Shooters
We had some good discussions earlier on wind flag design and appropriate tail material. But reading conditions has only been touched on. This info will be helpful for the guy or gal at the Range trying to improve their shooting technique. Amazes me when I'm at the Range of the comments I get when I practice. Can I shoot one of your flags to watch it spin. I've heard that comment too many times and had my equipment shot up as have most shooters that practice at a Public Range. My answer is always the same would you like your gun thrown on the ground. I have no fear when it comes to my equipment.
Reading conditions has several factors the most obvious for most shooters is hey look at the wind or look at that mirage in my scope. Though they know what's going on they don't know how to fly with the wind and shoot through the swimming pool, two phrases from older days. But as BR shooters we give it a good try.
Wind and Mirage is more of a problem at some Ranges than others. Shooting in places like Texas and Oklahoma you get your lessons most every you shoot. If it's not the Wind it is the Mirage sometimes both. Other places might not be so severe with Wind or Mirage but they have the Calm which I hate the most. The Calm to me means that things are festering out there that will not necessarily show on your flags. A flag could turn 180 deg and stay calm and you might not catch it because you might be either looking down range or at other flags. I can almost predict in a calm if anything moves on the flags even a twitch it could throw a shot out of your group at 100 yds even worse at 200, maybe as much as 2 bullet holes vertical or horizontal or at an odd angle. The Calm is what most average shooters love to shoot in till they get burned a couple times. I prefer most any Wind or Mirage condition to a Calm. Like I said in an earlier Thread each bench can have it's own set of conditions. Right now I have 4 flags set up in my backyard about 2 feet apart each and I have been watching them most of the afternoon a standard practice I do the week before my next shoot. Flags this close together and very seldom do they fly in the same direction and tails fly high or low depending on individual wind currents. Try it sometime and see for yourself.
In a Shoot or Practice I watch my flags for letups and pickups. I prefer to start shooting on a pickup with whatever flag angle is dominant. I don't like to shoot when all my flags are going in the same direction with flags going either left or right. But if you are a BR shooter you have to take what you get so learn to shoot all the conditions, sooner ot later you will have to finish your group in a condition not you favorite it's called holding off and the winners do it the best. My favorite condition to shoot if I can get is a quarter angle then I don't mind if all the flags show blue or black the colors of the flags I will be using next week at Visalia. I will be using yellow surveyors ribbon for tails. I also shoot head winds or tail winds good. Never I mean Never set a flag so close to the overhang your shooting under that you are getting wind readings that are opposite than your next flag out all the time.In that case I would not set the first flag and make the second flag your first. Keep in mind once the shooting starts in a registered shoot you eat what you sew.
Shooting Mirage scares most shooters. That's why at places like Phoenix Ben Avery some shooters only compete in the 100 yd agg.
Most shooters learn to suck it up and shoot 200. Generally on heavy Mirage days at Ben Avery the wind is slight and for the most part used only as an indication that you have read the Mirage correctly. In Mirage there are a few things to keep in mind. Which direction was it running when you shoot your first shot. Also watch the speed of the Mirage gentle running Mirage is what most shooters can handle but shoot in the same direction if it leaves or changes directions wait till it comes back or go to the sighter target to finish your group in a new mirage pattern. Don't be afraid shoot in a different Mirage condition. I feel Mirage is an honest condition where I don't feel the same about wind flags and always prefer to shoot though Mirage when I can get it.
If you are shooting longer ranges maybe where flags are not common in front of you watch anything in front of you whether it be trees, bushes, or grass. Even the Range flag behind you is better than shooting blind.
There are several nice articles in Rifle mag and American Rifleman mag. Check them out. Most Websites cover shooting in conditions. Talk to your fellow shooters in what they do. Anybody that thinks they shoot through conditions is foolish and not worth listening to. Like to hear from some you Varmint Hunters and Target Shooters in what you do to deal with what Mother Nature deals out, different each and every day.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
We had some good discussions earlier on wind flag design and appropriate tail material. But reading conditions has only been touched on. This info will be helpful for the guy or gal at the Range trying to improve their shooting technique. Amazes me when I'm at the Range of the comments I get when I practice. Can I shoot one of your flags to watch it spin. I've heard that comment too many times and had my equipment shot up as have most shooters that practice at a Public Range. My answer is always the same would you like your gun thrown on the ground. I have no fear when it comes to my equipment.
Reading conditions has several factors the most obvious for most shooters is hey look at the wind or look at that mirage in my scope. Though they know what's going on they don't know how to fly with the wind and shoot through the swimming pool, two phrases from older days. But as BR shooters we give it a good try.
Wind and Mirage is more of a problem at some Ranges than others. Shooting in places like Texas and Oklahoma you get your lessons most every you shoot. If it's not the Wind it is the Mirage sometimes both. Other places might not be so severe with Wind or Mirage but they have the Calm which I hate the most. The Calm to me means that things are festering out there that will not necessarily show on your flags. A flag could turn 180 deg and stay calm and you might not catch it because you might be either looking down range or at other flags. I can almost predict in a calm if anything moves on the flags even a twitch it could throw a shot out of your group at 100 yds even worse at 200, maybe as much as 2 bullet holes vertical or horizontal or at an odd angle. The Calm is what most average shooters love to shoot in till they get burned a couple times. I prefer most any Wind or Mirage condition to a Calm. Like I said in an earlier Thread each bench can have it's own set of conditions. Right now I have 4 flags set up in my backyard about 2 feet apart each and I have been watching them most of the afternoon a standard practice I do the week before my next shoot. Flags this close together and very seldom do they fly in the same direction and tails fly high or low depending on individual wind currents. Try it sometime and see for yourself.
In a Shoot or Practice I watch my flags for letups and pickups. I prefer to start shooting on a pickup with whatever flag angle is dominant. I don't like to shoot when all my flags are going in the same direction with flags going either left or right. But if you are a BR shooter you have to take what you get so learn to shoot all the conditions, sooner ot later you will have to finish your group in a condition not you favorite it's called holding off and the winners do it the best. My favorite condition to shoot if I can get is a quarter angle then I don't mind if all the flags show blue or black the colors of the flags I will be using next week at Visalia. I will be using yellow surveyors ribbon for tails. I also shoot head winds or tail winds good. Never I mean Never set a flag so close to the overhang your shooting under that you are getting wind readings that are opposite than your next flag out all the time.In that case I would not set the first flag and make the second flag your first. Keep in mind once the shooting starts in a registered shoot you eat what you sew.
Shooting Mirage scares most shooters. That's why at places like Phoenix Ben Avery some shooters only compete in the 100 yd agg.
Most shooters learn to suck it up and shoot 200. Generally on heavy Mirage days at Ben Avery the wind is slight and for the most part used only as an indication that you have read the Mirage correctly. In Mirage there are a few things to keep in mind. Which direction was it running when you shoot your first shot. Also watch the speed of the Mirage gentle running Mirage is what most shooters can handle but shoot in the same direction if it leaves or changes directions wait till it comes back or go to the sighter target to finish your group in a new mirage pattern. Don't be afraid shoot in a different Mirage condition. I feel Mirage is an honest condition where I don't feel the same about wind flags and always prefer to shoot though Mirage when I can get it.
If you are shooting longer ranges maybe where flags are not common in front of you watch anything in front of you whether it be trees, bushes, or grass. Even the Range flag behind you is better than shooting blind.
There are several nice articles in Rifle mag and American Rifleman mag. Check them out. Most Websites cover shooting in conditions. Talk to your fellow shooters in what they do. Anybody that thinks they shoot through conditions is foolish and not worth listening to. Like to hear from some you Varmint Hunters and Target Shooters in what you do to deal with what Mother Nature deals out, different each and every day.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
