

Personally I can’t see a handgun bullet with my naked at 25 yards, but past 50 yards it is not a problem for my eyes.

You got sharp eyes. Try shooting rifle sometime if you haven't yet.
 
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Jamie Young

New member
I've shot My 45acp a bunch of times at 100yds. I can pull the trigger and look and see it go downrange. A couple years ago I had a crowd of people stand and watch me shoot My Pistol at 100yds.
 
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topstrap

New member
I have a buddy that shot at our 50' indoor matches with a 45 and when I would stand behind him you could see his bullet nearly all the way. Pretty cool, I can't remember what the load was but it was really sloooooow. He was SSK's gunsmith and was an excellent shot, you could just watch them kinda drive right on into the hole in the middle of the target.
 
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Jamie Young

New member
Well a 45acp is slow anyway around 835fps for most of the stuff I shoot. I think My Crossman BB Gun shoots BB's at about 700fps.
 
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Radagast

New member
Only with rifle rounds, I can see .308 ammo as it goes through the target frame if I'm lucky, and sometimes the bullet in flight from the firing line.

Radagast
 
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New_comer

New member
I can definitely see the 9mm lead bullet out of my USP from 7-8 yards out until it hits the target at 25 yds, when i stand behind the shooter about two steps back and to his right, with the rays of a 9 o'clock morning sun fronting us and slightly favoring the right side. It's the silvery reflection of the bullet that i see, streaking towards the target. Can be tricky, but staring slightly beyond the expected path that the bullet will take, helps in recognizing the bullet's streak. ;)
 
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Hal

New member
Color me green with envy!

(Half the time I can't see the dang target, let alone see the bullet!}

My best friend when I was a kid claimed to be able to see .22's with no problem. I never knew if he was putting me on or not back then. Since then, I've heard enough other people say they can see a bullet in flight to believe he was telling the truth.
 
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stans

New member
Want to see bullets in flight? With the sun to your back, shoot some CCI Blazer 230 gr TMJ. The base of the bullet is concave and coated with copper. You really can watch these move down range.
 
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Mikey

New member
For best "bullet viewing" use a large black target like a B-27 in good daylight or backlit (like an indoor range). You can see the bullets in flight quite well.

Mike
 
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NMGlocker

New member
Go to a silhouette match, and watch the .44mag hit the ram's, you can see the bullet as it flies towards the target, kinda cool.
 
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hksigwalther

New member
I've noticed .22 lr when I'm shooting at longer distances even while shooting the rifle myself.

I have seen a co-workers .223 rounds from his AR going down range through binoculars. I was stand behind and above his shooting position. I must have just been looking at the right angle to catch the .223 round tangent to its flightpath. I was using a 7X bino and the distance I noticed the rounds was ~70-100 yards out. Unfortunately, I was watching the rounds go right through some aluminum irrigation pipes that were stacked near his target.

Certainly, if you can see a tracer round go down range, you should be able to see a regular round if the right background and lighting is just right.
 
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HankB

New member
There's a hunting video out ("Africa's Black Death") where you can see the slug from a .500 Nitro Express in flight, which disappears into a Cape buffalo...
 
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Jay Baker

New member
I've seen hundreds and hundreds of 9mm, .38 Sp., and .45ACP ball and jacketed rounds leave the muzzles of handguns and fly into the targets-- AT OUTDOOR RANGES and with the sun at just the right angle. I was always about two feet behind the shooter, either a bit to his/her right or left. It's interesting too, to watch the trajectory as the bullet drops a bit before entering the target.

I can't recall seeing any lead bullets in flight, but no one was allowed to use anything but factory ball and jacketed bullets, anyway.

(Of course, at night, if you're using tracers, it ain't too hard to see those, either! LOL)

FWIW. J.B.
 
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Jamie Young

New member
I always prefer to see bullets heading down-range. The worst is when you see them coming at you:eek: I've unfortanitely heard the sound of whizzzing bullets go over me. That was the last time I went hunting on Opening day of Deer Season:eek:
 
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