I live on Oklahoma. The wind is most always blowing. Especially this time of year. Wind at 40mph with gust at 60 is not uncommon. So my question is, at what point do you personnelly consider to be to much wind. Where it stops being good practice, and becomes just slingging lead down range? OR is there such a thing? What say you?
How much wind, is to much?
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BrentM
Well-Known Member
For me anything over 15 is a pain. I have shot in 20 and it was tough conditions for LR. With my current skill level anything over 15 and 1000 yards is not good practice and I won't shoot animals in that.
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CB11WYO
Well-Known Member
I second those limits... 15-20 mph @ 1000 yds is all I'll put up with before heading home. It's fun sometimes to try for long range windy-day shots just to get the practice though.
If 40 mph is the best it ever gets all year then you might have to deal with it
Otherwise wait for good days...theehick
Well-Known Member
I agree with the the previous post of 15-20 is managible but the biggest cause for me to not waste money and my barrel is the changing conditions that we typicaly run in to around here. if you are shooting in a steady wind you can shoot in 40 MPH all day if it stays that.
Here I take a field pratice shot at about 1100 meters with my 338LM.
I made this video after a discussion on a Norwegian forum, regarding taking hunting shots in wind at long range.
I was aiming for the white left dot on the rock's right side at the end of this video.
The wind was gusting up in 22-24 mph.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6XDpg5RyCk]Field practice shot - YouTube[/ame]
I made this video after a discussion on a Norwegian forum, regarding taking hunting shots in wind at long range.
I was aiming for the white left dot on the rock's right side at the end of this video.
The wind was gusting up in 22-24 mph.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6XDpg5RyCk]Field practice shot - YouTube[/ame]
30+MPH winds were not uncommon on some of the days I have hunted. Too much wind is not so much the problem, too much inconsistent wind at the wrong angle is. I use a general rule for establishing maximum shooting ranges in the wind.
If I can reasonably estimate the wind to be within 1 MPH full value crosswind I use my high confidence maximum range.
If I can reasonably estimate the wind to be within 2 MPH full value crosswind I use my medium confidence maximum range.
If I can reasonably estimate the wind to be within 3 MPH full value crosswind I use my low confidence maximum range. Any variations over 3 MPH is too much for me.
If the wind direction is 0 or 180 deg and blowing 10-15MPH I use my medium confidence maximum range regardless of consistency in 0 or 180 direction.
If the wind direction is 0 or 180 deg and blowing 15-30MPH I will use my low confidence maximum range regardless of consistency in 0 or 180 direction.
Over 30MPH plus, no mid or long range shooting for me.
Establishing my confidence maximum range. I input 1 MPH 90 degree wind in my ballistics program. Take the range corresponding to 5" of wind drift and this is my high confidence maximum range. Do the same for 2 MPH and 3 MPH. You will see your ranges significantly decrease with increased crosswind uncertainty. The 5" wind drift equates to uncertainties of both ends and is roughly a 10" error and should leave room for the shot to hit the vitals of a deer. For an elk I use 6" of wind drift to establish confidence max range.
Each person will establish their own criteria but I have found this method to work extremely well and consistent. Yes there is "such a thing" as too much wind and you will have to find your own comfort level. 30MPH+ is it for me.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
Yep, skill level. I don't have it.
I guess I should have said in the field vs in the range shooting. I don't range shoot any more, so all of my stuff is in the field. In the field means mountains. The wind is a real mess in the mountains and varies wildly from ridge to finger, to draw, etc. Drives me nuts so I tend to start backing down my LR shots to the margin of error as was just mentioned. Meaning if I error a MPH or two I am still within the kill zone. I passed on a wolf pair at 1400 yards in 16 mph wind coming right to left and in my face. It was inconsistent and changed directions enough during flight that my confidence went way south. The bullet had to travel over a couple of terrain features.
I guess I should have said in the field vs in the range shooting. I don't range shoot any more, so all of my stuff is in the field. In the field means mountains. The wind is a real mess in the mountains and varies wildly from ridge to finger, to draw, etc. Drives me nuts so I tend to start backing down my LR shots to the margin of error as was just mentioned. Meaning if I error a MPH or two I am still within the kill zone. I passed on a wolf pair at 1400 yards in 16 mph wind coming right to left and in my face. It was inconsistent and changed directions enough during flight that my confidence went way south. The bullet had to travel over a couple of terrain features.
No friggen kidding......You can't help but hunt in high winds along the Hi-Line. If you waited for a calm day the hunting season would be over.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
If you can get set up where you are shooting straight into or away from the wind it becomes pretty irrelevant.
Steady winds if you have a good weather station aren't really a problem either because you can calculate accurately no matter what the speed. Of course it also matters a lot if you are in a shooting position where you are out of the wind which is also stable.
Gusty winds become a huge problem for many reasons not the least of which is the fact that it can be gusting at different speeds and at different times where you are, mid flight, and at the target.
Except where you have a gust front winds are rarely coming in waves that are consistent across a wide front.
In short, it's going to depend on a lot of factors.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Practicing in the wind is the only way to get there. Mastering the wind is the hardest part of LR shooting. Anyone that tells you they have mastered it completely is probably FOS.
Growing up at 4,000 plus feet altitude and doing a lot of hunting/shooting at higher elevations I admit is a definite advantage. For those who don't get into shooting seriously until later in life, it's just going to take a hell of a lot of practice to catch up.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
I hear that. Grew up as a farm kid and had the op to shoot every day but it was all close in stuff. Almost all of my hunting has been with a bow though. Bow hunting frustration prepares a guy a bit for LR frustration.
shootinfool
Well-Known Member
I agree with what some have said on here already. If it is a steady wind, to me it doesnt matter what the ammount is as long as it is steady and measureable. Also it would be nice if it were all consistant in direction as well. If you shoot in 100 mph wind, even gusting, head on, it will not affect the bullet path at all. If it can be measured it can be measured and accounted for I would then feel comfortable shooting in that wind. If it is gusting wind and ranging from lets say 10-30mph, then I pack up and go home, unless im hunting, in whcih case I will change my tactics and hunt at closer ranges. If it is practice, I will throw lead at gusting wind from 0-30. Alot of time I will correct for some value and then wait until it is at that given value for a few seconds and then send it. It never hurts to practice in any and all conditions possible, it lets you know your limitations, expecially if you are talking about hunting. I would be much more likely to send one while hunting if I have practiced in a given set of conditions and know what my odds are from all of the practice prior to taking the shot. I guess what I am saying is that there is no limitations while you are practicing, as there should never be. If there are limitations you should always be looking to push them out a little farther. That is how one gets better.
4xforfun
Well-Known Member
Gotta KINDA disagree on one of your statements...shooting directly into or away from the wind. HUGE mistake. Try shooting a 10 shot string into a 20 mph headwind that may switch from say 5 oclock to 7 oclock...which is pretty much an un noticeable switch....and very common!!! I would rather shoot in a strait cross wind that swithches from 20 to 30 mph....you can at least feel that change and make some alowances for it. The difference in impact points moves TWICE the amount in the slight headwind switch situation.
Example...300 Berger at 2800 fps
A 10 mph increase in wind velocity and a 9:00 or 3:00 wind yealds an impact switch of 4.4 moa. You should be able to catch at least half of that push (or let off)...we are talking about a 50% increase (or decrease) in wind velocity.
A DIRECTION change from 5:00 to 7:00 yealds an impact switch or 8.8 MOA...from 4.4 L to 4.4 right!!! That is an 8.8 MOA difference!!!! Even if your switch is a 5:30 / 6:30 switch the impact numbers don't change that much...you would think that they would change by half, but the change is minamal....I can't do the calcs because my I6 program has a glitch in it.....it shows a 3.7 R moa with a 6:30 wind, and only a 0.8 MOA Left with a 5:30 hold...somthing is amiss with my program. We know that if a 6:30 wind yealds a 3.7 moa movement that a switch in the oppisate direction would yeald the same amount in the oppisaste direction..........For a total of 7.4 MOA difference in a 5:30 / 6:30 situation!! Again...nearly double the movement of the 10 MPH switch at 9:00 or 3:00.
Nope, give me big switches and a STRAIT CROSS WIND any day!!
And, for those saying "yah, but what about a switch from 8:00 to 10:00. Not that big of a deal...about 1 MOA!!
Just my .02,
Tod
