Testing & Tuning & Tooling & More – Too much mirage

[Ahhnother8]

Quite often the mirage is so bad at 1000 yards that it is impossible to really tell where one was ACTUALLY aiming when the shot broke. At times, the scoring rings are not even visible around here. So many years ago I began holding on an "aimpoint" at 100 yards, while the bullets were flying all the way to 1000. For testing, I have a pole with an aiming dot (as seen in the photo) that I use so it is easy to set up and make the needed corrections. The blurry 1000 yard target is in the background.

Yes, I have successfully used the technique in matches, including the 2017 F-Class Worlds in Ottawa. Simply find something about 100 yards away to hold on and make the scope corrections. Good zeros are a must for accurate corrections. There are some risks and all wind corrections have to be made with the scope, but the precision of the hold is often much more precise.

Does any of this really matter? Been done before? Just food for thought, and your mileage may vary.

 

[CharlieNC]

Interesting improvisation!

 

[Wottchitt]

The name of Percy Pavey comes to mind. He was an Australian fullbore shooter, a member of the NRA of Australia. In those pre WW2 days, the Lee Enfield was the prescribed, "Target Rifle", being cheap and endowed with free 303 British ammo.
His name is featured in the book, "Competitive Rifle Shooting" by Jim Sweet, a so called shooting Optometrist.
Sights were a post at the muzzle but a peep sight, a Central was popular, was attached at the rear of the action. Pavey aimed off like you but I have to say that the thought of the maths that I assume is involved, is too frightening for me to think about.

 

[sdean]

Quite often the mirage is so bad at 1000 yards that it is impossible to really tell where one was ACTUALLY aiming when the shot broke. At times, the scoring rings are not even visible around here. So many years ago I began holding on an "aimpoint" at 100 yards, while the bullets were flying all the way to 1000. For testing, I have a pole with an aiming dot (as seen in the photo) that I use so it is easy to set up and make the needed corrections. The blurry 1000 yard target is in the background.

Yes, I have successfully used the technique in matches, including the 2017 F-Class Worlds in Ottawa. Simply find something about 100 yards away to hold on and make the scope corrections. Good zeros are a must for accurate corrections. There are some risks and all wind corrections have to be made with the scope, but the precision of the hold is often much more precise.

Does any of this really matter? Been done before? Just food for thought, and your mileage may vary.

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Thanks for posting. I have a private road to test on but mirage is terrible. I'll be trying this.

 

[memilanuk]

Thanks for posting. I have a private road to test on but mirage is terrible. I'll be trying this.

Same here... our local 600yd range shoots directly over a 1/4 mile oval race track, with a *lot* of asphalt and all the resulting mirage. Consequently, I don't shoot as much in the summer months as I should - a lot of times even by 7 am when the range opens, the mirage is already going pretty good. This might make for an interesting alternative solution.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

[Ahhnother8]

Sights were a post at the muzzle but a peep sight, a Central was popular, was attached at the rear of the action. Pavey aimed off like you but I have to say that the thought of the maths that I assume is involved, is too frightening for me to think about.

I have not figured out how to do this with iron sights. There are no reasonable aiming points that are closer than the target. Also, with iron sights, mirage is not normally very visible so the aiming black is not moving around much.

With a scope during a match, I have held on rivets on trashcans and range signage, but most often just pick out a very small rock on the 900 yard berm. Be certain to pick a unique one though, as light changes can sometimes make it difficult to reacquire the chosen one. That just makes it more exciting.

 

[KMart]

I saw this work at Edson Range in 1968. We had one guy that had eyesight so bad, even with glasses, that he couldn't see his target at 500 meters. The PMI and coaches set up a target at 300 and adjusted the sights and managed to get him qualified. He didn't have to drag his rifle back to the barracks on Friday.

 

[YEW PLUCKER]

Aren't a lot of distance shooters using those Bikini style barrel covers?

 

[snert]

Fascinating