F-Open vs. F/TR Wind Reading Skills

[Fairchaser]

Generally F-open shooters score better than F/TR shooters on the same target. Is this due to superior ballistics, heavier rifles, solid rests, or better wind calls?
On one hand, the open shooters can focus more on wind, than gun handling etc. but, on the other hand, the TR shooter must also focus more on wind due to inferior ballistics.
I notice the open guys are more prone to use a spotting scope than the TR shooters.
Which discipline is effective wind calling the most important?

 

[wwbrown]

Yes

 

[NA Woody]

I'm sure that wind calling is more critical in F/TR due to the larger hold offs needed for a .308 as compared to a .284 or a short magnum in open.

 

[Medic505]

This should be interesting. I've only shot 2 matches with an open rifle in the 11 years I've been shooting F Class. One with a 6BR and one with a .284 so I really don't have enough experience to make an educated comment. I will say this, the difference between good shooters and winners includes many more aspects of the game other than just wind reading.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Take away the ability to know where the last shot was and you will soon find out.

 

[Fairchaser]

Superior ballistics: yes
Heavier rifles: no
Solid rests: I think it helps
Better wind calls: not dependent on equipment in Open vs FTR


All of them.

The only reason I can think of as it being less important would be from a statistical viewpoint. If you have 20 Open shooters at a match, but only 8 FTR shooters, then it would obviously be less important in FTR for that example. So instead of looking at it as less important, I might view it as which discipline is it "more forgiving" and I would say that is dependent on the number and quality of shooters per class.

If you are thinking of getting into F-class shooting, take a rifle that can handle the amount of shooting and go shoot a match - most likely in Open class. Don't worry about the caliber. Look around, ask questions, and get a real time feel for where you want to go with it.

Mid-range (600yds) is open to a wider choice of calibers IMO.
Long range (1K) is going to be much more challenging and will need more thought behind your choice in caliber and equipment.

Thanks for your answer. I do shoot F-TR for a couple years now. I’m at the point where wind reading is the deciding factor in my success. Just curious on where to go from here to get better at wind reading. Seems like the majority of TR shooters are more involved with the gun, loads and shooting and then maybe wind.

 

[D-4297]

As a TR shooter ; My TR rifle is a Kelby .308 I've used for four or so years . I'm just getting into Open , and I have a minor issue , in that the rifle I started out with for Open is a Mosin-Nagant chambered gun in 7.62 x 54r . Balistically ; a .308 on mild steroids , but velocities match up closely with a .308 , thus it has a .308 barrel , for bullet availability . It was available , and I cold afford to build it . That being said ; Most of the Open shooters I come in contact with are running .284's , 7 SAUMS , or 300's . All of those calibers are much flatter shooting , with potentially higher normal velocities than the .308 M-N , and I understand I'm giving up a lot in that dept.

So my opinion is that wind reading is more relevant in Open , but only due to the fact that most Open shooters tend to like shooting at 1,000 yards , rather than 600 . Because it does give them a ballistic advantage over a TR .308 ... It's just physics . Not very many mid to heavy weight bullets for .308 that will compete with most Open rifles at a thousand . Not to say there are none , and that it can't be done .

At 600 ; my scores from both rifles are very comparative , but when moving to 1,000 yards , the M-N gives me slightly higher scores , and in my limited experience , I would place this solely on two things . The heavier Open rifle , and the more stable front rest . Their is less felt movement and recoil from the M-N .308 , due to the extra three and a half pounds of gun weight , and the front rest is a much more secure platform to shoot from , than a Bi-pod , of any type .

The arrows do make a difference , Cochise . But both disciplines require equal and relative skill in gun handling , loading and wind reading skills .