Before tuning a rifle, determine if you want to shoot small groups during the tuning session; or do you want to tune for "winning" during" serious competition. There is a difference.First, if you are tuning for competition, don't always shoot in ice cream conditions. Test loads for not only accuracy but for their sensitivity to wind. This requires discipline because shooters tend to always try for small groups....even in practice.
One way to find a "wind" load is to shoot without "holding" for the wind. If one has found several loads that shoot well in calm conditions, he/she needs to try these without holding for the wind. Of course there may be gusts that one should wait for it to pass. One could set parameters of when to fire (holding dead center) and still test the wind sensitivity. Perhaps one could limit himself to one hour of windflag movement of the tail and one hour of vane rotation (using the clock system, of course). After this he/she may want to move to 2 hours of movement.
At times the best load shot in those "ice cream" conditions may be the best in the wind.....BUT not always. If one has to make a choice for competition, go with the load that is deflected the least in the wind.
The above pictures represent some good (tested) loads at three different distances. The top picture is of the 5 groups that I shot at the Nationals in Desoto, KS (at 200 yards) in some noticeable wind. The next picture depicts a testing session at 100 yards, and the final is a group shot (not by me but another competitor) at 600 yards. None of these were shot in ice cream conditions. Good shooting....James Mock
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