Is there a program or ball. app. that allows input for variable cross-wind factors?

[ajhardle]

I want to know how much the bullet is deflected at varying crosswinds throughout the flight. I have the formula, and i understand and use it, but it is slow. It should be easy enough to write a program so we can enter a specific crosswind factor for each specific portion of the entire trajectory. Multiple portions of the entire trajectory is what I'm getting at here. Are any programs available?

[ajhardle]

Let me give an example. My favorite spot to shoot is 1160 yards. It's flat for a few hundred yards before the ground falls into a small valley and the trajectory might be 60 ft above ground and as the valley rises a hill forms to the right of my line of sight and climbs to a cliff that wraps around to become my backstop. I want to be able to enter a wind value from my position out to valley, a stonger wind over the valley, a decreasing wind as the hill to my right forms creating a downwind and I pretty much ignore everything after that, because the wind is swirling back and forth as the cliffside surrounds my target. Can I enter my best readings of the conditions into a program? The more accurate info I can record will help me in varying conditions in new locations. Wouldn't you agree?

[Bart B]

I don't think such is available. Reason's probably because it's nye impossible to accurately get cross wind speed and direction at different places between muzzle and target. But there is something you can do that works pretty good.

With a spotting scope solid mounted on something, focus it about 2/3rds the way down range, then look for the mirage (heat waves) wrinkling across the field of view. That gives about the best indications of cross winds between you and what you're shooting at. But you will learn it best and quickest by using that spotting scope to "read the wind" and tell a good shot how much to correct for what changes you see.

The greatest effect on wind drift happens in the third of the range band closest to you, The middle third has a medium effect and the furthest third of the range has the least. This assumes the cross wind is the same speed from the same direction all the way to the target. If the wind from several directions at different speeds, the overall effect is best seen through that spotting scope.

[bigngreen]

Patagonia Ballistics has the capability to give you three different wind directions and values. Reading wind is completely dependent on what terrain you hunt and shoot. On the flatter ground I shoot like on the range or antelope hunting I do it much like Bart laid out but you try that in a mountain canyon or basin and you'll get you owned by the wind. Terrain and prevailing wind is different every where and using multiple winds in my ballistics program did help me to understand what was happening and how to account for it using other programs that are faster to use. The wind is fun to learn to shoot, it's the real challenge