Using sighters to measure wind speed or direction

[Fairchaser]

Does anyone use their sighters for measuring the wind speed and direction? If you shoot a group with a good wind zero, you can measure the distance to center and that translates into an actual wind speed on the bullet if you know the angle. Seems like this would be helpful in synchronizing with the actual conditions affecting the bullet.

 

[JEFFPPC]

No. Your barking up the wrong tree. Trust me, the group is smarter than you, or me. Just compare flags to results, file in your memory bank, the condition come again and you have an idea of where you need to hold. Try computing /measuring on the fly under a time limit will not be the road to sucess.

 

[Shooter13]

Interested to see some of these comments.

 

[Sandstorm]

Id say NO as well.
I use my sighters to zero on the X ring..and watch the flags for the wind speed and direction.
You can see full value easy enough..and current conditions..gotta pay attention.

 

[Fairchaser]

I have a drift table built on my load and distance. It shows the bullet drift at various wind speeds and at various wind angles. Based on what I’m seeing in the conditions and flags, I line this up with the tables and the drift of my sighters holding center. Then I have my actual bullet wind drift factor. I use this to synchronize to the conditions and set my brackets. A change in speed or angle will allow me to dope the delta between my brackets. How well one can dope these changes makes the difference. For me this adds a level of precision to the process. What do you think?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

This is why sighters are so important and why BR shooters can shoot the tiny groups. Hold in the center and see where the wind takes you and hold accordingly. There is a human performance element involved here- time pressure.

 

[Schippergreg]

What if the wind is stronger at the 80yd flag and almost non existent at 15yds? What if the wind is stronger at 15yds than at 80? Wind is not constant across a range so I doubt data would be also.

 

[jackieschmidt]

This is why sighters are so important and why BR shooters can shoot the tiny groups. Hold in the center and see where the wind takes you and hold accordingly. There is a human performance element involved here- time pressure.

^^^^^^^^
It is also why we can ”keep them on the X”.

I am not sure who the OP is, but perhaps if he could locate a NBRSA Mentor in his area and arranged a range session.

 

[mousegunner]

What if the wind is stronger at the 80yd flag and almost non existent at 15yds? What if the wind is stronger at 15yds than at 80? Wind is not constant across a range so I doubt data would be also.

I've seen flags pointed in 3 different directions from 600 to 200 yards at a range set in a valley when shooting NRA High Power. I always kept an ear out for Master and High Master shooters saying " That looks like a 3 minute wind" or whatever and click accordingly.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Works good until you go someplace where the wind is stronger than the target is wide.

 

[rockhound78]

Sounds like our local range. The wind flags out to 400 can be pointing in opposite directions every 100yds and the 500 would be going away from you. I have spotted for other in our silhouette shoots and if conditions are right, watch the turbulence from the bullet as it goes downrange and watch it go right, then left, then back right and left again. calm days are rare. If its calm, you can usually measure it in minutes, if that.
Got to the range one day, wind about 10 @ 3 o'clock. Carried target out to 100, wind calm. Got back to bench and wind about 10 @ 8 o'clock

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Fellas, all you gotta do is shoot a sighter and see where she falls then hold accordingly. It doesnt matter if the flags are going 8 different directions, you got 7 minutes to earn fame and fortune.

 

[Fast14riot]

And here I spent all this money on an adjustable scope, I could just shoot and see, then shoot again.

I use my sighters to confirm my wind call, so I can try and stay ahead of it, rather than chase the spotter.

 

[Fairchaser]

What if the wind is stronger at the 80yd flag and almost non existent at 15yds? What if the wind is stronger at 15yds than at 80? Wind is not constant across a range so I doubt data would be also.

Correct. This is why I let the bullet read the wind for me. It tells me the truth. Then I know for sure how all the factors line up. Next step is to see how any changes will affect the next shot.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

And here I spent all this money on an adjustable scope, I could just shoot and see, then shoot again.

Isn’t that what you call two sides of the same coin.

 

[JMayo]

I watch and inexperienced shooter slowly shooting sighters then taking time to try to decipher what that sighter said then shooting for score and not hitting the DOT ..... and being upset.
When you shoot a sighter you've got to quickly shoot for score to get the same wind condition.
trying to figure stuff out like an examination as you go only put you behind the eight ball on the condition.

Also to learn is, if sighter is lower right target and now you're shooting upper left for score .... What's gonna be the poi difference .... (My head is exploding right now feeling !)

 

[rjtfroggy]

Sighter tells you what the wind is doing right now, whether you hold off or click is entirely up to you.

 

[Shooter13]

So many times when you shoot a sighter you may see a wind switch and that is why I think we need to shoot with both eye open (one on the flags and one on target) and be able to hurry up and wait for your condition to return, easier said than done!

 

[Fairchaser]

I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel as much as trying to refine the process. I’ve asked others about doping the wind and I’ve been told one day it will click or you get a feel for it or you learn to dance with it. While I get what they are saying, it’s also backed by numbers and these feeling are essentially backed by an understanding of the numbers. The brain is a super computer that can calculate that a wind reduction of 2 mph at full value will only have half of the effect if the angle changes to 1:00 or 50%. A 4 inch change down range is now only 2 inches. These changes become intuitive. You take your shot. The impact was 4 inches instead of 2 inches so you make a mental adjustment on speed and angle and proceed. Please let me know if this is not how it’s done. I’m still waiting on the click.

 

[CharlieNC]

Most places I've shot fclass don't have wind flags so using the sighters is mandatory, then learning to read environmental clues is necessary for match shots. Good training for tactical matches and hunting too.