Mirage Shields

A

AZUARO

New member
Dear Members:

I apologize for the question but haven't been able to find regulations/information about it...

I haven't seen MIRAGE SHIELDS in .22 RF Benchrest shooting, at least not around the Northwest and will like to know if they are legal in all 3 categories (IR 50-50)
and if they are, are there any rules as to how and where to mount them?...

Lastly, any advice or comments from people who have used them are very welcome...

Thanking you in advance for your advice and comments, please receive my best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014.

azuaro
 
Thank you Tim...

I have only seen them in ISSF a few times but never in BR...I asked because a couple of weeks ago while shooting inside a barn, I had excessive distortion coming out of the hot barrel...
Actually it was so much that I was getting vertical and a little horizontal...Of course, seeing through center of the scope every shot helped and the score was not really affected but those waves are for sure inconvenient.

I don't have experience in using extension tubes indoors, do you think that those tubes might help or have the same effect?

Regards,

azuaro
 
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Shooting inside.

one will notice a few folks using battery powered fans blowing across their barrels. They will also see some folks using tubes hung off their scopes. Barrel Mirage can be a problem with RF guns when there is no air movement. It usually isn't a concern outside. I have used barrel shields on my RF rifles without any detrimental effects that I could tell. I simply cut strips from a target card and taped tem to my barrels. I think it to be a reasonable idea, just in case.

Pete
 
Pete Wass said:
one will notice a few folks using battery powered fans blowing across their barrels. They will also see some folks using tubes hung off their scopes. Barrel Mirage can be a problem with RF guns when there is no air movement. It usually isn't a concern outside. I have used barrel shields on my RF rifles without any detrimental effects that I could tell. I simply cut strips from a target card and taped tem to my barrels. I think it to be a reasonable idea, just in case.

Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete...Good idea, I am going to make some light rigid shields in a "V" form all along the barrel, will paint them flat black and will try attaching them to the sides of the stock for not touching the barrel
at any point.

We shoot indoors inside that barn because outside is usually very cold and around 15-20 F and/or snowing... The fan idea is very good but can you imagine what will happen the moment
I turn that switch ON at 15 F?....Those guys next to me will score many "X"...Yes, many "X" around my chest! :D

Thanks and have a good 2014.

azuaro
 
The fans used are small, 6"-10" diameter and fairly quiet,I doubt you'd notice past a few feet and not the next bench.
 
AZUARO said:
Thank you Tim...

I have only seen them in ISSF a few times but never in BR...I asked because a couple of weeks ago while shooting inside a barn, I had excessive distortion coming out of the hot barrel...
Actually it was so much that I was getting vertical and a little horizontal...Of course, seeing through center of the scope every shot helped and the score was not really affected but those waves are for sure inconvenient.

I don't have experience in using extension tubes indoors, do you think that those tubes might help or have the same effect?

Regards,

azuaro
Click to expand...

AZUARO,
A few weeks ago I attended the ARA Nationals at the Rocky River Barn, Norwood, NC. First time shooting a RFBR match indoors and I was warned in advance that competing there, is a lot tougher than it appears. Yes it is, and I was not prepared. During my last target on Saturday afternoon, third row down the crosshairs starting floating some ... target getting distorted, and I really didn't pick up on what was occurring. The 4th target was my worst of the match, although the prior three targets that day weren't anything to brag about. LOL

The following morning, I introduced myself to an extremely nice fellow from New Jersey (Frank K.) who happens to be a friend of a friend. Frank was kind enough to bring me up to speed with dealing with the mirage. He offered his "battery operated fan" which helped a great deal. My scores on Sunday were much improved with air from the fan blowing across the barrel just in front of the objective lens housing. I would say that about 75 percent of the competitors on the line were using battery operated fans, and not one other person advised me in advance. Possibly not an issue outdoors, with the wind blowing, but the cool temperatures in the Barn with the barrel heating up does generate distortion in the scope ... at least in my Leupold 40X competition series. My advice to anyone who plans to shoot the Rock River Barn ... bring a battery operated FAN and spare batteries! John

PS: Frank K. thanks again!
 
Center 22, Pete, Tim:

Thank you...

The consensus tells me that the fan alternative is what it takes...I immediately searched for battery operated fans and was surprised for how cheap they are and found many alternatives...

This one caught my attention and if you guys think that this little fan (link below) will do the job, please let me know so I can order a couple; if not, please give me some more guidelines.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/O2-Cool-Por...act-and-Powerful-Cooling-Breeze-/111208583361

I am also shooting a 40X new Leupold ...I actually thought that it was a scope problem because I have NEVER EVER had or seen horizontal mirage...I have had vertical and I learned to acceptably deal with it
but I don't know how to deal with HORIZONTAL, and worse when combined with VERTICAL simultaneously. It was impossible to control both by just moving the position of your eye exactly to the center of the ocular.


Center: Did you get my email from yesterday?, I just want to confirm that I have your right address.

Thanks once again guys...

Update: 9:45 P.M. I need to have something for next Saturday so I already ordered a couple with a 2nd day shipping for $ 13.70 a piece!...I will TRY ITand will also have the shield ready in case the fan is not sufficient.

If anyone has had the Horizontal issue or both effects simultaneously and has some advice, I am all ears...

Regards,

azuaro
 
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When you are shooting indoors without a fan take a target, roll it up and tape it to the front end of scope tube. You will be amazed at the difference. Some of us prefer the tube to a fan, and don't forget if you have a less than solid bench that fan is going to cause vibrations. Turn your fan on and carefully watch the target through the scope. You might be amazed at what you see if you look carefully. Then put some insulating material between the fan and the bench and look again. You won't notice much for the first few shots but as the barrel heats up it throws off enough heat to cause serious mirage. If you are really unprepared just blow down the barrel as you load the next round. bob
 
I did notice this vibration

bob finger said:
When you are shooting indoors without a fan take a target, roll it up and tape it to the front end of scope tube. You will be amazed at the difference. Some of us prefer the tube to a fan, and don't forget if you have a less than solid bench that fan is going to cause vibrations. Turn your fan on and carefully watch the target through the scope. You might be amazed at what you see if you look carefully. Then put some insulating material between the fan and the bench and look again. You won't notice much for the first few shots but as the barrel heats up it throws off enough heat to cause serious mirage. If you are really unprepared just blow down the barrel as you load the next round. bob
Click to expand...

and quit using the one I have because of it. My rifle was so out of tune I decided to "Wing It"; this was at Piney Hill . I have had good results with a shield over the barrel in the past. I tape it to the tuner and then use a loop of tape stuck both to the shield and the barrel under the scope. I don't believe the shield affects accuracy in any way, certainly no more than hanging a tube off the scope would. Twould be interesting to see if a Varmint Al rendition of hanging a tube from a scope, eh?

Pete
 
Mirage...

Hey! Hope everyone had a nice Christmas, Im tired of snow & winter already....need to get back to the bench!!! In regard to the mirage thing, I also shoot a Leupold , but 45x ,c. I get quite some mirage on hot , still days. I have tried a few things, the scope "shade tube" 3" in conjunction with a small fan works best for me. You need to remember, as a very good shooter once told me, Anything attached to the barrel WILL change the tune. This was after I had built a very nice "mirage bar" that clipped onto the bbl. via plastic spring clip's and really made me "look" like I knew what I was doing.(Not)....It's just one of those things that you need to learn how to deal with. Ive had my azz kicked by shooters who just ignore it. And I know the issue of mirage can be over thought. Heat mirage is ez......try shooting with ice sickles hanging off that barrel!! Happy New Year to all! Ed Longo.
 
when shooting indoors, or anywhere the air movement is still, most of the mirage a shooter sees is the heat and gasses escaping from the end of the barrel and floating up in front of your scope.

i've seen many people use screens and tubes (i've even used them myself in the past), but i'm convinced unless the shield extends beyond your muzzle, tuner, or slider, it's not doing anything.

you can run an exaggerated experiment to prove this out.
sit at your rifle and sight in on a target.
then have someone light a cigarette lighter out beyond the end of your barrel, below your sight line.
now try to sight in on that target again. i bet it disappears.

in still air conditions, it's best to aim a small fan at the end of your barrel to clear the escaping heat and gas.
 
frey said:
when shooting indoors, or anywhere the air movement is still, most of the mirage a shooter sees is the heat and gasses escaping from the end of the barrel and floating up in front of your scope.

i've seen many people use screens and tubes (i've even used them myself in the past), but i'm convinced unless the shield extends beyond your muzzle, tuner, or slider, it's not doing anything.

you can run an exaggerated experiment to prove this out.
sit at your rifle and sight in on a target.
then have someone light a cigarette lighter out beyond the end of your barrel, below your sight line.
now try to sight in on that target again. i bet it disappears.

in still air conditions, it's best to aim a small fan at the end of your barrel to clear the escaping heat and gas.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jeff, I will be trying this as soon as I get some fans that will arrive this week...I need to improvise a tripod for keeping the vibrations off the bench as suggested by another member, our indoor benches at the Barn are not nearly as solid as the concrete ones at the range. I will also be trying some very lightweight extension tubes for the scope.

I have dealt with vertical mirage and as most shooters I can pretty much cope with it, but when combined with horizontal it just kills me...I couldn't keep that dancing dot centered, after checking it 2-3 times every time it came out at a different position; for some reason the horizontal effect was way more critical and notorious.

Thank you all for your help & advice.

Regards,

azuaro
 
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i wouldn't go as far as call it a solution Bill.
there is other mirage indoors.
RRBRB is notorious for it with the light colored floor, white walls, and the little lights above each target.
throw a sunny day on top of that and it can get real hard to see in there.

back to the original point and a related example.
i was at a match at the barn a few years ago and walked up to one of the several spotting scopes set up behind the line.
for the life of me, i couldn't get the thing to focus on the target i was trying to view.
about then i looked up an noticed it was pointed right into the wash from one of the propane heaters.
i shifted the spotting scope over a foot or two and everything cleared right up.
 
AZUARO said:
Thanks Jeff, I will be trying this as soon as I get some fans that will arrive this week...I need to improvise a tripod for keeping the vibrations off the bench as suggested by another member, our indoor benches at the Barn are not nearly as solid as the concrete ones at the range. I will also be trying some very lightweight extension tubes for the scope.

I have dealt with vertical mirage and as most shooters I can pretty much cope with it, but when combined with horizontal it just kills me...I couldn't keep that dancing dot centered, after checking it 2-3 times every time it came out at a different position; for some reason the horizontal effect was way more critical and notorious.

Thank you all for your help & advice.

Regards,

azuaro
Click to expand...

your symptoms make me wonder if you might have a bit of a parallax issue.
i could see the possibility of mirage moving the dot that much outside on a boiling hot day with a light switchy wind.
but if that target was shot inside, it seems like a lot of movement for it to only be mirage.

are your crosshairs nice and crisp?
do they move around any when you bob and move your head?

the symptoms you describe are very similar to my experiences with a 6X scope.
 
frey said:
your symptoms make me wonder if you might have a bit of a parallax issue.
i could see the possibility of mirage moving the dot that much outside on a boiling hot day with a light switchy wind.
but if that target was shot inside, it seems like a lot of movement for it to only be mirage.

are your crosshairs nice and crisp?
do they move around any when you bob and move your head?

the symptoms you describe are very similar to my experiences with a 6X scope.
Click to expand...



I was having a lot of those kind of issues until I had my cataracts removed. Now, my Crosshairs stay focused. I shoot a fair amount indoors and I notice mirage in the lingering expelled gasses after firing a number of shots. Simply by waiting for a few seconds most often clears things up. Mirage will appear from firing my Air Rifles indoors but simply waiting a bit allows things to clear up. I am able to clear the barrel mirage up with simply covering the barrel with something but the expelled gasses are a different matter.

Something else I noticed the last time I shot @ Piney Hill, waiting for others around one has a big effect on how well things go. mebby if more of us waited until the others close to us finished might help our scores. I noticed some of the better scoring shooters seeming to do that. Perhaps if every third shooter shot at the same time the stagger would allow less turbulence down range. It shouldn't take more then 5 minutes to finish a card indoors if one can just bang em down range.
 
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