Windy shooting days

[TheCZKid]

My challenge lately is when I've been testing loads, in my 17 Mach IV and 25 grain bullets, and waiting for days with low wind. For tests like seating depth, any little variance makes a difference, and fouls the results. My own shooting that day might not be great, the wind variations, slight variance in neck tension, trigger pull... it's hard to shoot well in general , and wind doesn't help me figure out results!

 

[JFrank]

You must acvpet certian things in the 1k game I believe.

OR’ be very disciplined and process the little changes better than I did, it’s really easy to get caught up in a “slight wind” hold over game and stung by a let up.
All you can say at that point is “ they went right where I aimed”
Big winds are easy enough to just wait a couple minutes and survive.

 

[Webster]

My challenge lately is when I've been testing loads, in my 17 Mach IV and 25 grain bullets, and waiting for days with low wind. For tests like seating depth, any little variance makes a difference, and fouls the results. My own shooting that day might not be great, the wind variations, slight variance in neck tension, trigger pull... it's hard to shoot well in general , and wind doesn't help me figure out results!

I go usually to the range on Saturdays. Never had a wind that was not light. Kelby's range is considered difficult? A steep hill runs along the entire left side of the range. I always measured my groups by max vertical and horizontal. For some reason I never measured max. All my shooting was at 100 yards. Over many years I noticed when I was shooting a good load the groups were typically 0.100" wider than tall. So I assume that was the effect of the wind? Nothing to worry about for GH hunting. If you have an accurate rifle it's easy to see a good load when you have it regardless of the wind. A great exceptional group with my rifle might be .225 vertical and .350" horizontal.

 

[markm87]

I rub a little imperial sizing wax on the bullets and they slip through the wind!

 

[Multiracer]

I rub a little imperial sizing wax on the bullets and they slip through the wind!

I use Belly Wax....lol

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I think Jack Neary basically uses those exact words in a Cortina interview. I bet he is correct, but what he means is it can gain you .00000001 moa! For normal people like me, even .1 or 1 gr will both do nothing I can measure! I can barely tell the difference between my 223 and 7 saum when its howling lol

 

[Shooter13]

You'd be hard pressed to see 300 fps faster on the target. Yeah, technically it might be a little better but if ya pull the trigger at the wrong time, there's just not a fix for that in a bottle or anything else. Wind flags are your best bet but they can only show ya what they feel and it can be a lot easier said than done, getting all shots down range without getting caught in a switch. The wind has been crazy here for the last few days. Tough to tune anything in this stuff.

Man isn’t that the truth!

 

[JEFFPPC]

OR’ be very disciplined and process the little changes better than I did, it’s really easy to get caught up in a “slight wind” hold over game and stung by a let up.
All you can say at that point is “ they went right where I aimed”
Big winds are easy enough to just wait a couple minutes and survive.

Your right from the point of 1k guys accept that it seems. Short range guys, 500 yds and under don't accept that. 20 years ago some guys who shot groundhogs matches that were usually in the middle of the pack switched to the 1k game. Several off them became very good and continue to be good. Why? I don't know but maybe it's a personality thing. I enjoyed the VBR matches and did pretty good but trying to pick twice in a row at 1k on paper was frustrating at times. Funny thing is in the VBR game I was a runner and gunner, lol. Great sport offering different challenges. Now, shooting a spring gun at 20 meters for groups in the zeros is just as satisfying and probably requiring better shooting skills........No reloadong.........extremely little cleaning.

 

[Multiracer]

Thanks again fellas for the insight.
I need to practice !!
Ron

 

[swd]

The only secret to cheating the wind is to shoot as much as possible in it. Knowing when not to shoot is just as important as when to shoot. If you really want to learn wind long range pair firing is awesome and a lot of fun. But each discipline and distance has its own nuances.

 

[Steve Donlon]

OR’ be very disciplined and process the little changes better than I did, it’s really easy to get caught up in a “slight wind” hold over game and stung by a let up.
All you can say at that point is “ they went right where I aimed”
Big winds are easy enough to just wait a couple minutes and survive.

It's hard to wait sometimes. Kind of like rolling the dice when you'r in the mountains. Every time is different. I have seen those guys with lighter recoiling rifles do very good when it's like that sometimes when there is a small break in the wind.