Development in the rain

[edw]

Put a new Shilen barrel on my Creedmoor and it's been raining it's ass off ever since. Been thinking I will rap a couple targets in Saran Wrap and just shoot in the rain. Never tried it before but it should work. The range has a pretty good covered shooting line.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Rain can be your friend. I won an HBR match several years ago in a light drizzle. NO wind, the light drizzle was coming straight down. I just lined the vertical crosshair up and went into trigger pull mode.

 

[J P Brown]

You can also use a samwich bag or clear files. Stops the paper ripping on a wet backing board.

 

[jsudduth]

I've heard that the rain drops can't touch your bullet due to the compressed air around the projectile pushing the drops aside?

 

[LHSmith]

I've heard that the rain drops can't touch your bullet due to the compressed air around the projectile pushing the drops aside?

This was discussed about a month ago. Bullets do on rare occasion hit rain drops (it can be witnessed through the scope ), but between the bullets short time of flight and the relatively light density of raindrops in normal rainfall (i.e. in which one would be expecting to shoot in) it is not an incidence of high occurance.

 

[kyreloader]

At my work office, we have a machine that laminates important signs and things that need to be posted. So, I have been known on occasion to laminate a few of my targets so I an shoot them in the rain if needed.

 

[mmcu]

You can also use clear packing tape to cover up a target for shooting in the rain - works pretty good.

On a side note, I've shot some of my best groups in the rain. Too bad it doesn't rain much in south Texas.....

 

[Zero333]

mmcu's advice about clear packing tape is the best idea. I've done this and it works like a charm.

And supersonic bullets are not affected by rain whatsoever. I shoot in rain more often that I'd like.

 

[Joe R]

Put a new Shilen barrel on my Creedmoor and it's been raining it's ass off ever since. Been thinking I will rap a couple targets in Saran Wrap and just shoot in the rain. Never tried it before but it should work. The range has a pretty good covered shooting line.

I've been known to do load development in the rain at 100 yards. Since I print my own targets on a 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper I use the the plastic sheet protectors to keep them from getting wet. Works great for me. ANd they only cost a few cents at Walmart or Office Depot.

Joe

 

[LHSmith]

While doing load development in a light rain may eliminate a big variable: "conditions" and the results may look very promising......Remember matches are shot in all kinds of conditions and that load that was developed in the rain at temp. "x" more than likely will not be in tune when condition parameters change.

 

[Jet]

Butcher block paper with small stick on orange aim point references works like a champ. Shot in some heavy rain and wind yesterday and it held up fine. When I got home it was dry and I was able to write my load data on it.

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[Pvt.Donut]

Just did some load development in the rain this weekend. I had the bright idea to grab some "sheet protectors" from Walmart before I hit the range. This kept my paper targets mostly dry so I could get decently accurate group sizes. I bought 2 25 packs for something like $0.85 each. This only really works if you use standard A4 sized targets.

 

[edw]

I finally made targets on standard sheets of paper and put them in clear plastic dividers. Worked good. I had targets up for an hour in steady rain and they looked good the whole time

 

[joshb]

Years ago, some Movers left a roll of sticky back shrink wrap on a job. 24 inches wide by who knows how long. Works like a charm! I keep some prepared targets in my target book, just in case. You could also spray some with clear "rattle can" lacquer, thinking about solutions.

 

[dkhunt14]

I shot the world record 1000 yard heavy gun 10 shot group in the rain. I also saw many small groups shot at 1000 yards in the rain. Sometimes it was raining pretty good. The thing I notice is when it is raining the sight picture is usually really clear. No mirage or haze. I am not talking about a downpour but light to steady rain. Matt

 

[spife7980]

I just shoot them as normal. My computer paper does get a little soft, yeah, but they dry out really quickly once back indoors if its necessary to save them. I just take pictures and trash the targets anyways. Just be careful to tear the stapled corners away one at a time is the only thing I would say is different as far as that goes.

I really do like shooting in the rain though. Drowns out all of the outside traffic noise and other possible distractions; I never think, "hey, is that someone driving around the ranch". Like a white noise machine people use to sleep but its rain drops on a metal roof. Me in my own little world.