Reading the wind?

[Dai.S.Loe]

OK

Its been a little quiet here for the past few days so I thought I would start the ball rolling with a question or two for you all.

How do you read the wind?

Do you read the wind?

Where do you read the wind?

Any tips or techniques you have to share would be much appreciated.

Personally I am a firm believer that the wind should be given greater importance at the firing point.

I suppose it is the engineer in me but to my way of thinking a given wind speed at the barrel is going to have a much greater effect upon a projectile there than the same wind speed at the target.

If the wind at the barrel moves the projectile 1 thou there then simple maths means that at 1000 yards it is going to have moved a lot further in relation to the target than if it is moved 1 thou just before the strike on the target.

I've been to ranges where there have been wind flags all down the range and been confused trying to keep track of them all.

When I first started shooting long range pistol, in the UK, at 300 yards I tried watchig all the flags. I tended to focus more on the target flags and I am sure I paid the price in those days. Later I forgot about those flags and concentrated upon the small piesce of ribbon I always planted by my firing point. I dont know if I had it right or my technique just improved but my scores, when I wasnt hungover, definitely improved.

I've been tempted to get a copy of a book I have seen on the online book stores about reading the wind (forgotten author and correct title at the momnent). Has anyone here read anything on this subject.

Techniques always interest me. I know that If I can get them right that when I miss the target is purely down to my own brain fade problems.

Dai.

[Bristow Kid]

Persoanlly I have never shot on a range.  Nor have I shot anything as big as whats talked about on here.  But I usually try and figure the windage from the barrel also.  Its seems to work but then again the guns I have I have had for awhile and know how they shoot.  I will be interested to know what others opinions are on this subject.

Bristow Kid

[gw]

Dai---Having shot only 2 long range matches, my experience is limited. I have learned that if there is no mirage, then the wind should be "read" at no less than 2 places---the firing line and midrange. Some shooters will "read" 3 conditions and wait for them to become consistent. That takes time, experience and a good spotter, which is very much an advantage. A strong mirage is another condition that is generally reported by the spotter and makes a huge difference in scores. Both the shooter and spotter need to recognize wind conditions, mirage and light to work as a team for the best result. One thing I know for sure---there is nothing worse than a bad spotter regardless of the type of shooting being done!

                                                          GW

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[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Dai S. Loe;
I recently found <www.BPCR.net>   Go to "technical information".  I found an article on head & tail winds, complete with a 100 year old formula used by the Royal Artillery to calculate the effects.  I didn't see anything on cross winds, but I know the calculations exist.  I have a muzzle loading friend that soldered a wire across the base of a 45-70 case, and hung a bit of ribbon off one end.  He stuck it on a thin rod just in front of him and used that for his wind indicator.  If you have any service rifle 1,000 yd shooting friends, talk to them.  Do you have a NZRA?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

My random access memory slipped a bit!  One of the standard references is the classic SPG LUBRICANTS BP CARTRIDGE RELOADING PRIMER, 1992 Mike Venturino & Steve Garbe.  Not only does it have recommended calibres and loads, it also has ballistic tables with data up to 1,000yards including wind drift tables.  The drift figures answer only one of your questions, the other, where does the wind have the greatest effect, I will leave to others to answer..

[Delmonico]

I don't know if this will help, but out here o the Great Plains a calm day is rare, I've done some long range for many years both with nitro and black.  A lot invole praire dogs an rodend the size of a large kitten out to 600 or so.  Them 70 gr .0243's blow a bit also.  Often we just wacth the grass, if not pressed for time I watch for patterns in the wind which is not ften steady but in gusts with a pattern.

I have my best luck shooting between the gusts.  Often there is a patterned lull after say the 3 or 4th for maybe 20 seconds or so.  You just get ready and fire when the lull hits.  I know different areas have different types of wind.  I rember at the GAF Muster Silver Creek Slim from Wisconsion looking at me and asking if the wind always blew like that around here, It was gust between maybe 10-25 mph.  "No Slim," I answered, "sometimes it gets really bad."   But it was a readable wind that weekend.

[john boy]

Vector Wind Effect Chart
A good reference chart to carry around with you at the range

[cpt dan blodgett]

I suck at it but used to shoot high power, palma and 1000 yd matches with some high masters.
You really do need load specific wind data.  Also charts to apply fractional corrections - look like a pie.  If your range has Standard flags you can get a good estimate of wind speed and direction.
Most of the folks I shot with actually read the mirage.
not sure if they were actually recalculating or waiting on a condition to reoccur.
In anycase once you decide the dope to use, kinda got to break the shot pretty quickly, unless conditions are constant.
If winds at the firing line are different from down range - those I shot with would correct based on close in winds.  Not real sure of the reason possibly longer time to affect round.

There are volumes on the subject.  It is either magic or an art based in science with a little Voodoo thrown in.