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handheld wind..

been thinking about some new toys for next yrs [besides a new builld] an wind meters came up..

what thoughts on these meters do you all have... are they worth having... thinking something under 100 bux ?

thanks
 
I got a Kestrel after seeing the difference in wind drift of flying hunting bullets versus target bullets, and let me say it sure beats guessing your Near Wind. It's neat to carry around and see how the flow of a landscape can effect the air flow in the area between you and your target, but depending on your range, bullet flight path could be a lot different than the path you walk. But it's still good to know.

Some guys say to turn the unit 90 degrees to the barrel just measure the crosswind component, but I've always had to dope those numbers down a bit. I prefer to face it to the wind, take that value, and then approximate the value in degrees or on the clock face. I can see how this system could be somewhat inaccurate for some folks.

I did like the idea of the just crosswind component, but with my meter I was getting too heavy of a dope. I got a good feel for it, but I moved on to see if I could get more predictable results using the actual meter output.

I've had a lot of people tell me they're a waste of time, but I shoot better with one and even if the unit reads with 15% error it would still be a lot better than my guesses, especially on gust speed.

I'm thinking of buying another to set up at trouble spots along my ranges to measure avg wind while shooting to see if I can correlate anything out of the system.

I haven't figured out a way besides "feel" to shoot better in a nasty headwind though. I've thought about buying or building a vane cradle to see if I could log data on my partner's shooting instances and see if there was good correlation at long range on the slight bearing changes.

I shoot mostly field-tactical style and I know it has helped me tremendously, but if you're shooting off a bench area with a lot of wind obstructions, at a KD, with a lot of experience, and people flagging shots you can log, I can't say it would help. I have talked with my machinist friend about building a sensitive degree scored wind vane for BR type stuff, but I don't have the use for it since I haven't started shooting BR yet.

Do you guys know of any products efficient and practical for BR?

Sorry for the rant, but yes I love having one.
 
basically i do shoot from the bench still learning everything problem for me is out past 300 ~ 500yrds.. lol's.. is my limit so far.. i can hit paper out at 500 but get blown off the score part
not that it isn't hard for everyone else but i can't seem to better my guessing which is usually wrong...

i've been told that its not that hard to read the wind ... all i can say is HA !

Thanks for your input... hope more info will come along..

Ps/ i was looking at the Speedtech Windmate 200 what do you think .. ?
 
I have first hand experience with this one:

http://www.windtronic.us/

Many top-ranked shooters use this model and it is very sensitive and most importantly non-directional due to the design of the rotor.
When you watch the meter reading changing and feel the wind on your person it really gets you focused on subtle changes and will show how much wind you are not feeling. I have seen a shooter's scores move up exponentially from the first time he got it. Of course this information needs to be balanced by what your windflags are telling you and can't replace them and like they say shooting without windflags is an excersize in futility.
 
+1 on the Windtronic. I don't need Baro., Temp, Humidity etc. I have that on another meter. As stated the best feature is 360* wind pickup.
 
thanks for the replies interesting different factors

the omni wind tronics sound like a good idea... but with out flags in some cases i would run into some dificultlys for me

i may give this Windmate 200 has more features i probably won't use ... but i could always upgrade down the road as i learn more about the wind...

thanks again
 
I use and sell the windmeter from Huskemaw Optics. Only $80, accurate, and fits in the palm of your hand. I use it for range work, F-class and hunting.
http://huskemawoptics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=14
Kestrels and others are good also, just depends how much you want to spend, and how much info you need.
Scott
 
If you have to choose between them then by a large factor get some windflags first.

Actually getting the wind meter too soon in your wind reading learning will be a detriment as just trying to process the information of watching 3 windflags will take up alot of brain power till you get some time under your belt.
 
in2deep is correct. Your wind meter is good where you have it. It tells you nothing else. I'll guarantee the wind is doing something different down range and only flags will help you.
BVutch
 
thanks.. that makes sense for sure an i get your point...
my thoughts were.. it would be a good leaning process in it self to view the flags measure the wind at the targets.. try an memorize whats going on with the wind during that practice session an see where the holes printed. adjust an try again...
i think i'd get more out that then to keep on guessing..
 

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