Which factors influence wind corrections in ballistic calculations?

• A. Wind speed and direction at target, flight time, and bullet drift.
• B. Humidity only.
• C. Time of day only.
• D. Target color and shape.

Answer: (D)

Wind corrections hinge on how the wind pushes the bullet during its flight. The main factors are the wind’s speed, the wind’s direction relative to the shot (how much crosswind there is), and how long the bullet is in the air (flight time). A stronger wind or a gusty crosswind pushes the bullet more sideways, and a longer flight time gives that wind more opportunity to deflect the bullet, so the shooter must adjust aim accordingly. In contrast, factors like humidity or time of day don’t set the amount of wind-driven drift, and target color or shape doesn’t affect how the wind acts on the bullet. Air density and drag do play a role in overall flight, but for wind correction calculations the dominant inputs are wind speed, wind direction, and time of flight.