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Gentlemen, It is necessary to distinguish between a projectile's attitude relative to the horizon vs. its flight path. In flight, the nose of the projectile is actually very slightly high relative to the flight path (but not necessarily above the horizon). The result is that air pressure not only works on the front of the projectile but slightly from underneath. Since this point of action is forward of the center of gravity, it tries to force the nose even higher. However, the gyroscopic action induced by spin on the projectile forces the nose in an arc downward and toward the direction of rotation. As the nose of the projectile swings in a small arc, it moves further toward the direction of rotation on the downswing than it moves in the opposite direction on the upswing. Thus, spin drift is created. Rick
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