30-Yard Challenge
- Thread starter tcarlson777
- Start date
Wind Reading…
… I don’t think you can “read” the wind – its more like an educated “guess” and the more you shoot in the wind, the better your guesses.
I wanted to get some trigger time as I have an event coming up next month. Today it was 11mph winds here with 22mph gusts – its basically been “too windy to target shoot” here this past week.
Then I thought, I’d better practice in the wind – as its likely going to be windy in my event and I won’t be able to dodge it there.
I shot a 5-shot group with RTI Prophet .22 to see how bad it was. To my amazement, the rifle put all 5 shots though a single hole that measured .39 inches edge to edge!
So, with a rifle that consistent, I shot a couple 30-Yard Challenge targets to see how well I could guess the wind. Results were way better than I expected.
The wind was mostly right-to-left varying in intensity. I found it hard to trust myself when my guesses had my holds beyond the 9-ring – which is why most of my shots are slightly left of target – I don’t’ trust my wind guessing enough and consistently hold less than my gut tells me to hold. Gotta get better at “trusting my reads”.
I’m darn happy with 198 15X in these windy conditions – it may even be a leaderboard submission with Prophet .22 this year – as I usually shoot Masters cards with it.
-Ed
… I don’t think you can “read” the wind – its more like an educated “guess” and the more you shoot in the wind, the better your guesses.
I wanted to get some trigger time as I have an event coming up next month. Today it was 11mph winds here with 22mph gusts – its basically been “too windy to target shoot” here this past week.
Then I thought, I’d better practice in the wind – as its likely going to be windy in my event and I won’t be able to dodge it there.
I shot a 5-shot group with RTI Prophet .22 to see how bad it was. To my amazement, the rifle put all 5 shots though a single hole that measured .39 inches edge to edge!
So, with a rifle that consistent, I shot a couple 30-Yard Challenge targets to see how well I could guess the wind. Results were way better than I expected.
The wind was mostly right-to-left varying in intensity. I found it hard to trust myself when my guesses had my holds beyond the 9-ring – which is why most of my shots are slightly left of target – I don’t’ trust my wind guessing enough and consistently hold less than my gut tells me to hold. Gotta get better at “trusting my reads”.
I’m darn happy with 198 15X in these windy conditions – it may even be a leaderboard submission with Prophet .22 this year – as I usually shoot Masters cards with it.
-Ed
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I like it. “Wind guessing”. Pretty nice guessing on obtaining those scores.
That’s the way many really see it. Your RTI is really dialed in for the 30y target, despite the 11pm high varying winds. At a hundred yards, you might have had to hold one whole bull over to the right on those rings. Talk about ‘trusting your reads.’
I remember one of the competition 100y Benchrest shooters at RMAC or EBR stating the wind holds were extremely difficult, and that he had to hold one bull to the right to try and score.
I didn’t see any wind flags out, but based on your high scores, not sure if they would have helped or confused you either. If I had the patience to take notes with each shot and had 2 flags deployed, I might actually learn to ‘guess’ better.
I almost never shoot beyond 30y in any wind over 3-5 mph anymore at my local range, and unless it’s almost still, I just can’t score high 190’s in those conditions.
It truly is an art to read/guess the wind.
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I like it. “Wind guessing”. Pretty nice guessing on obtaining those scores.
That’s the way many really see it. Your RTI is really dialed in for the 30y target, despite the 11pm high varying winds. At a hundred yards, you might have had to hold one whole bull over to the right on those rings. Talk about ‘trusting your reads.’
I remember one of the competition 100y Benchrest shooters at RMAC or EBR stating the wind holds were extremely difficult, and that he had to hold one bull to the right to try and score.
I didn’t see any wind flags out, but based on your high scores, not sure if they would have helped or confused you either. If I had the patience to take notes with each shot and had 2 flags deployed, I might actually learn to ‘guess’ better.
I almost never shoot beyond 30y in any wind over 3-5 mph anymore at my local range, and unless it’s almost still, I just can’t score high 190’s in those conditions.
It truly is an art to read/guess the wind.
Hi Tommy,
I used one wind flag - at 15 yards from rifle - using your suggestion.
I also had streamers on sides of target, but didn’t really use them - except when they blow straight back from target, then I wait cause shots always go high when wind blowing straight back at target.
I was “blown away” with scores yesterday, because I’m not an experienced (or good) wind shooter. I’ve noticed improvement since using wind flag at 15 yards - instead of 5 yards from target.
I think I was lucky that the wind was strong, but pretty consistent in direction. If wind constantly shifting, its real challenging to keep one eye on flag and another on target.
I may leave Prophet .22 as is, and use it in speed shooting at NAC if distances 45 or less. I have two awesome .25 LR 1:32 twist barrels for it, but I hate to change the current tune. I’ve got the other Prophet set up with a .30 barrel that was shooting 1/2” at 50 yards the other day, so I’m thinking I’ll try .30 this year for 100 benchrest. I’ve also got 3 pellet options in .30 - 44g, 50g and 56g - probably use 44g for a smooth shot cycle.
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Ed
Re. 30 caliber - FWIW, I tried the 51g in my Paradigm and Boss, but the 44g grouped better at both 50 and 100 yards. I would be surprised if the heavier pellets would do any better in your Prophet. Try em’ out, but the biggest factor at NAC will probably be wind conditions and shooting pellets at 100y.
Pretty nice scores on those 30y challenge cards.
Re. 30 caliber - FWIW, I tried the 51g in my Paradigm and Boss, but the 44g grouped better at both 50 and 100 yards. I would be surprised if the heavier pellets would do any better in your Prophet. Try em’ out, but the biggest factor at NAC will probably be wind conditions and shooting pellets at 100y.
Pretty nice scores on those 30y challenge cards.
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Guestimating is my term , so....... Good guestimating !
Today is 15 to 25 /30 mph wind gustyness here
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A couple of pics today. Shot the HW100 .22 and the RAW TM1000x .177
I'll have to check, but might submit the 194 30y Masters.
I'll have to check, but might submit the 194 30y Masters.
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For now, I will submit the HW100 .22 caliber for two leaderboard updates:
30y Masters - 194-9X
30y Challenge - 194-8x
I’m testing pellets and velocities with the new RAW TM1000x .177, so it might be a while before I get this dialed in. I did shoot a 188-7x with that gun for the 30y Masters. It can do much better.
40y has been hard for me, so I need more powerful magnification scopes for that, so I can see the X ring.
Maybe tax refund will help…
30y Masters - 194-9X
30y Challenge - 194-8x
I’m testing pellets and velocities with the new RAW TM1000x .177, so it might be a while before I get this dialed in. I did shoot a 188-7x with that gun for the 30y Masters. It can do much better.
40y has been hard for me, so I need more powerful magnification scopes for that, so I can see the X ring.
Maybe tax refund will help…
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Today i was shooting the 30 yard challenge with NO discernable wind . OH how easy that is . SO i upped the stakes !
Three shot groups each bull , only two nice three shot groups . HAHAHA fun
Three shot groups each bull , only two nice three shot groups . HAHAHA fun
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Scoring would have to be hits on the line so i could have 9+9+10 and 1x ? per bull . Now this also begs the question : if you hit the x and 12 o'clock and again at 3 o'clock ,does that equal 2x ? Or if you hit one hole in the x ,is that an x or 3x ? HMMM?Ha ha. I don’t see your score posted with the 3-shot groups.
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I am submitting this 191 9X for the leaderboard. It was shot with my new Caiman X. It has my Arken EPL-4 scope which was set at 24X. It was shooting H&N Baracuda 18s at about 875 fps.
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The weather finally improved sufficiently to convince me to shoot some 40 yd. targets today. By the time I got my wind-flags set up and my targets out the wind started picking up but was constantly changing speed and direction varying anywhere between 7-12-3 o'clock. After shooting four targets I decided there was no way I was going to beat my current entry target so, I put up a 30 yd. Challenge target and very patiently shot the attached card until block 12 as I knew it was a throw-away.
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Marvin
I think you take these extremely high scores for granted!
This is a wonderful card!
Nobody has the high scores you have!
Congrats!
Tom
I think you take these extremely high scores for granted!
This is a wonderful card!
Nobody has the high scores you have!
Congrats!
Tom
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I should be ashamed to post this after Ed's perfect card but I will shamelessly do it anyway. This is my second target with my new Caiman and my first Masters Class target. I think it's a 192 9X. So 1 point better than my first target with this gun. The regulator is not working very well (ES over 40 fps on these targets) but the gun will shoot. If I can do a little better maybe I can get closer to Ed. There was essentially no wind shooting this target.
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