Reading wind

[BigJohn141]

Could somebody suggest a good book/article/website/video/dvd/ect on the basics of reading wind and wind formulas. I have seen the basic wind card and all and I can somewhat read wind but I have never learned the proper technique. I would say its one of my biggest down falls and I would like to learn the correct way. I do have hide online training but that video is missing and I did just order the day one video.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Reading wind

Books will give you an idea but wont teach you to read wind. Experience will teach you to read wind.

Get a good wind meter and carry it with you always. Look at flags, grass, trees, smoke, etc and estimate the wind, then dig your wind meter out of your pocket and see what the wind is really doing.

Take your spotting scope out and observe mirage, then dig your wind meter out of your pocket and compare your estimate to the wind meter.

Getting with a good coach helps also. I got some pretty good lessons by scoring for the AMU team at a 1000 yard match at 29 Palms one year. In scoring, you get right next to the coach so you can compare scores. In doing so, look through your scope, make your best guess and compare it to the coaches calls he gives his shooter.

Even still one session wont do it.

The thing is, except for the price of the wind meter, it doesn't cost anything to get some good practice. Then take what you learned to the range.

Remember, you can't learn wind and expect it to stay with you for life. You have to keep it up. Its one of those "use it or Loose it" subjects.

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: Reading wind

I live in oklahoma so being in wind is a constant. I have a kestrel 4500 and I am pretty decent as guessing wind speeds, I work outside so I can practice all the time on that. My big problem is knowing how to call wind adjustments and hold overs for certain wind speed at a distance. I guess I need more of applying wind conditions to shooting than actually telling wind speed.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Reading wind

Distance in yards divided by 100 times wind value divided by constant equals wind drift in MOA. For high velocity cartridges like .308 or .223 a constant of 10 is about right, and it keeps the math simple enough to do in your head. BTW, a cross wind is treated as a full value wind, a quartering wind is treated as a half value wind, and a wind along the bullet path is treated as a no value wind. For example a 10 mph quartering wind would be treated as having a 5 mph value. This wind average for a 600 yard shot would produce a formula like this: 600 yards divided by 100 equals 6 times 5mph = 30 divided by 10 (constant) equals 3 MOA of drift or 18 inches of favor.

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: Reading wind

Ok that helps. I was wondering how to treat the quarter value winds and such. You dont have the formula for mils by chance do you?

EDIT:

I found this on another forum and I ran the numbers for my BC through my ballistics calculator and its actually REALLY close if not right on.

<span style="color: #FF0000">Next is a direct to mil conversion based on BC.

The BC for the standard .308 is .4xx so you use a 4 mph window.

100 = .1 mil at 4 mph
200 = .2 mil
300 = .3 mil
400 = .4 mil
500 = .5 mil
600 = .7 mil due to velcity bleed off and correcting the estmate
700 = .8 mil
800 = .9 mil
900 = 1 mil
100 - 1.1 mil

Every four mph window then becomes a multiple so 16 mph wind at 500 is 4 times .5 mil or 2 mils.

Thsi can be used for 5.56 with a BC of .3xx, using 3 mph windows, the 300 Win Mag with .5xx BC using 5 mph windows and so on. Adding .1 mil to the window for each mph, ie 5 mph at 500 is .6 mil will get you on the target. </span>

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Reading wind

I use the MOA formula as posted since all of my sights and scopes have adjustments incremented in fractional MOA. But, I like this formula too because it is effective, that's to say, it gets the job done quickly and is accurate enough to get me in the ten ring for mid range or long range competitions. It is also superb for short range 300 yard events. If you have the time for complicated calculations requiring a calculator and charts which will divert your attention from the target and weather conditions effecting external ballistics then by all means go for it. In my experience being able to do the math in my head from the effects of wind I can physically see and feel are more accommodating to the concept of hitting where aimed when conditions are changing.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Reading wind

BigJohn141,

Nancy Tompkins has a new book out, and updated second edition of her original work on long range prone shooting. Probably some of the best wind info available in a book, along with a ton of other really useful stuff in there, Don't know it it's actually hit the shelves yet, but I know her finalized draft has gone to the printers already.

Great stuff, directly from one of the best LR shooters in the world.

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: Reading wind

Thanks Kevin, I will look into it for sure. Sounds like a good read to help me out in a lot of areas.

EDIT:

Found it.

http://www.rifleshootingbynancy.com/

Looks like next month.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Reading wind

Met Nancy, Mid, and Sherry during The SOA match at Whittington Center in 2002. Clearly the top royalty of American Palma competitive shooters at the time, and still going strong.

The link has me very interested. Thanks folks.

Greg

 

[Lowlight]

Re: Reading wind

if I can get a minute to breath, I have the most comprehensive book being readied for online publishing. It will start out as a iBook but will be moving to epub.

it has a mix of a lot of formulas, including new one, updated wind rose data with correcting information on the wind direction. I even have video examples of things like mirage in it.

Explanations that are not found in the others, that take the shooter off the square range and into the field. A modern approach and not just the same old rehash from 1982 over and over...

How wind is handled in a ballistic computer, etc. multiple short hand formulas.

it's 1/2 done and about 3/4 written but there just not enough hours in the day to get everything done quickly.

 

[Tailwind]

Re: Reading wind

Looking forward to your book Lowlight. Sounds like a great reference to use while mastering this skill on the range and in the field. Hope it's done soon.

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: Reading wind

I'm looking forward to it also. LL, how much of reading and calculating wind is covered in the day one DVD? Mine should be here sometime soon.

 

[memilanuk]

Re: Reading wind

Sounds great Frank. A little bit of new mixed in always helps, and something oriented for field shooters and not just target shooters would be nice. I'll keep an eye out for your new ebook.

Until that point, however... for the OP, here is the best wind book I've found to date (and I've read most of them). What makes up one thin chapter in most books (even Nancy's) is an entire volume here.

The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters

 

[Papa Zero Three]

Re: Reading wind

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BigJohn141</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Could somebody suggest a good book/article/website/video/dvd/ect on the basics of reading wind and wind formulas. I have seen the basic wind card and all and I can somewhat read wind but I have never learned the proper technique. I would say its one of my biggest down falls and I would like to learn the correct way. I do have hide online training but that video is missing and I did just order the day one video. </div></div>

These wind formulas are from Todd Hodnett and work pretty good for in the field on the fly calculation in your head and go straight to mils

*Move decimal point forward 2 places for range*
* for calibers larger than 308 use 5 mph constant instead of 4 mph constant*
Example:
Range: 500 meters= .5 mils (*/4 mph)
Wind value: 8mph= 8/4=2
.5 x 2=1 mil hold into the wind

Wind value: 12 mph( 12/4=3)
.5 x 3= 1.5 mils into the wind

Range: 300 meters= .3 mils (*/4 mph)
Wind value: 8mph (8/4=2)
.3 x 2=.6 mil hold into the wind

That works for ranges up to 700 meters. For Ranges of 700 meters and beyond add .1 to range constant

Example:
700 meters=.8
800 meters=.9
1000meters=1.1

Easy to remember rules of thumb
range x (value of wind/4)

6mph=1.5
8mph=2
10mph=2.5
14mph=3.5

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: Reading wind

Well I took some of the stuff posted here and put it to use today. It REALLY helped my wind calling, ran it to 850 while applying the new stuff I learned and had good hits on steel all the way out. I still plan on doing some good reading but this is a good start for sure.

 

[Glocksteady]

Re: Reading wind

I can attest to the Oklahoma winds. I absolutely hate them, unless it's one of our lovely 100+ temp days of summer. Then it is a necessity to breathe. ;-) I hate the wind. Whoever came up with "One shot, one kill", obviously never shot distance in Oklahoma. If they did, God Bless them. I'm more in the 1-3 shot category. Some shooters I've seen are other worldly.

Now Tulsa is not as bad as Elk City. I actually have family buried there, so I know. Even with practice, I don't see how to get it right on the first shot. It can blow up to 35 mph with 20 mph of gust. Throw in some terrain for swirls & channels with up & down drafts...I give up!

Wind is the Final Frontier. It doesn't require VooDoo, but it comes pretty close.

 

[Logansar]

Great info

Sarge


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[hondo1312]

I can attest to the Oklahoma winds. I absolutely hate them, unless it's one of our lovely 100+ temp days of summer. Then it is a necessity to breathe. ;-) I hate the wind. Whoever came up with "One shot, one kill", obviously never shot distance in Oklahoma. If they did, God Bless them. I'm more in the 1-3 shot category. Some shooters I've seen are other worldly.

Now Tulsa is not as bad as Elk City. I actually have family buried there, so I know. Even with practice, I don't see how to get it right on the first shot. It can blow up to 35 mph with 20 mph of gust. Throw in some terrain for swirls & channels with up & down drafts...I give up!

Wind is the Final Frontier. It doesn't require VooDoo, but it comes pretty close.

Amen to that. Spent this past seeking shooting in Grandfield in 15-30mph fishtailing headwinds...made me long for my 25mph full value Kansas wind!