Hold over or adjust?

oathkeeper

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Minuteman
Mar 18, 2013
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Hampton Roads, VA
I couldn't find where to put this question so here it is. I recently participated in a high power match and was curious how y'all handle shooting up to 1k yards. Do you dial in the scope for each shot or hold over once you have the elevation set.

-Dick-
 
Dick,
I don't shoot high power but I do long range hunt to 800 and bang away at steel to about 1100 yards. I dial then hold the correction if necessary...helps get a second shot off before wind shifts. If just banging steel and conditions aren't shifty, I'll just dial all the way. Hope it helps,
Adam
 
rpk: for high power any rifle and any sight may be used but it must be fired from a sling. There were a few f class shooters but I was in the pits when they were shooting and one was hitting less then 1/4 moa. I never got to talk to him about what he was doing with his scope.

Infinity: the wind was rolling every other shot. I enjoyed learning the wind but the heat off my barrel made it almost impossible to shoot on my final string. Any recommendations to overcome that?

-Dick-
 
Consider either a barrel shroud like some benchrest guys use or wait for your barrel to cool. I find myself shooting fewer rounds per session but getting more out of each shot if that makes sense. In the conditions you described, I would hold wind or dial your estimate and hold from there.

I initially learned wind calls by dialing...you eventually get a good feeling for it (dealing with .1 mrad clicks really helped me). Take good notes and get out in the nastiest conditions you can. I get excited about rainy windy days now. Good luck op...
 
I shoot a lot of Highpower, but my scores are better with irons so I stick with them even for any/any matches. Most folks that do use a scope for these matches will hold off with it more than dialing, but some don't.

Mirage band will help with the heat off the barrel. I'd recommend the stretchy elastic kind over the plastic, Venetian blind style as the blinds will generally move more in high winds. Get a couple of pony tail hair holder things from your wife and use them to hold the elastic band to the barrel so it doesn't flap around in the wind.

Good luck,
Erik
 
If the breeze is enough to make an elastic mirage band flap around, it's usually enough to blow the mirage sideways off your line of sight at least in my experience. Which meant I didn't bother using it if match day was breezy.
 
Right, that's why I bungee it to the barrel. That way I don't need to decide whether to put it on or not when it's time to shoot, just leave it on all the time. No forgetting it if it's needed, and no flapping around if it's too windy.
 
I couldn't find where to put this question so here it is. I recently participated in a high power match and was curious how y'all handle shooting up to 1k yards. Do you dial in the scope for each shot or hold over once you have the elevation set.

-Dick-

I dial for elevation, as well as wind for all divisions of NRA LR: Service Rifle, Match, and Any/Any. I write down my beginning zero in my score book. Then I write down elevation and windage used for each shot as I shoot. After the match, I write down my corrected no-wind zero. This method is obviously more accurate than trying to favor or hold over/under with as issued irons on a Service Rifle, or when using aperture insert on the Match Rifle's front sight; and, with any sight, this method supports the shooter's developed picture memory, as well as the natural ability of the eye to balance and center things. The method is not as tedious as it may appear when the zero used is established for the prevailing wind. Shooting fast in prevailing wind I may be able to shoot an entire string without marking my score book. Also, since I am plotting calls and shots, if I see trends, such as shots building in an area other than right-in-there, I will adjust by dialing. In fact, it is the trends I see which I am likely to be adjusting for rather than abrupt wind and weather effects. On the other hand, if wind is switching, gusting, picking up, or letting off I will dial and mark accordingly. The annotating must be done to keep track of the zero and simultaneously concentrate on the firing tasks.

There are some circumstances, and/or wind and weather conditions which will require favoring for the best results, such as team HP 300 yard and mid range events and LR too, if using a scope. When favoring, I will favor for the entire string.
 
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I bang mostly steel at 1000. Have yet to compete. With that said I:
Dial for Elevation
Hold for Wind

+1

Once I identified the 'perfect' windage/elevation combination (at this point I have really paid attention to where the wind is) I stopped any turrets dialing and simply by looking at what the wind does I holdover for the next shot. By messing with the turrets past this point I feel I am 'chasing the wind' which is an elusive proposition. Have a note pad handy and even though it appears as you are waisting time write down what you observed after every shot... What the wind does where was the POA and where is the POI. I promise will save you lots of money and frustration long term.
 
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The best mirage band I've seen was a strip of xray film attached to the top of the barrel with industrial Velcro. It worked great from a bench but I never tried running around with it
 
If there is time, I dial elevation. If there is little time, I will hold over out to 600 yards. We often shoot multiple targets on a tight time frame. If the wind it not too fierce, holding over is very fast.
 
Thank you guys for all the input. It seems that dial foot elevation and hold for disagree works best for me. I'll have more stupid questions coming as I shoot more.

-Dick-


Edit: I've only held out to 600 so far. I will like to learn to dial so I can get further out.
 
oathkeeper: I ran across this earlier today, I have not tried it yet but looks promising.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/showthread.php?t=258733
I've been shooting with the Bull nose bead mirage band for a few weeks now and it works incredibly well. As one of the other posts indicated, when shooting very long strings (30-40 rounds in around 20 minutes) the adhesive on velcro can get loose.

It will not cause the band to fall off but if you pull off the band, the velcro on barrel may come with it. Solution: don't take off band until barrel has cooled significantly.

The mid barrel velcro came off on mine when I pulled band after extended string but I simply stuck it back on and it's good as new after cooling.

Hope you like it!
 
Buy a kestral, cry once and dial for both wind and elevation. I went from the hold over school 4 yrs ago and never looked back. The biggest thing to figure out is if you want front focal or second and mils or MOA. Some guys say the kesteral is slow but with use and practice I've shot 3 different ranges and 12 rounds in under 3 mins in one stage.
Just my .02
Chris
Benchmark Barrels