Richard makes a good point, but I would take it a step further. If we list ALL factors that contribute to vertical dispersion, it is a very long list. All of those factors must be nearly optimal, at the same time, to achieve very tight vertical like Charles Ballard's target. That is why it is so rare to see it. Some of these factors, like load relationship to the tuning node, can easily come and go with temperature. At Berger, I had a problem with my front bag compacted hard. My rifle did not shoot well for the first two days. Wind notwithstanding, it just wasn't shooting as well as it had. When I cleaned my rifle Saturday night, I noticed the front bag was very hard and the right ear, the one that provides tension in a Farley rest, was loose and floppy. The crushed walnut shells had settled. So, I had two problems. There was no lateral tension on the forend and the bag was too hard. I removed the bag and redistributed the media. Sunday, I shot the two 199's to which Richard referred. It was just enough to take the agg for the day. The bag was not to blame. It was my fault that I did not attend properly to my equipment. [br]
That leads up (finally) to my point. Accuracy, including vertical, is the sum of many factors operating together. Some are small, some large. They all must be functioning nearly perfectly to achieve nearly perfect results. Learning what all those factors are, how they interoperate, and continually monitoring and refining them, is what wins matches. The rifle, rest, rear bag, telescope, ammunition, shooter and support equipment comprise a system and must be treated as such. It's easy to write, not so easy to execute. [br]
And, if you do all the above perfectly, that only gets you ready to deal with the wind.
That leads up (finally) to my point. Accuracy, including vertical, is the sum of many factors operating together. Some are small, some large. They all must be functioning nearly perfectly to achieve nearly perfect results. Learning what all those factors are, how they interoperate, and continually monitoring and refining them, is what wins matches. The rifle, rest, rear bag, telescope, ammunition, shooter and support equipment comprise a system and must be treated as such. It's easy to write, not so easy to execute. [br]
And, if you do all the above perfectly, that only gets you ready to deal with the wind.
