Wind ?

[Joe S]

I have been shooting at a range that has ~15/20' berms on 3 sides about 75 yds apart, and normally try to sit on the SE corner bench and watch the grass and brush on the berm for some indication of what the wind is doing.

I have no flags and am not a bench shooter but, I am trying to improve my shooting and do a little in the local club matches. Lately I`ve been playing more with a 22lr @ 50-100yd and am seeing mostly verical in my groups. At 50 yd this isn`t too bad but at 100yd I am seeing 4 rds in ~0.5 - 0.7" then a flier either up or down - mostly up. Groups ran the last time I shot from 0.75" - 1.4" for 5rd with the spread always vertical and very nearly always sub 0.7" horizontally. The rifle is a slightly modified 10-22 and I`m shooting Wolf EM. Wind that day was generally calm to 8mph. I did not notice much mirage, it was still early in the day.

Yesterday I saw a couple guys shooting (100yd centerfire) with flags one on the (opposite from me side) northern berm and the other 4-5 benches away from him. The flags on the berm seemed to have more wind, where as the flags out in the more open area appeared show a little more variation in direction. This has me thinking that maybe I`d be better off sitting out in the open range area instead of near the berm. I`m thinking I`m getting the vertical due to stronger winds rolling at the bottom of the berm wall?

Is this a valid assumption, and is there a choice area on a range like this to set up if opened?
Any tips above pack it up and go home are appreciated.

 

[caroby]

The flags on the berm seemed to have more wind, where as the flags out in the more open area appeared show a little more variation in direction. This has me thinking that maybe I`d be better off sitting out in the open range area instead of near the berm. I`m thinking I`m getting the vertical due to stronger winds rolling at the bottom of the berm wall?

Yes.... Get away from the berm... Out in the open, you will get more "readable" wind... Gotta have flags or at least a few sticks/dowl rods with serveyors tape / ribbon... You will see alot.!


Is this a valid assumption, and is there a choice area on a range like this to set up if opened?
Any tips above pack it up and go home are appreciated.

For less than 50 bucks you can make a set of 3 adjustable flag poles and the tops that once you practice over them for a while, you won't want to shoot without them.... Even in a "calm"..

cale

 

[ifldned]

I agree with the previous comments on purchasing of or making wind flags. If you want to see the wind effect of the berms just light a flare and slowly walk the area. Borrow a anemometer, or wind detector and go to a ballistic calculator and you can see just how much a 2-3 mile per hour shifting wind can affect your shot. You're shooting 1.25 inch 5 shot groups in a 8 mile a hour off and on again wind at 100 yards,with no flags
you are doing very good. ifldned

 

[Joe S]

Thanks guys, I guess I`ll have to break down and see what kind of flag I can come up with. I knew from watching the grass and bushes the wind blows on and off as you move down range I just never thought of it being so much more dominate in one part of the range then in another. That was my 1st experience with really setting down and watching a true flag other then a passing glance at a piece of ribbon on a stick someone will use on occasion.
Interesting, maybe I`ll understand it one day......then I`ll have to find something else to blame the fliers on.

BTW ifldned, I had a good day, I shoot only when everything appears still on both ends of the range and there is minimal movement that I can see elsewhere. I might take 15 min to shoot a group this way. I pick and choose my time to fire, and can`t do it in a short time like I would have to if in a match. I shot those groups (10 total - 1 box of 50) over ~4 hrs with a bit of BS`ing in between with the other shooters. Tomorrows results will surely vary, sadly they always do

 

[LHSmith]

There's a blog on how to make your own flags on the home page of this website.
If you peruse You-tube for benchrest videos, you'll come across several vids showing dozens of flags set for competition, with flags right next to one another indicating differently. There is a lot of info to digest from them, and apparently some have mastered this art-form...it is usually those who spend the most time practicing in all types of conditions. I
I believe each range has it's ideosyncracies, and have seen some ranges where shooting close to berms has usually yielded the best scores and the middle of the range is usually no-man's land, and vice-versa at other ranges.