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reading wind with mirage

kzin

After a year of practicing and a few matches my wind reading is still limited to chasing the spotter and watching flags for very obvious switches or lulls. And shooting like hell when I think the wind is what I sighted for.

I initially tried reading mirage through the scope and didn't have much luck so fell back on the flags.

Now I'm shooting with cmp guys. They didn't just say no when I asked for flags, they said it in a mean way ! :)

googling around I got that the best setup is lowish power (20-25) focused at about half target distance. That sound right? Does quality matter at all? I'm thinking of using my 50$ simmons as a dedicated mirage scope so I don't have to defocus my spotter.

I do almost all of my practice with 22lr. Is it even possible to read mirage at 50yds? 25??

I'm also in upstate NY and shooting mostly between work and sunset(about an hour!) or early weekend mornings.
Should I just delay this project until I see the sun again next spring?

thanks
 
If you have not already done so, buy the little book by Jim Owens on reading the wind. Then you learn to read the wind by practice and experience. Mirage is only one tool in the tool box, a good tool but there are others. Start the night before the match and take a look at the weather forecast, it is amazing how good the wind forecast is. Use that as a starting place. Team matches with a good coach are good training experience. If you have an opportunity to squad with a good shooter that has wind reading skills, watch the wind as he shoots and then have him tell you what he saw while he was shooting. This takes time to learn. I have a short write up I use for training if you would like to have a copy send me an email at chkunz@bellsouth.net and I will send you a copy.
 
chkunz said:
If you have not already done so, buy the little book by Jim Owens on reading the wind. Then you learn to read the wind by practice and experience. Mirage is only one tool in the tool box, a good tool but there are others. Start the night before the match and take a look at the weather forecast, it is amazing how good the wind forecast is. Use that as a starting place. Team matches with a good coach are good training experience. If you have an opportunity to squad with a good shooter that has wind reading skills, watch the wind as he shoots and then have him tell you what he saw while he was shooting. This takes time to learn. I have a short write up I use for training if you would like to have a copy send me an email at chkunz@bellsouth.net and I will send you a copy.
Click to expand...

email sent
 
Recommend: "Prone & Long Range Rifle Shooting" http://rifleshootingbynancy.com/index.html

Chap 13 - Wind
  • The differences between wind flags and mirage, and how to use them to your advantage.
  • How to deal with the most common types of wind conditions.
  • How to choose a wind indicator.
  • Why it is essential to have a good wind zero.
  • Why calling your shots and having an accurate rifle are more important than you think.
 
rminut said:
"The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters" by Miller is far more informative than the Owens pamphlet.
Click to expand...
I would recommend the Owens "pamphlet" for the beginner over some of the more advanced works. It is like mastering algebra before you study calculus. It is like climbing a ladder, master the bottom rungs before you attempt the top rungs. The wind is over rated and used to blame many bad shots by the shooter. I have some advanced books and I stayed at a Holiday Inn once, not a Holiday Inn Express, just a Holiday Inn, but I do not have the book by Miller.
 
rminut said:
"The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters" by Miller is far more informative than the Owens pamphlet.
Click to expand...
I have learned and put into practice more from this book than any other I have read. To me it is invaluable with the wealth of knowledge put into readable and easy to understand terms. It has improved my wind reading skills and my scores.
 
Blackthorn said:
I have learned and put into practice more from this book than any other I have read. To me it is invaluable with the wealth of knowledge put into readable and easy to understand terms. It has improved my wind reading skills and my scores.
Click to expand...
It sounds like several folks like the Miller book, I need to add that to my library, where is it available?
 
chkunz said:
It sounds like several folks like the Miller book, I need to add that to my library, where is it available?
Click to expand...
I just answered my own question, I found it at MidwayUSA, Linda K. Miller and Keith A. Cunningham. They wrote some great articles for Precision Shooting Magazine.
 
chkunz said:
It sounds like several folks like the Miller book, I need to add that to my library, where is it available?
Click to expand...
It is an excellent book. Read it cover to cover...then go and shoot at distance trying to incorporate at least one or two of their ideas in your next few sessions/matches. Reread the book cover to cover and you will find some things that you did not find clear will now start to make sense. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat...etc.. You will not begin to comprehend most of Linda and Keith's teachings at first, if you are like me, but after repeated practices you can begin to incorporate their processes into your skill sets. The book made a huge difference in my learning curve.
 
LOL
I downloaded the Owens book on kindle and the first little section on what beginners/bad wind readers do is exactly what I said in the OP! I guess I'm right on track :)


PS which of you bastages bought the last copy of the Miller book from Midway????
 
THis is a simple wind formula taught to me by an AMU coach when I was starting out, and I now teach it to other shooters, it will get you on paper.
Hold your hand out in front of your face with your fingers parallel to the ground and open up your hand like your going to fingerpaint a turkey for a kids art class. with nylon wind flags, your pinky is 4mph, your ring finger is 8mph, your middle finger is 12mph, and your index finger is 16mph.
Now use this formula, yds x mph divided by 10 = moa correction.
an example is a 4mph wind at 600 yds
4x6/10=2.4 moa so a 2.5 or 2. 75 moa adjustment would be in order and get you in the 10 ring. THis is with a service rifle and full value wind.

Next thing to work on is staying in the scope to watch for changes up until the moment you shoot and as soon as you fire. learn to coordinate the mirage with the flags, and watch for minute value changes.
 
Last edited:
akajun said:
THis is a simple wind formula taught to me by an AMU coach when I was starting out, and I now teach it to other shooters, it will get you on paper.
Hold your hand out in front of your face with your fingers parallel to the ground and open up your hand like your going to fingerpaint a turkey for a kids art class. with nylon wind flags, your pinky is 4mph, your ring finger is 8mph, your middle finger is 12mph, and your index finger is 16mph.
Now use this formula, yds x mph divided by 10 = moa correction.
an example is a 4mph wind at 600 yds
4x6/10=1.6moa so a 1.5 or 1.75 moa adjustment would be in order and get you in the 10 ring. THis is with a service rifle and full value wind.

Next thing to work on is staying in the scope to watch for changes up until the moment you shoot and as soon as you fire. learn to coordinate the mirage with the flags, and watch for minute value changes.
Click to expand...
can you show the new math that makes 24/10=1.6??

my education shows 2.4.
 
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