Shooting in The Wind

[burgessrudy]

Now that Fall is finally here in the East, so is the wind. What is your wind limit where you will not shoot if it is too windy? I was going to go out this weekend but they are calling for 10-15 mph winds, some gusts higher. Will I just be burning good powder and ball?

 

[biliff]

Can't say I've never not gone to the range because of the wind. If its that gusty I just shoot closer. It would have to be blowing pretty bad to make the 25 yard targets not worth shooting at.

 

Shooting under varting conditions is just part of learning where your rifle ball is going to hit. Different light, wind, positions and different ranges are all part of the challenge of ML shooting. Wind gives you a better opportunity to get to know your rifle better. I enjoy shooting any time I have time. Run or shine. Let 'er blow!

 

[Keppy]

I think its good practice. Last year I was out a few times when the wind was real bad. I learned a lot on those days. When I was hunting deer last fall and the wind was blowing bad I knew where it was going to hit. I didn't see anything those days but I was prepared if the chance came. I think it good pratice to shoot in all types of weather. Sight pictures can change on a cloudy day and different on a suuny days. Make some smoke.

 

[Leonredbeard]

burg,
I have had a one foot wind drift at a hundred yards shooting in a crosswind. I was tempted to change my sights. In the end I decided to exercise some faith and believe that strong crosswind could indeed blow my ball that far. So learn to know where your ball is going in the wind. Enjoy the game.
volatpluvia

 

[Otter]

Where I grew up and learned to shoot, everybody was so programmed to lean into the wind that when it got DOWN to 10-15 MPH half the folks would fall over. Lots of good "wind dopers" in the high plains of the upper midwest. You just practice and learn your limitations.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Now that Fall is finally here in the East, so is the wind. What is your wind limit where you will not shoot if it is too windy? I was going to go out this weekend but they are calling for 10-15 mph winds, some gusts higher. Will I just be burning good powder and ball?

I suppose if it's blowing so there's a danger of the ball coming back on me I might hesitate. Or if the trees keep falling and blocking the visibility.

No such thing as a wasted shooting session. You'll learn how the wind effects your shooting. Besides, there's always a chance it will be a head or tail wind and not make much never-no-mind.

 

[PaulN/KS]

Heck,out here in Kansas the wind is always blowing so we have to "dope" the calm... :hmm:

 

[nchawkeye]

As long as it's not blowing hard enough to blow the powder out of your pan when you pull the trigger, it's not blowing too hard...

 

Yes sir! If the Kansas weather vane (a horse shoe welded to a chain) is standing straight out, it's a good day to go shooting. If it is hangin' straight down, ya got to dope and figure on no drift. It makes a tough day at the range.

 

[2172]

the only time I ever stopped shooting was at a 100yd target (offhand) when the wind was moving the ball, .50, 8 inches....but only sometimes...the gusts were not predictable...we all stopped on that target and went to 25 yds..Hank

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Actual wind drift depends on ball size, velocity and the exact direction of the wind. As a very rough rule of thumb for rifles of .45 to .58 caliber say one inch of drift for each mile per hour of 90 degree cross wind at 100 yards. Since a five MPH wind is just a barely noticeable breeze, that is something to think about on those 100 yard shots.
When I'm range shooting I am trying for the tightest groups of which the rifle and load are capable. So, for my purposes, shooting in a high wind is a waste of time and ammo. I don't consider it useful practice for hunting either, since I'd not try a long shot at game on a windy day. I'd get closer or just let it go. There are enough posiblities for a ball to go wrong under good conditions, I'd not compound that by adding in a gusty wind. The wind drift at 100 yards is about four times as great as at 50 yards, so 50 would be my limit on a very windy day of hunting.

 

[Dphar]

10-15 is not too bad where I live but you need to shoot in the wind enough to understand wind drift and where to hold. In the west we don't stop a match due to wind. Would rarely shoot if we did. Wind, 15-30 mph, makes stalking easier in many cases.

At 100 10-15 mph may drift a RB far enough to cause a miss or a shot too far back.

Dan

 

[PaulN/KS]

Say Cooner,
I'll give ya a tip on the Overbrook club range.Ya shoot to the north so with our normal "breeze" from the south ya can save about 5 grains of powder when ya load... :wink: :grin:

 

I noticed that already. I hold below 6 oclock and hit 10's and 9's ........sometimes.

 

I shoot for the smallest group possible and work to learn how to get the group to hit where I want it to no matter what the elements give me that day. Be prepared for anything while hunting or target shooting. That's what works for me, your mileage may vary depending on your situation. Have fun no matter what you do.

 

[Keppy]

Saying that I wonder has anyone noticed what a head wind or tail wind does to the PRB. If I remember right a tail wind will push a bullet up :hmm: Darn I don't remember now.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Hacksaw,
Now think about this for a moment. How many feet per SECOND is your ball going? Then if you have a tale wind of fifteen miles per hour, exactly how much difference will that make? I seriously doubt it will make any difference large enough to be measured. I might just affect it a little more if it is a head wind but I doubt it will be enough to be noticed.

Now a fifteen mile per hour headwind against my bicycle....
volatpluvia

 

[Zonie]

That 15 mile an hour wind is all of 22 feet per second! Probably makes a lot of difference to a Hummingbird! :rotf:

Actually as a 15 MPH 90 degree cross wind though it can deflect a .45 cal ball with a muzzle velocity of 1800 fps about 1/4 inch at 100 yards.

 

[Keppy]

Hacksaw,
Now think about this for a moment. How many feet per SECOND is your ball going? Then if you have a tale wind of fifteen miles per hour, exactly how much difference will that make? I seriously doubt it will make any difference large enough to be measured. I might just affect it a little more if it is a head wind but I doubt it will be enough to be noticed.

Now a fifteen mile per hour headwind against my bicycle....
volatpluvia

Your right it may not at 25 yds. But at longer distances such as 100 yds it may be alot more than you think. Just for instance while shooting a silhouette match in Nevada years ago. (Centerfire pistols) We had a wind blowing from left to right at 15 to 20 mph. Wind was blowing the bullets normal impact on the silhouette 4 to 6 inches to the right. 7mm bullets were traveling 1800 to 2000 fps. And when head or tail winds acured the same can take it tow.I'm not argueing about this just saying from experence what wind will and can do to a oject flying through the air. Just a few weeks I was out shoot at 75ys with my 45cal Kentucky. The wind was gusting and I don't know how fast. I had a great group going off the bench. I had one out of the five shots that was out about 2 inches. Was it me or was it the wind. I say the wind but I could be wrong.