F- Class shooters

[deadlyswift]

To all the F/open & FTR shooters! What are your stradedies for wind adjusments? Do you shoot your sighters and dail windage adjustments on your scope, or do you just hold off? Currently I zero my eleivation and windage on pratice day. Sometimes I don't adjust for windage if I'm close enough. (adjustments on the scope) Then as the match gets under way (usally the next day) Depending on how many sighters are allowed. When only 2 sighters are allowed, I will hold dead center of the X ring and see where the first sighter shot goes with current conditions. On the next sighter shot. I will try a hold off to see if my calculations for wind is right. Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I don't. If conditions are tuff it may take 1 or 2 shots for record to walk things into the 10/X ring. This costing me points! If it's unlimited sighters I don't worry about it too much. Unlimtied sighters allow me to fine tune whats going on before I go for record. Right now I only adjust my scope if elevation changes. If the wind changes I just try to change my hold off, and not confuse myself with all the clicks! To me If you try to click adjustments for the wind you will just get lost and do more harm than good?

So what I'm after is what are some of the stradedies that others use to adjust for wind? Looking for some new idea's to try and see if it helps? More less what works for you? Wrong or right if it works it works! Just would like to hear how others adjust?
Thanks
Mark

 

[Erik Cortina]

Simple, next time try holding off as you click your scope! I'm glad I was able to help you! ;D

Just kidding, I hold off for wind.

 

[280man]

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek063.html
Read this article first if you havnt already. Jeff is a execellent shooter and there is some great info in the article.

I think to be successful in Fclass you just have to go shoot. Shoot every match you can, try different things and figure out what works for you. As for wind I do some of both I hold off and I dial. I never just send the first one down range I always read the condition the best I can. Then I dial some wind, pray and send it. Main thing is get out there and have fun with it

 

[Killshot]

Last year was my first year competing in F/TR so take this as you may....

For two sighter shots: I try to make my best wind estimate before the sighters and dial for it. Then shoot my two sighters holding dead on, as close together timewise (1st sighter should be marked quickly as the puller doesn't have to mess with a paster) as possible. Hopefully, they're both in the same place, giving me a good idea of my windage (Elevation shouldn't be an issue if you have dope) and if it's inside 9 I'll hold off for the string, if it's worse, I'll make an adjustment then shoot the string. Granted, if I see the target come up and my 1st shot is waaaay off, I will make an adjustment before sighter #2. This has worked for me, YMMV.

Unlimited sighters: Dial till you smile. ;D

 

[Steve Blair]

Since I am shooting a gun at Phoenix that I have not used in F-TR, the following is my plan (subject to change).

Got a hard zero at 300 Tuesday in almost zero wind conditions.
Adjusted to estimated 800 yard zero using QuickTARGET ballistic software that has proven accurate.
Drive over for practice day on Thursday and shoot 800, 900 & 1000, recording settings.
Take full advantage of available sighters. Friday is a Palma, unlimited at 800, 2 each at 900 & 1000. Saturday is 2 20X1000 and Sunday 3 20X1000, all unlimited sighters. I will take 350 loaded rounds and hope that it is enough.

Like Erik, I hold for most wind unless conditions seem stable and then will click to compensate. I click to correct elevation, like from 45° mornings to 75° in early afternoon. I pay attention to the flags and make an effort to correlate to conditions. No magic in any of this and my scores sometimes show it. Occasionally, one sneaks into the X and allows me to think I know what I am doing.

 

[Heavies]

I too am new to this game. I wish I had oppertunity to go unlimited sighters and practice days etc.

We only have a f-class match maybe once every few months, practice is only done at a 100 yard range, and so is load development. Sometimes I butt-in on a service rifle match and shoot 'tactical' so I can get some dope and check loads for 300 and 600yards. (which is max available here) Not much time to mess around, and if the load doesn't work, well, I've just wasted my entry fee and my day. =P
My stradegy has been to go to some of the service matches to practice and get dope, on match day (only allowed 2 sighters each yardage) make my best wind call, fire 1st sighter in my observed condition, dail in corrections if needed, fire 2nd sighter. If I'm in the 10 then I'll hold off to walk it in the X, if im way off then I'll dial more. I try to fire when wind feel on my neck, flag directions, and mirage is close to what I see in the sighters. I try not shoot in a let off or a boil.;D
If we ever get a 1K, I'll be in trouble.

 

[Rustystud]

Look for a Longrange shooting clinic put on by a group of experienced shooters. Two or three days of coaching by and experienced shooter will do more than 20 years of shooting.

Palma promotions, and several F-Class groups offer shooting clinics.

Nat Lambeth

 

[280man]

There is one next week at Phoenix put on by some of the best

 

[effendude]

Great post Mark,
Here is what I do most fo the time at matches here in MN, mostly OTC and Mid Range Prone/F-class matches where you must also perform duties as a scorer and in the pits. If you are in the first relay shooting a particular match, you are on your own a little. If I am first relay, I will watch the flags and mirage while bringing equipment to the line and in prep. If the wind is real subtle and faint, I will shoot my sighters without any wind adjustment just to see what the wind is really doing. This gets filed away inside my head for future reference shooting on that range in similar conditions. I admire the guys who can look at the flags, trees, grass and say that is a 1 1/2 min wind, but I can't yet. If the wind is stronger, I will put a guess on the scope and then fire both sighters. I then dial in my correction and try hard to shoot in exactly the same wind conditions for the entire relay. If conditions change and don't appear to return to the sighter period conditions, I will make sight or scope adjustments as the relay goes on to stay centerd, "chasing the spotter" while watching for condition changes. Most matches are 22 min. for 22 shots. That is a huge amount of time to get your shots off. Be patient. I have tried the shoot as fast as you can and hope conditions hold method, but always get caught in a switch or change. And you don't learn as much....

If I have scorer duties before shooting, I watch the flags, mirage, and my shooter and also those near me to learn everything about the conditions before I arrive at the firing line. I learn more watching others shoot and the conditions at the same time. What may not be obvious to a shooter is usually easily spotted when you are not mentally isolated in the act of shooting. I also listen as shooters talk before and after. Most veterans will discuss how much they put on after a string. It pays to pay attention.
Good Luck,
Scott

 

[Taildrag15X]

I may add some if there if it's "steady", then try hold off for the changes (both ways), some times it works and others it's looks like I have a crap load to learn.

 

[deadlyswift]

I agrree clicking wind adjusments when the first sighter is way off, so to minimize my hold off. It seems I have the same thoughts as others that have posted. Thanks for the reply's!

I think I have started out in this game with the right attitude. Keeping an open mind to suggestions, and paying very close attention to the top level shooters and there are many where I shoot most of my matches at!! I'M Even shooting against a cpl of FTR shooters that have out scored some of the top level F/open guys with a .308 at 1000yrds. That's impressive to me, and I have the highest respect for both of them! As a competor obviously I want to out shoot them, but realize there are many steps to get that level.

So far I have been just setting small goals for myself. My next goal to reach is to just shoot a clean target at 600 then a clean target at 1000. Only then will I start to count Xs or worry more about Xs. This is where I have started trying to analyze where my week spots are. Wind reading obvisously being my weekest link! Witch is costing the most points. My loads so far have been good and I have got to the point that I'm not dropping points due to vertical. So my Wind reading being my biggest Culpurt to dropping points is the reason for my question of how others are adjusting. Just to get some new idea's to try and improve!

I will say that I shoot most of my matches at Camp Butner! One shooter has told me that Butner will be my biggest challange. I think he was dead on when he told me that! There is some stiff compitition there, as well the wind is brutal! Here is a Example! The last match I shot there. (500yrds) I was Scoring for a fellow shooter. Looking down range here is what the flags where doing. The flag closest to the target on the left side of the range was blowing at full vaule to the left. The Flag closest to the target on the right was at full vaule blowing right. The next flag closer to the line of fire on the left was at half vaule but still blowing left. The same flag on the right was at half vaule, but blowing straight at us. (the shooters) The next set of flags being the closest to the line of fire. On the left the flag was dead calm, but the flag on the right was blowing right, and more less just a whisper, I guess you could call it 1/8 vaule? All that crazy wind and the shooter to my right, who is one of the top Pamla shooters In the US Broke a shot! My first thought was have you lost your mind! Then when his target came back out of the pits, and it was a X! My next thought was NO he just knows what the heck he is doing! I eat, drink, and sleep wind at this point! I even watch the wind driving to and from work. Trees, Fields with tall grass, etc. Whats the wind doing! Why is it turning, what is the wind hitting to cause it to shift directions, What does the lay of the land look like to explain why the wind is doing what it's doing? My only guess to shooting in conditons that I described above is to forget the flags, and focus on what the mirage tells you? So far the mirage hasn't lied to me when the flags confuse me, or what I call it just flat out lieing to you?
Thanks
Mark

Yes I am OBSESSED with the sport!!! ;D ;D ;D