Reading Wind Flags

B

Burt Alcantara

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Hi everybody,
There is a local informal rimfire benchrest that I'm going to attend. It is my first and only benchrest match. So, I tried to get my rifle zeroed. Difficult because the range was very windy.

Having no flags or a reasonable fact similie, the range mistress gave me a length of caution tape that I applied to the target frame.

How does one see the flag with a scope that show only a small portion of the target? If I move my head away to see the flag, the wind dies down and I miss the shot. I have a T-36 and am not adjusted to it yet. I still have to jiggle my head to get the field of view. Another missed opportunity.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Burt
 
Both Eyes and be thankful

Burt:
You need to learn to shoot with both eyes open. That's if you have two good eyes. After I lost my right eye, I had to start shooting LH and use only one eye to see the target and flags. You definately need something between you and the target, so invest in some materials to make something.
What happens at the target, will not answer your question. Until you get some flags, shoot a lot of sighters and take your chances. As for the new scope, if you have to wiggle your head around to get a proper sight picture, you may have a Paralex problem.
 
Fred,
I have the identical eye configuration as you. Right handed, no right eye so I shoot lefty. Can only see one or the other. Don't know what you mean by "something between me and the target," unless you mean a proper flag. But I still have the same problem.

The problem with the sight picture is the viewing angle is so small that I have to move around a lot until I can find it. Once there, the dot seems to stay in the same place if I move around (as much as I can more around, which is tiny).
 
Many of us do not look thru the scope when pulling the trigger. You already know where the scope is pointing. You just need to know when the wind accommodates that sight picture.
Don
 
here is what i have noticed one shooter doing. he will zero into the 50/50 target, lift his head over the scope and look at the wind flags and pull the trigger and before anyone says yea right---- he shot a 247 22 x at our last shoot and had no clue why he shot a 7 only on 1 target.

bill
 
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That is one advantage of a sporter with a 6x scope, you can see your flags in the scope. Otherwise, shoot both eyes open, and always keep at least one eye on the flags, both is better.
 
My left eye is the bad one. It's a big disadvantage. Press on !

You either shoot head up or you are constantly bobbing you head up and down, flags - scope. If you are going to shoot heads up I would think you need a good windage - elevation adj rest, not a joystick. I have done a little practice shooting head up. I'm still bobbing :(

With a rimfire you are having to lift off the scope to load the round so you can look at the flags then. It's not like centerfire where some guys are blazing out 5 rounds in less than 20 seconds. I call that - 'blam blam blam damn!'

I have heard of a guy that has some mirrors set up so all he has to do is look slightly away from the scope to see his flags instead of the full head movement.


Right now you need more practice so you get better at finding the sight picture.
 
crb,
My rest is nothing to talk about. I bought it years ago for basic scope sighting, nothing critical. As I am on a fixed and small income, what would you recommend for a decent budget rest?
 
The Caldwell Rock BR is about the minimum and it needs a lot of tinkering. After that you are spending $350 to $500 OR more. Hopefully somebody else will chime in with some ideas.


Maybe one of the guys at the rimfire match can loan you a decent front rest. I know we always try to have a spare rest available and there is usually a spare 36x scope available.
 
I shot off an email to Joe about availability and price. Hope it's within my $$$.
 
Still need Wind Flags

Good Gun, Best Ammo, Great Rest, no Wind Flags? What's wrong with this picture. Burt, Not trying to be funny, but wind flags are a must. They are simple to make, and one of the necessary evils of this sport. Go to this site, and find out how easy it is. http://www.benchrest.com/articles/
 
Burt Alcantara said:
Fred,
I have the identical eye configuration as you. Right handed, no right eye so I shoot lefty. Can only see one or the other. Don't know what you mean by "something between me and the target," unless you mean a proper flag. But I still have the same problem.

The problem with the sight picture is the viewing angle is so small that I have to move around a lot until I can find it. Once there, the dot seems to stay in the same place if I move around (as much as I can more around, which is tiny).
Click to expand...

Burt, see if somebody over on the centerfire board can get you a picture of Dennis Tinkam's setup. Dennis is a great shooter that suffered a horrible gun accident that damaged an eye badly. His approach was to begin shooting left handed with an ingenious 2 mirror setup on his rest to allow sighting and flag watching with one eye. You've got to see it to believe it but the damn thing works, I saw it while shooting the IBS NY state match this past weekend.
 
Caldwell Rock BR

crb said:
The Caldwell Rock BR is about the minimum and it needs a lot of tinkering. After that you are spending $350 to $500 OR more. Hopefully somebody else will chime in with some ideas.
.
Click to expand...

Gidday CRB,
Would you please expand on "needs a lot of tinkering" or point me to another thead or forum?
I have a Caldwell Rock BR and if it can be improved, I'm interested.

Best regards,:eek:
 
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