Misc. "Stupid" Questions

[DJL2]

I finally made it down to visit my Dad...and his 3000 yard range. Would be nice to use all of it someday... Anyhow, the trip generated a few questions:

1. What's the best position to pick up vapor trails relative the shooter?
1b. What's the best way to frame/observe the target for the same?

Genesis - easy to pick up for my Dad's 6.8 SPC as he was shooting at 5-600 yards, but pretty damn hard to call for my 6.5 CM at 1000 (spotting for my brother).

2. How much does proper bipod loading influence vertical POI?

Just doing some trouble shooting (no pun...) - noticed some inconsistency (about .1 - .2 mrad) vertically and I'm pretty sure it's a technique issue.

 

[wpeach1912]

Picking up vapor trails definitely right behind the shooter. Watch above the line of sight for the trace and follow it to the target as bet as you can to judge point of impact. I'm quite certain improper bipod loading will influence you vertical POI, but I haven't tested it enough to provide accurate advice.

 

[DJL2]

I was really fighting to keep the trail in the FoV while staying tight enough on the target to actually make that useful. I was offset probably a couple meters.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I was really fighting to keep the trail in the FoV while staying tight enough on the target to actually make that useful. I was offset probably a couple meters.

If possible, get the spotting scope just above the shooters head. The closer to the bullet path the better, especially in less than ideal conditions.

 

[Jabot]

Having .1 mils vertically at distance could be attributed to multiple factors. Inconsistent ammo, shooting techniques, wind, mirage, parallax. Unless u are shooting 1000 yard f class or trying to set a group size record .1 mils is very hard to account for.

 

[b6graham]

remember, that bullet is going up, and up quite a ways.

where is the trace gonna be when shooting at 1,000y? roughly 7-8mil above the target at peak

 

[DJL2]

Having .1 mils vertically at distance could be attributed to multiple factors. Inconsistent ammo, shooting techniques, wind, mirage, parallax. Unless u are shooting 1000 yard f class or trying to set a group size record .1 mils is very hard to account for.

That'll teach me to be lazy with decimals... 1 MRAD, not .1 - gnnn.... 1-2 yards of deviation, not 4-6 inches. Oof.

 

[Maxduty]

Not exactly a vapor trail, but sitting behind the shooter with a setting summer sun behind us, we could see the back of the bullet shining. It looked like a bee flying in a big curving arc headed down range.

 

[Jabot]

That would be different.

That'll teach me to be lazy with decimals... 1 MRAD, not .1 - gnnn.... 1-2 yards of deviation, not 4-6 inches. Oof.

That can be multiple reasons also .
What kind of gun are you shooting, if it is a lite hunting rifle with a small contour barrel, this can happen after barrel heats up 2-3shots. Gun doesn't like the ammo. What's your groups at 100 yards . If you shooting 2 moa at 100 u could probably expect this at a 1000 yards. Have u checked all your screws and bolts to make sure they r torqued right. Could be a scope issue. It like u said shooting tech . Break this problems down separately to meter out each problem

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I set up so my optical path passes directly over the shooter's shoulder, because that's where the rifle is, not the head. I focus on the target, then readjust that focus to about 1/2 of the distance, because that's where the trace will first appear, at or rising up to the peak of the trajectory. That acquisition height can be quite a bit up there, so be prepared for it to appear higher than expected.

The trace will usually appear as a mirage-like 'boiling snake' shape (boil trace) that follows the bullet's trajectory. Alternatively, it may also appear as a coppery metallic gleam (glint trace), but this is more common on ranges where the line of fire faces North.

When shooting takes place in a crosswind, it can be possible to see the round arc over to the upwind side of the direct line of sight, then arc back down the other way with the wind, into the target.

Greg

 

[DJL2]

Solid info, thanks.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

On lines where a paper target gets serviced after each shot and the location/value indicated, being able to watch the round/trace impact the target can give the spotter a time advantage, and and allow a call of the direction and approximate miss distance before the target comes back up from servicing. This can be a huge advantage, especially during sporadic conditions, where time between shots becomes crucial.

Greg