[Lennyo3034]

So the new shooting range I've been going to is subject to considerably more wind than my old one. I'm still learning how to deal with shooting in it. Today it was brutal, and was reflected in my shooting at a 300 yard range.

Winds were a constant 10-15 mph with gusts to 25 or so. There were no windage flags but I noticed that leaves were blowing one direction at the firing line, and a complete different direction at the target. Sometimes wind would die down completely at the line, and but bending small trees just beyond the target. I know guys out in the southwest have it way worse, but I'm just learning how to deal with it.

I zeroed at 100 yards with 175gr FGMM. Sub-MOA easily with three separate groups of three from the M1a. However out at 300 it was a different story. I tried holding fire until wind died down, however it never really died down to nothing, and was not always blowing from the same direction. Shooting groups of 5, I'd get 4 shots with reasonable vertical dispersion (1.5-2.0 inches) with significant horizontal dispersion (4 inches or so) and one shot that was just WAY out there both vertically and horizontally. This was the case for almost all of my groups. The flyer round was usually about 3 inches high or low from the rest of the group and up to 6 inches off horizontally. Is this normal for shooting a .308 in the wind? Can a sudden gust cause it to be off this much?

The last time I shot at this range, I had excellent results, posting several <1/2MOA groups at that range and with the feeling of being able to put a bullet where I wanted to. Today was not the case. I also wasn't the only one shooting bad today. I found a couple .223 holes in my target from the guy shooting the AR next to me.

 

[Charlene32]

when you would get the flyers, would you get them drifting in the direction of the wind or the other way, or both?

i recently posted a thread on shooting groups in the wind. i was only shooting 100yds with a 150gr bullet, but i have heard that mixture can cause a bullet to drift 1-1.2 inches. my wind was blowing to the right but my flyers were to the left. at that time i think my scope was zeroed an inch to the left and i was getting the "left" flyers when the wind died down.

http://m14forum.com/m14/105194-m1a-standard-range-report-federal-150gr.html

if you check the link, i am referring to the last two groups that i shot.

 

[Tompa]

Try to find Jim Owens' book on wind reading Lots of good basic info Creedmoor has them among others

 

[adrbe]

This document might help you:
http://www.ultimatesniper.com/Docs/32.PDF

 

[Tommo]

+1 for Jim Owens book, 'Reading the Wind', available from http://www.champchoice.com/detail.aspx?ID=1267

 

[08 Cayenne]

Sorry if this is too basic or not the conventional way of dealing with wind. I've never read any books on it but was taught by a very good long range shooter on how he did it, I've used his technique many times now and it works pretty well. This might be the standard way, I don't know. I have used it out to about 1200 yards.

When I make out my dope sheets for the round I always add in a 10 mph full direction wind, unless I know there will be no winds which is almost always unheard of in my area.


At distances from about 500 yards out I always use this.
I would do the math at the firing line taking into consideration the actual windspeed at the line and the directional value of the wind at the line, then dial in my windage MOA. Then I try to figure out the wind speed, direction, and directional value at the target. When I fire the actual shot I try to wait until the wind at the line is about what I calculated earlier, if you have this luxury. I hold either left or right, using the reticle, for the compensation for the target and current wind speed. With 175 gr FGMM at 1000 yards a full value windage at 10 mph is 8 MOA. If the wind direction at the target is in the full direction above 10 mph I'll add 1 to 1.5 MOA with the reticle. If the wind is lighter at the target I'll subtract about the same. If it is in the opposite direction at the target I'll use half wind values, even though I have a full wind value at the line. It just takes a lot of practice, trial, error, and a good spotter than car read bullet trace.

At 300 yards.
I do the math at the line taking into consideration the current values at the line. Then compensate for current conditions at the time the shot is fired. I've never had switchy winds give me problems at 300 yards. At 300 yards my full windage value is 2 MOA. I never add any more than full value, if the winds die down, but doesn't stop, I'll take a half wind direction value compensation.