Originally Posted By: craigd
Originally Posted By: Rocketman
....One more time. What are you looking for that has not been answered?....

Do the shot pellets have to retain a spherical shape for the flow theory to hold up? For example, steel shot that may be less subject to shape distortion seems to flow through a shotgun choke in a different way than lead does. If the shot, or some of the shot, can be shown to become distorted, is their flight through air and disrupted air predictable enough to stay within the theory? Only asking, no other implications.


No, any shape will do. However, it seems likely that there would be some shape factor. How do you see steel and lead shot differing in response to choke constriction? Distorted shot has been shown to produce a higher % of "fliers" than spherical. That said, I think turbulent air behind the lead pellets is not very disruptive of the shot's flight path. A pellet getting a sideways boost in one direction is just as likely to get a similar boost in the opposite direction a little farther along. Prediction of flight path of projectiles through still and turbulent air is fairly settled science. Note that choke effect ends at the muzzle. From that point on, the flight path is set by muzzle exit forward velocity, sideways velocity, and aerodynamic effects encountered along the flight path.

That help?

DDA