Need to learn how to shoot/read wind for Rimfire BR match competitions

[HalfCZ]

What should a shooter be doing/watching to shoot well at a windy BR .22LR competition?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

What should a shooter be doing/watching to shoot well at a windy BR .22LR competition?

Thanks,

Jeff

The simple and not so simple answer is the same...flags. We never stop learning this absolutely critical aspect of shooting. So, there is no easy answer other than never practice, tune nor shoot a match without flags. "The wind is my friend"

 

[ELR LVR]

What should a shooter be doing/watching to shoot well at a windy BR .22LR competition?

Thanks,

Jeff

You could also read one of the books on Carlos Hathcock - Marine Sniper
he tells the tricks of the trade by reading things like the angle grass is laying down which is about 3-5 mph
How throwing your hankerchief in the air and gauging the distance it flies etc.
If leaves start getting blown off trees equates to another degree of wind speed.
if you're talking about being out in the field these are cool different methods.
Also - from the point when you just start to feel it on your face, up to bending small trees or seeing the angle at which Mirage bends (45 degrees is about 4-5 mph wind) which is scientific and accurate.
when mirage flattens...it is at least 10 mph.....Mirage at 70 degree with no boiling is in between obviously.
A person can get good at reading wind these ways
IE: I can tell what temp it is by educated guess usually to within 2 degrees F
A guy who shoots in the wind a lot will just be able to tell by instinct

Another trick I read about.... is wind usually comes in waves like waves in the ocean
and there will be a pattern such as a lull every 4 seconds if the wind is 10 MPH or below if I remember correctly.
I shoot in the mtns so the winds here are very different than flatland winds
With many switch a roos and reversals, shooting across canyons it follows contours like water would in a stream bed with no indicators between.
So one thing to know in the mtns is the wind will move one direction as the sun comes up
then reverse after noon and move back the opposite direction as the sun sets.
So you cannot count on the wind staying the same direction and when it reverses it then builds up slowly until full force again.
---------------------------
So now I'll tell ya a secret
The most difficult challenge I engaged in and encountered with 3 other LR shooters was hitting quarter sized led tea lights from 300 yds
In the Dark
It was gusting up to 20 MPH winds then letting off, then reversing on the opposite side of our position because we were in a bowl shooting across a big field against an opposite hillside and the wind was following the contour of the terrain.
If the wind blew left at your position it was actually blowing right at target, but how could you tell that in the dark with no indicators in between?
We had no idea this was happening, and every wind correction we made was obviousy the wrong direction.
I held .1 mil .2 mil .3 mil .4 mil then thought theres no way I am missing because there is no way the wind can blow my bullet that far off at 300.
So I stopped,,,,in pitch black with nothing to see but these little tiny led lights on the far side of the field against the hill which should have been easy as cake to hit.
And then "Listened" to the wind...
After a reversal I could feel it moving left at my position, but could swear I heard it whipping to the right with a fury at distance.
Sure enough, even with wind coming from my left at my position, I held right instead .2 mils
Impact! a 1 inch target down from 300 in the dark from just hearing what the wind was doing.

 

[R.Morehouse]

This may get you started......Have fun.

Regards
Rick

If you look further into these charts, the explanation is simpler than it looks.....

 

[JEFFPPC]

Post 2, third sentence. Plus a desire to do it. Talking about it will not help.

 

[HalfCZ]

This may get you started......Have fun.

Regards
Rick

If you look further into these charts, the explanation is simpler than it looks.....

I can't open this and my eyes can't really make heads or tails of it. Sorry.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

What should a shooter be doing/watching to shoot well at a windy BR .22LR competition?

Thanks,

Jeff

Attend real matches and you will eventually get to know guys that have the knowledge your after. You cant learn it any other way. You have to go to serious matches.

 

[bobinpa]

What should a shooter be doing/watching to shoot well at a windy BR .22LR competition?

Thanks,

Jeff

In my opinion, nobody can explain it you.... In addition to what Alex said, I would suggest you go shoot in the wind. Once you have your rifle shooting as you want it to, just go do it!
Set up flags, watch the conditions and shoot. Then look at the results yourself.

 

[epags1]

I started shooting BR 50 yard competitions (ARA and N50) just 8 months ago and quickly discovered that I needed wind flags in order to progress. I bought three Graham flags (there are other companies = Google is your friend) and over the past two months I have begun to read what is happening to the deflection. I printed out the following and laminated it to put on my bench to help inderstand what is happening:

The triangle is the direction of the wind and the dot is where the POI is when you have your cross hairs on the intersection of the two lines.
Of course the POI is only correct if your setup is stable and your technique is consistant. (EDIT) and you are using very good ammunition that your rifle likes.
My problem comes when all three flags are moving in different directions at the same time.