Winds...

[The Surgeon]

During the spring, Oklahoma is notorious for high winds. So if you live in Oklahoma or plan to shoot here most likely there will be high winds to deal with during this time of year.


Yesterday we were out at the range and we were dealing with cross winds around 22 mph and were having gust up around 30 - 35 mph. Needless to say shooting was rather difficult.


So here is the question. What speed of wind do you say, "forget it and stay home", providing there is not a competition?

 

[jwedel1777]

So here is the question. What speed of wind do you say, "forget it and stay home", providing there is not a competition?

Living in Cordell OK, I'd say around 25 solids, with 40 mph gusts, it's stay home. This goes for shooting, hunting, fishing, driving, farming, feeding hay, stargazing, sitting on the front porch, etc...

 

[SavageShtr]

That is pretty much up to you on that one!! Everyone will have a different limit that they set for themselves. You have to decide at what wind speed you lose confidence in your ability of hitting your target constantly. On the other hand it is nice to shoot on windy days for the practice on reading the wind conditions depending on the distance in my opinion. Shoot if all this were easy everyone would be doing this!!

 

[grit]

I'll bite. Here in Utah, I hunt big, rugged, steep country. The wind does crazy things in the mountains. A 15-20mph wind would send me and the wildlife home. I shoot in 'em for the experience, but don't go out to hunt in 'em.

I've spent some time on the Prairie in North Dakota with Nate Dagley. We went out one evening in 30mph plus wind. I figured we were wasting our time. At home, the deer would be in thick cover. Nate shot a great buck around 600 yards. He made a perfect shot. A few years ago I was up there for the winter. We went coyote hunting, 30 below and at least 30mph wind. Nate nailed a sleeping coyote just shy of 500 yards. We shot f-class in 25mph wind.

Guess my point is, it depends where you live. On the prairie where the animals are accustomed to the wind and will be out in it, you can use it. Nate knew where the deer and coyotes would be in the conditions.

 

[MachV]

Living in Wyoming I just pick a time/date and go shooting! If I waited for good wind conditions I'd never pull a trigger.
Getting a load dialed in is challengeing to say the least but once dialed in the wind is gonna blow=you might as well know how to shoot in it.

 

[MHO]

For me it is more of the direction of the wind. I wont be that guy though, I know what your asking. Anything above 20 MPH.

 

[davidwilsen]

If the winds are flowing in same direction of shooting then you can take advantage on that. Here I got few information about Oklahoma shooting condition on Spring.

 

[ToKeepAndBear]

I do load development on the calmest days I can find. I shoot steel in ALL conditions. Otherwise, you will not know your true capability.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VrFV5r8cs0]Eastwood- A Man's Got to Know his Limitations - YouTube[/ame]

 

[SLOAN]

In the northeast the wind allways gust, be it hay field or mountain meadow,the wind is king.AFTER eight thirty am we crank1moa into the wind.an then take a range reading,consult ballistic sheet, yesterday 14 clicks were used to shoot at 800yds,full value to say the least..Be safe SLOANgun)

 

[Greyfox]

For load testing, under 7mph, prefer under 5. For practice, field shooting, varmints, unless it's really high wind, +25, I may stay home, but I usually convince myself it's good practice. For game, generally 20 mph, but, for the longer shots, conditions, terrain, direction, etc, has to be well understood to take the shot. It's more about how confident I am in the assessment than the actual speed of the wind.