Is it the Wind or Something I'm Doing?

[scsims]

I conducted the "Tall Test" from Bryan Litz's new book today on my .243. I was happy to see that my POI stayed perfectly vertical with 30" of elevation adjustment. My Nikon Monarch had traveled 34.25" for the 30" of adjustment.

Then I was doing some testing/practicing at 300 yards. I had what I though was a full value wind from right to left at 5 mph, so I adjusted the windage for 1 MOA as directed by JBM. I shot 3, and went to look and I had hit a .5 MOA group about 6" to the right of the intended POI. I thought this can't be right. So I settled back on the 100 yard target. Shot center about 3" high because I didn't change my elevation turret back. So all looks good, I shoot 3 more at 300 and the same thing. So I start thinking is the wind doing something different than it appears here where I'm at? I can see down range at my pond the wind is definitely moving in the same direction. So I keep looking around and notice that in front of my house which is higher in elevation the wind was blowing the opposite direction.

So is it possible that the air aloft... say 20ft above the ground where my bullet spends about half the distance traveling to the target is actually moving in the opposite direction?

I adjusted for left to right wind and it was on. It's just frustrating......

[Joe King]

I bet your canting your rifle. I'm horrible about that, a scope level is the only way I've been able to correct it.

[kcebcj]

How did it shoot with no adjustment? Look at the trees around you and you will probably see that the air is moving in the same direction at the top of the tree as it is at the base or in the grass. Did you guess the wind correctly or use a meter? Did the wind come and go and you shot when it was still?

With good shooting skills it still takes a lot of practice to get the wind right. Good luck

[ajhardle]

Most of the time I have a question like this, it leaves me frustrated all week until I make it out shooting again and realized what a bone head I am. (Not that I think you're a bone head.)

[long450]

I bet your scope is not aligned with the bore. You can check by marking a 3 foot line on a target with a verticle level or plum bob. Start at the bottom and confirm zero then add ten minutes and shot 2 shots. Do it again atat ten more minutes. If the scope is aligned properly your impacts will be on or near the line, if not they will wander off to the right or left. Do this at 200 yards.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by long450

I bet your scope is not aligned with the bore. You can check by marking a 3 foot line on a target with a verticle level or plum bob. Start at the bottom and confirm zero then add ten minutes and shot 2 shots. Do it again atat ten more minutes. If the scope is aligned properly your impacts will be on or near the line, if not they will wander off to the right or left. Do this at 200 yards.

A slight cant in the rifle will do the same thing.

Need to both check the scope level relative to the rifle as well as checking to make sure the rifle is being held level.

As to the Op's question it could be the wind is changing on you between you and the target or it could be the above.

There is nothing harder to master than reading the wind. Pretty much every other variable can be accounted for with modern ballistic software and good marksmanship.

[scsims]

It's possible that I'm canting rifle itself as I do not have a level for it. But I believe that I eliminated the scope cant and alignment with the bore with the "Tall Test" the same test as described by long450.

I will put a level on the scope and try again today and post the results.