Shooting in the Rain

[Lee Goodwin]

Not bashing, but Beluebow is correct. You stated you are new to long range and maybe this was your first F Class match. Everyone has to start somewhere. Maybe you aren't aware what the rifles are capable of or what is required to be successful in F Class. If you are serious about it you need to spend some time evaluating your rifle and load. The group posted is very spread out both elevation and windage wise. You should be looking for a load that can consistently hold waterline elevation so that you can focus on the wind. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more information. I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.

Yes sir, here to learn. But if you were behind that rifle. Laying in the rain. F class practice. And you had been tossing these minute of neighbor's cow groupings. And, five shots in your group drops 5 to 6 inches...and after the 10th of 15 shots , the rain and wind change...and the last five shots raise back up to the McDonalds arch I was shooting over the X ring.... well, there is a new variable here....is it the rain? I think the rain brought a thermal with it ...like a down blast....I guess you had to be the shooter to experience it.

 

[High Master]

Yes sir, here to learn. But if you were behind that rifle. Laying in the rain. F class practice. And you had been tossing these minute of neighbor's cow groupings. And, five shots in your group drops 5 to 6 inches...and after the 10th of 15 shots , the rain and wind change...and the last five shots raise back up to the McDonalds arch I was shooting over the X ring.... well, there is a new variable here....is it the rain? I think the rain brought a thermal with it ...like a down blast....I guess you had to be the shooter to experience it.

The difference is I wouldn't have shot 5 shots low...and I wouldn't have shot 5 high either...all part of the learning experience though.

If the condition changed and I wasn't able to read it and couldn't wait it out then I would have shot the best shot I could and adjusted. If you went low, why send 4 more down low? Adjust to center and continue, and when the next change came and you shot high, why send 4 more high? Adjust to center and continue.

 

[Bravo 4]

Listen to this guy, LVJ76

I am new to long distance but did shoot 15 rounds kind of F class style at 600 yards and midway thru 15 rounds the rain came down and I think the wind changed with it. I took some pictures and the circled in red were shot during a significant rain.

Have you shot this rifle more than once to make sure it wasn't the rifle? Could be multiple things. I had a rifle I shot fclass with a few times out to 1000. Somewhere at rounds 10-12 it would drop a solid moa, didn't know exactly. When that first low round presented itself I would just reach up and dial another minute on. It would do this consistently.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

The difference is I wouldn't have shot 5 shots low...and I wouldn't have shot 5 high either...all part of the learning experience though.

If the condition changed and I wasn't able to read it and couldn't wait it out then I would have shot the best shot I could and adjusted. If you went low, why send 4 more down low? Adjust to center and continue, and when the next change came and you shot high, why send 4 more high? Adjust to center and continue.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

I held the same point of aim to see what the rain would do. I was holding on the outside edge of the 7 ring at the level of the number 7.

 

[High Master]

I held the same point of aim to see what the rain would do. I was holding on the outside edge of the 7 ring at the level of the number 7.

What bullets were you shooting?

 

[Lee Goodwin]

Have you shot this rifle more than once to make sure it wasn't the rifle? Could be multiple things. I had a rifle I shot fclass with a few times out to 1000. Somewhere at rounds 10-12 it would drop a solid moa, didn't know exactly. When that first low round presented itself I would just reach up and dial another minute on. It would do this consistently.

I am brand new to long distance. This is the first day I squeezed the trigger at over 400 yards. It was at the Nosler long range course under a good tutor. F class style kind of, but forgiving. Anyway, I shoot my 300 WM 15 rounds, Rem 700, hunt rifle, 26 inch sporter. 190 grain nosler custom comps going about 2900, 75 grains 7828 ssc. No rain. Just wind. I switched to my 243 sporter, 24 inch Shaw barrel, savage 110. 105 nosler comp going about 2900. 7828 ssc 46 grains?
Flag about 30 degrees off the post mostly. Wind Always left to right out there. Holding on the left side of the 7 ring edge at the number 7 level. Round 5 to 6 thru 10 were in a sudden down pour. To me the rain shots went 5 to 6 inches low at the same hold. Rain quit, radical change in wind and rain...so I kept the same hold...pretty much all 15 shots. It is just one brief experience in the rain...I thought I would share that experience. I think the wind may have been blowing straight down with the rain...I found it interesting.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

What bullets were you shooting?

243 nosler comp 105 grain. I think I was at 2900 fps, 7828 ssc 46 grains.? Have to check the powder ? Pretty sure 2900 fps even if it was a retumbo load.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I use finger cots you can purchase on Amazon very inexpensive and don't seem to bother my point of impact much at up to 300 yards with three different calibers I have shot targets with. They will work on a break also keeping moisture out of the barrel.
I sent several thousand of them over to my nephew during the Gulf War and he said I was his company's hero as they kept the dust and sand out of their barrels during the sandstorms.

 

[LVJ76]

Listen to this guy, LVJ76

I am new to long distance but did shoot 15 rounds kind of F class style at 600 yards and midway thru 15 rounds the rain came down and I think the wind changed with it. I took some pictures and the circled in red were shot during a significant rain.

There is a difference between F class and Silhouette, you shoot benchrest and I shoot offhand. It's easy to call your shots on a bench but offhand its a different ball game. Shooting offhand you have to know where you pulled the trigger every single time to make corrections when weather factors might change your POI. I have 35 years of experience shooting silhouette and I find windy and rainy days to be the best, the most challenging, and also the ones where I learn the most.

If you haven't shot silhouette I recommend it, it's a lot more fun, at least for me.

 

[ron jaege]

I live in Alaska and it does rain here from time to time. I have been taping my barrel ends for decades and have not noted any decrement in accuracy but I tape my barrels differently from most. Most often I see people just place a strip of tape across the muzzle. In my experience more often than not as one makes their way thru the dense alders the barrel end rubs on the alder branches and after a while will have the tape stripped off. I clean the muzzleloader crown as best as I can (degrease is best), then I press the tape over the end of the barrel. Next, with a sharp knife I closely trim away the excess tape so that what is left is just a circle of tape that ends at the crown barrel junction and will not be rubbed off as the barrel end deflects off branches, under brush, etc. I do not use finger cots or anything similar as they can be rubbed off and many times when I have taken them off the next day I find some unwelcome rust. Since most of my mountain rifles have muzzle brakes the break openings also get taped. I have heard of hunters using foam ear plugs in muzzle end for protection from rain and snow but have no experience with this option -but seem like it might work well.

 

[ron jaege]

I routinely put a large party balloon over the end of the barrel to keep dirt, snow, rain, etc out of the barrel. Usually slide it off before shooting, but in few instances I shot thru it with success. I think there is enough gas leakage to blow the balloon before the bullet hits it. If raining, moisture will wick between barrel and baloon, so take it off at end of day.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

Have you shot this rifle more than once to make sure it wasn't the rifle? Could be multiple things. I had a rifle I shot fclass with a few times out to 1000. Somewhere at rounds 10-12 it would drop a solid moa, didn't know exactly. When that first low round presented itself I would just reach up and dial another minute on. It would do this consistently.

It is a savage 110 with a $200 Shaw barrel. 24 inch in 243. About 200 rounds thru it. First time I took it out past 400, this was 600 yards, prone on a nice range, nosler range in Millican Oregon, COSSA. Hand loads, 105 grain nosler comp, 2900 fps. Fun rifle to shoot.

 

[WildRose]

So nobody has seen a Navy Seal come out of the water with there rifle soaking wet and begin to fire. Must be stuff of legends.
Shep

Why do you think the first thing they do is pour the water out by angling the muzzle downward?

Odds are you've never seen a SEAL in the field except a Hollywood depiction of same.