al
what is your set up for shooting after the sun goes down. I have pondered this idea myself more than once. The wind doesnt blow as hard at night as it does here during the day. Lee
OK, for alla' you'se who think testing at night will be the cat's meaow, here are my thoughts. From experience.
This particular range setup is wicked sweet. I plowed in a 10-4 wire and a CAT-5 (or RG-6) to the 100yd target butt. And a switch wire. I'm also shooting over yard, over the volleyball court so's I can have lighted flags if I need them.
For the chrono setup I've mounted 40watt appliance bulbs in a framework above the diffusers and covered the whole thing with visqueen. I shoot over the chrono in all weather and lighting conditions.
SHOOTING AT NIGHT.
Shooting at night can be more frustrating than herding rattlesnakes. It ain't a tunnel, in fact it's way harder than shooting in the day.
Or way easier.
Windy blustery nights with lighted flags are OK. HARD but honest, OK....
Mildly breezy nights with lighted flags are OK as long as you wait until 3hrs after dark.......
Calm nights are generally a complete waste of time. You must "test" them by shooting a known tuned rifle.
DEAD calm, balmy "set out on the porch and visit" nights will make you rip your hair out in clumps.
DEAD calm over frozen ground or freezing nights forming frost must be tested, may change.
Shooting over night snow can be unbelievably frustrating, mirage??? targets move.
Rainy and/or snowy nights are generally awesome except thunder storms.
It just ain't automatic nor easy.
IMO the changeover that occurs as darkness rolls over the face of the deep is nearly unshootable unless it's drizzling rain or snowing. Some foggy conditions are honest but of course you've got to be able to see. Here's what I've taken to doing. I keep a known-quantity 6PPC ready and before shooting, during shooting and at the end of shooting I fire some groups with it to see "is it honest out there?" When it's honest and calm you don't need flags, it's like tunnel shooting. Generally this sort of condition only lasts an hour or two here in the PNW
Soooooo, you've got two honest testing conditions you can count on, windy and rainy. All else will LIE to you.
But this I will say with absolute certainty. I TRULY ENJOY driving the car down to the shop on a rainy night, (it's almost 100yds after all) parking under cover, scooting into a warm and brightly lit building, flipping on the satrad (Outlaw Country or Hair Nation, maybe some Classic Rewind if I'm feeling mellow.....) and HAVING AT IT........
wouldn't trade it....
might just head down there now.....
ooops, I AM here. Shop computer. Forgetful me...
might should turn 'round and check my epoxy.
(braggin')
LOL
al