Anyone using Aussie wind flags? They cost about twice as much as most I've looked at. I'm new to rimfire benchrest , I'm still getting equipment and have not shot competition as of yet. I'm also building my own 50 yard range at my home location to get a lot of range time with various wind conditions. Thank you for your consideration and wisdom on this issue.
Wind flags
- Thread starter Trophy 2000
- Start date
I bought six of them in 2013. I shoot short range centerfire score. Their nice and react really quick to wind change and I really like the sail tails, but some shooters who have shot on my bench don't care for sail tails. Some people don't care for them because the colors are opposite of just about every other wind flag on the market. With my eyesight they are really hard to see at 300 yards. To me the flag is just too small. I had a friend of mine make me a set and I can see his flags way better than the BRT's. If your shooting rimfire, I would recommend them for that application.
Take a look at Mike Ezell’s Flags. They are my favorite and I have owned 4 different brands of Wind Flags.
Ben
Ben
Mike ezell wind flags are in my oppinion the best bang for the buck. Made from high quality fiberglass rather than plastic like some of the others and every flag is hand balanced, pinwheel rotation as well as front to rear shaft balance.
I would suggest you go to some matches and observe all the different types/styles of wind flags before you buy any particular one unless you have some previous observations.
I've got one year of ARA matches under my belt, and at some of the matches (it depends on the number of participants attending) the range can look like a "wind flag farm" with different crops (styles) all on display. Ask questions and observe, you will make a better decision on what "might" work for you.
I've got one year of ARA matches under my belt, and at some of the matches (it depends on the number of participants attending) the range can look like a "wind flag farm" with different crops (styles) all on display. Ask questions and observe, you will make a better decision on what "might" work for you.
Agreed, if you are shooting ARA another option is to just shoot the flags on either bench next to you.
There is no benchrest shooting in my area. To shoot in a match is about 4 hrs.
From my research, the best flags are not the ones perfectly balanced on the shaft. I'm told the vane side should be down from center ever so slightly. I was surprised to read that thinking that the perfect balance would be best.
I guess I should’ve clarified they are balanced exactly how they need to be. That doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily directly on the center of balance. They are slightly off center of balance to make up for the drag The wind puts on the flag
Windflags, like most everything in BR, true BR, are like everything else in the game. You need to go to a few matches before you take the plunge and buy your own. After attending a few matches and checking windflags, we bought some Jim Boettcher flags. These are a rather simple devise with the main vane going all the way from front to back with the minor height up front. They also have a cross vane mis-ship. We have the cross vane painted fluorescent orange on the front of the vane and chartreuse on the backside, matching the colors of the main vane. This quickly tells us if we have a head or tail wind. We fly a blue tail on the vane. I mention colors because your "home range" may dictate what colors you have on your flags. Okay, back to the Boettcher flags. At the IBS Score Nationals in Ohio Dick Grosbier, may he Rest In Peace, was shooting on our left side. He asked where the hell we got those flags. I told him Jim Boettcher. He said they don't tell him a damned thing. My response, "Perfect, you don't need to know". So, the moral of the story is to window shop and try to shoot OVER some flags before you take the plunge to buy a set. If you shoot full rotation matches and wish to shoot over your own flags all day, you'll need 25 flags and stands or poles. Not a minor investment.
Happy to be of help if you have questions. My flags are the only ones that I know of that have a 30 day 100% SATISFACTION guarantee on the them. If you don't like em', send em' back for a refund.
I started making them in 2007 IIRC. I have offered this same warranty from day one and to this day, have never been asked for a refund on a set of flags. Sales pitches don't come any better than that one! If you can get someone else to offer the same warranty, you could get both and figure out which you prefer, before sending theirs back
Feel free to contact me. Killough Shooting Sports has them in stock.
Mike Ezell
I started making them in 2007 IIRC. I have offered this same warranty from day one and to this day, have never been asked for a refund on a set of flags. Sales pitches don't come any better than that one! If you can get someone else to offer the same warranty, you could get both and figure out which you prefer, before sending theirs back
Feel free to contact me. Killough Shooting Sports has them in stock.
Mike Ezell
These are also great flags and so are Tacoma Washington flags. JeffHappy to be of help if you have questions. My flags are the only ones that I know of that have a 30 day 100% SATISFACTION guarantee on the them. If you don't like em', send em' back for a refund.
I started making them in 2007 IIRC. I have offered this same warranty from day one and to this day, have never been asked for a refund on a set of flags. Sales pitches don't come any better than that one! If you can get someone else to offer the same warranty, you could get both and figure out which you prefer, before sending theirs back
Feel free to contact me. Killough Shooting Sports has them in stock.
Mike Ezell
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Weight needs to be biased to the vane to rid your self of the windshield effect.
I have used Mike's wind flags for the last several years. They are made of the finest materials and are (IMO) as good as one can get. Good shooting....James Mock
Mike Ezell has great flags
A word on flag balance…
Whenever there is an internet discussion about flags and this issue comes up I feel like I have to speak up. If I don’t I will continue to have to answer this same question every time I sell a set of flags, and guys thinking they are doing the right thing will actually be hampering their Graham flags.
I can’t speak for other flag makers, but I can tell you for sure that balancing flags heavier to the tail end of the flag is not necessary or desirable if you are using Graham flags. The “windshield wiper effect” was designed out of my flags many years ago and there is no advantage in putting the pivot in a bind.
There are some flags that are designed so close to the edge of stability that they require being unbalanced or the use of a heavy type tail to slow them down or both. (good luck with that) There are other flag designs that are heavily out of balance to the tail end (to get rid of the windshield wiper effect) but use an elaborate bearing system to mitigate that problem. That works better, but it does require the stand to be perfectly straight up and down, or false readings will occur in light conditions. (the heavy end will be pulled to the low side by gravity)
The Graham flag design doesn’t have either of these issues. So to get the most out of them, keep your Graham flags as close to balanced as you can get them. (with the tail on)
Thank you,
Rick Graham
Whenever there is an internet discussion about flags and this issue comes up I feel like I have to speak up. If I don’t I will continue to have to answer this same question every time I sell a set of flags, and guys thinking they are doing the right thing will actually be hampering their Graham flags.
I can’t speak for other flag makers, but I can tell you for sure that balancing flags heavier to the tail end of the flag is not necessary or desirable if you are using Graham flags. The “windshield wiper effect” was designed out of my flags many years ago and there is no advantage in putting the pivot in a bind.
There are some flags that are designed so close to the edge of stability that they require being unbalanced or the use of a heavy type tail to slow them down or both. (good luck with that) There are other flag designs that are heavily out of balance to the tail end (to get rid of the windshield wiper effect) but use an elaborate bearing system to mitigate that problem. That works better, but it does require the stand to be perfectly straight up and down, or false readings will occur in light conditions. (the heavy end will be pulled to the low side by gravity)
The Graham flag design doesn’t have either of these issues. So to get the most out of them, keep your Graham flags as close to balanced as you can get them. (with the tail on)
Thank you,
Rick Graham
glad you could join us and I use your flags the most and always have,
it is too bad the NBRSA already had 10's of thousands of dollars tied up in smileys flags or yours would be the flag style of choice around the world Jefferson
linekin
Gold $$ Contributor
Over the past few years I've owned or shot over all but the Aussie flags. I've competed against them so have watched them some. The seem like very nice flags.
There is a flag that hasn't been mentioned here that should also have some consideration & that's the Wick's dual vane also sold in the BRC classifieds. They are what I've used the most & am most familiar with & for me they are much easier to see a quartering wind or subtle changes. I switched mid season to a couple different single vane flags & had a hard time with this.
The downside to them is wet weather being made out of corrugated sheet material. They hold a lot of water & therefore pretty much render them useless.
Whatever you choose is going to take a fair amount of time to learn to read them. And then to trust them.
Keith
There is a flag that hasn't been mentioned here that should also have some consideration & that's the Wick's dual vane also sold in the BRC classifieds. They are what I've used the most & am most familiar with & for me they are much easier to see a quartering wind or subtle changes. I switched mid season to a couple different single vane flags & had a hard time with this.
The downside to them is wet weather being made out of corrugated sheet material. They hold a lot of water & therefore pretty much render them useless.
Whatever you choose is going to take a fair amount of time to learn to read them. And then to trust them.
Keith
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Rick, I don't believe any windflag will respond properly unless the stands are straight.
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