Reading or"doping "wind

[newby]

Good day all,
I would like , no , I really need, to learn more about reading wind and adjusting for wind.Is there a source of knowledge on this topic and please direct me where to find it. I am especially interested in methods that do not rely on flags or windmeters,
Thank you kindly

 

[fdshuster]

newby: In my opinion, you just gotta go out and "do it". But you will learn more ( and at a faster rate), if using wind flags. Shot a BR match yesterday morning in the worst wind conditions I've ever been in, with gusts up to approx. 35 mph, and switching around from every direction, as verified with the flag. The results were not pretty, but I feel that I took another step forward in the learning curve. You could probably learn something from a book or video, and they may be helpful, but nothing beats the "real thing".

 

[newby]

8)Thank you Frank, sounds like you had a educational day, as did I . I discovered that even a mild wind 10mph does nasty things to a bullet after 200 m .Thing is, we try to simulate hunting conditions so we shoot in the country side.Only indicators are grass and bushes and sometimes the dust from a shot just fired,by someone else.

 

[jerrschmitt]

Flags and wind meters are a great way to learn. When you see what a 10 MPH wind does to a flag, notice what it also does to trees and grass. I've been shooting for more than 50 years and I'm still learning.

 

[fdshuster]

Was able to experience the effects of a dramatic wind change of direction. At the beginning of the match, the wind was from 8:00 to 2:00, (range faces North/Northwest), and after a few shots had the proper clicks of correction to handle that. Halfway thru the match, when the cold front came thru the wind shifted to headon/coming right at you, as indicated by the flag, and I dropped points when the bullets were pushed vertically up and down by the wind passing over the raised bunkers/backstops scattered all over the range, from 50 to 600 yards. Shots that should have made the 10 ring were pulled up to 12:00 and the next one pushed down to 6:00. To me, I had more problems with headon winds than left to right, and can see how it is a problem with uneven terrain. How can you correct for the up and down waves? Some are able to it, only dropped a very few points, and they have my greatest respect.

 

[newby]

Thats an interesting observation Frank.was the wind changing speed to cause the up and down effect?I was under the impression a head on wind caused a lift but not that much.Peter

 

[nfhjr62]

Shot a reduced 300 meter match(300 yrds.) across a valley wind behind targets was blowing left too right, trees in valley right too left so adjustment needed.

 

[fdshuster]

newby: It seems to me, in my twisted (?) way of thinking, if a headwind can lift the bullet, causing a high shot, it can also push it down for a low. And you have no way of knowing if it's lifting or pushing the bullet at any particular location as it passes over the berms and bullet backstops that are typically 5 to 6 feet high. One guy did mention that he tries to pick the bench that has a clear field between him and the target. Easier to do in controlled match bench/target positions than in the field like required for prairie dogs, groundhogs, etc. nfhjr62: Yes, I've seen that too, but what do you do when the winds in front of the muzzle are left to right, halfway to the target they are right to left, and maybe at the target, again left to right? Has to be a lot of black magic involved here. Peter: And that was yet another factor: the wind speeds were constantly changing, sometimes dead calm for a minute or two, and could be at 35 in an instant.

 

[memilanuk]

was the wind changing speed to cause the up and down effect?I was under the impression a head on wind caused a lift but not that much.

Local terrain can have a *huge* effect on the way the wind pushes your bullet, especially in terms of 'surprise' vertical. Local knowledge of a range (usually earned the hard way, via experience) is priceless.

There is a very good book called 'The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters' by Miller & Cunningham, available from Paladin Press. It's oriented mostly towards Highpower Rifle/ Fullbore Target Rifle type shooting i.e. long range, tall wind flag poles, etc. but there is plenty of discussion in there that is useful all the way around.

Monte

 

[Cheechako]

newby

Anyone can give you tips, suggestions, or advice, but no one really knows how. If they did, they would be travelling the globe, shooting for money and not posting here on the Forum. : 8)

Ray

 

[newby]

this is getting better and better, thanks.Another question?where do the wind have the most effect, out front near your barrel or way out there near the target?

 

[Cheechako]

The longer time the wind has to act on a bullet, the greater the effect. The wind nearest you is the most critical. Once it turns the bullet away from LOS, it (bullet) is on that course until something else acts on it to turn it back (not very likely).

Don't believe anything that anyone tells you about shooting in the wind, including me. Put up some flags and do it. Pay attention and you MIGHT learn something. But it's a lot like golf. Once you think you have it figured out, you'll find it's only good for one shot. :

JMHO

Ray

 

[wapiti25]

A tail wind will raise the shot by reducing the base drag. A head wind will push the bullet down as it arc's into the target

 

[camac]

With a right hand twist barrel a head wind from the right (1 oclock- 2 oclock) will cause the bullet to climb. A head wind from the left (10 Oclock to 12 oclock) will cause the bullet to drop. That is one of the main reasons I do not like to shoot in a boil. a 20 mph headwind switching from 11 Oclock to 1 Oclock can have some "interesting" effects on the bullet and very hard to read. I agree with Frank - sometimes it does feel like black magic and I definately don't understand it but can roughly think of it like this - if the bullet is spinning so that the right hand side of bullet is pushing down and left hand side up. When wind is on right it will climb on the wind (including tailwind) and when wind is on left it will drop. This is also tru from 90 degree wind at 3:00 to 9:00. Those of you who have shot through a 180 degree change will have seen this. Not only do you need to shift horizontally but vertically as well.

 

[deadlyswift]

Well I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one being fooled by the wind! I have read a cpl of books on wind reading. They did offer some great info. Putting that info into action in real life is a different story. I was shooting yesterday. Where I shoot I'm sitting on 1 ridge on a bench shooting across a hollwer to the next ridge. I am able to get out to 700yrds. The wind at me was blowing left to right. In the Hollwer it was blowing right to left. At the target it was blowing left to right, the same as it was blowing at me. I tried to figure it out! The only thing I figured out is that I'm sitting in a bowl, and I have 2 differnt winds. On a claim day this load and this rifle has shot 1.112 group at 300yrds. (5 shots) Looking at my target yesterday, it had 2 3/4" of vertical but 11" of horizotal! This was a 20 shot string. To say the least I was whipped badly by the wind! Or better yet the nut behind the butt couldn't get it done! I think I'm going to shoot on a cpl of calim days to get my confidents back! The wind is defeantly a widow maker when shooting long range!

 

[newby]

Thanks to everyone helping me.I have discovered the Beaufort wind scale, which I am going to adapt and add further indicators to.This will take a while till it it is complete.Once done I shall submit it for your perusal.It seems clear though that one must work wind out yourself and the best way is by trial and error.I shall keep you posted,Thanks again.