Books on Mirage and wind reading

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VBull
Posts: 203
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:57 am

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by VBull »

I've read several of the books that others have posted and did get some help from them. But nothing is any better for a beginner to learn condition reading than shooting with someone that has a handle on it. Early in my long range shooting career I shot silhouette with an exceptional wind coach. He was a retired Top Gun instructor and I swear this man could see air! We shot together for about 3 years before I moved back east.

Since 1999 I've not shot silhouette and only shoot BPTR without a spotter. Shooting on your own is very hard at first but is very satisfying. The most important thing to come to terms with is THE WIND MOVES THE BULLET and the MIRAGE MOVES THE TARGET! Wind flags can tell you direction and intensity. Mirage can't always give you intensity as it depends on the air movement in relation to your position in respect to the target. Air movement directly towards or away from you will appear as a boil regardless of its intensity (up to a point). Mirage will give you basic wind direction Left/right but not if it is quartering. It still only shows as a right to left or left to right.
From what I've seen over the years is most shooters are over compensating and making major sight changes when not necessary to remain on the target. Typically they walk themselves right off the target and get lost. I know we all want to keep them in the middle but some days just getting a hit without getting a miss will win you the match. Recognizing when to play it safe come with experience. So does what flag to pay attention to. Hint: its not always the same one during a relay but most often is. The best least expensive training aid is a good .22rf at 100+ yards. I like 150 - 200 yards since it magnifies errors. FM.
VBull
Posts: 203
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:57 am

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by VBull »

I've read several of the books that others have posted and did get some help from them. But nothing is any better for a beginner to learn condition reading than shooting with someone that has a handle on it. Early in my long range shooting career I shot silhouette with an exceptional wind coach. He was a retired Top Gun instructor and I swear this man could see air! We shot together for about 3 years before I moved back east.

Since 1999 I've not shot silhouette and only shoot BPTR without a spotter. Shooting on your own is very hard at first but is very satisfying. The most important thing to come to terms with is THE WIND MOVES THE BULLET and the MIRAGE MOVES THE TARGET! Wind flags can tell you direction and intensity. Mirage can't always give you intensity as it depends on the air movement in relation to your position in respect to the target. Air movement directly towards or away from you will appear as a boil regardless of its intensity (up to a point). Mirage will give you basic wind direction Left/right but not if it is quartering. It still only shows as a right to left or left to right.
From what I've seen over the years is most shooters are over compensating and making major sight changes when not necessary to remain on the target. Typically they walk themselves right off the target and get lost. I know we all want to keep them in the middle but some days just getting a hit without getting a miss will win you the match. Recognizing when to play it safe come with experience. So does what flag to pay attention to. Hint: its not always the same one during a relay but most often is. The best least expensive training aid is a good .22rf at 100+ yards. I like 150 - 200 yards since it magnifies errors. FM.
VectorMan
Posts: 340
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 3:21 pm
Location: NW Missouri

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by VectorMan »

I’ve been reluctant to spot for any AAA or Master shooter. Maybe intermediated is the word. I had this discussion with Rick Hladky at our June match at Miller. Rick runs the matches, is a hell of a shot and an even better spotter. He told me the only way I can learn, is to do it. Brent Danielson said the same thing to me at a match this past weekend.
One of my most memorable moments I will ever have in shooting BPCR silhouette is at our June match Rick chose me to spot for him. He of course spotted for me as well. Rick was match winner that day and I was right behind him. When a team of 2 wins 1st and 2nd, that’s a blast. I’ll never forget that day. It was better than any prize.
I’m learning. I’ve been setting my scope up beside other great spotters for the past year or so and listening to their calls while watching the mirage and flags. It’s helped a bunch. In the beginning I had the wrong concept about what mirage should look like. I thought it and it’s changes would jump right out at you, like seeing smoke signals. They didn’t for me at first, then I realized what to look for and it’s obvious, sort of. I got a long way to go.
Oh, Kenny, I got one of those POS Vortex’s. I wondered why BFD didn’t tell me that it was a nice scope when he was looking through it. I’ll save for a better one.
"keep adding powder til it bloodies your nose and blacks your eyes, then back it off bout 5 grains."
BFD
Posts: 2789
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:36 pm

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by BFD »

Kevin,
Your scope is fine. It works well for showing the mirage and you do not need to swap it out. There is nothing wrong with it. Get your .22 out, set it up on a bench and use your scope to read mirage and shoot .22 on a paper target to see what it brings you. You will get good at reading mirage that way. You don't have to adjust your sights at all. Just look at a change in the mirage in your scope and then predict where the shot will fall. I used to shoot .22 benchrest matches and there is nothing like that for learning how to call the wind.
ChrisF
Posts: 1151
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:33 pm

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by ChrisF »

Where can you get The wind book for Rifle Shooter’s
Maj. Forrest Smith
Posts: 295
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:48 am
Location: Stillwater, OK

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by Maj. Forrest Smith »

Since we get practice/sighting shots in BPCR, not only is that a good time to get the shooter on target, but a great time for the Spotter to learn the "value" in giving changes to get the shooter on target. Each day that the range, it seems, I have to learn (re-learn) what the wind is doing to give the correct correction to get the shooter on the target. Some days a small correction seems to move the bullet a lot. Then other days a more bold correction is needed to get the bullet to move over the same distances. I think that is a great part of why we feel spotting is more an art form than a science.
Glen Ring
Posts: 904
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:45 pm

Re: Books on Mirage and wind reading

Post by Glen Ring »

Brent
Sounds like a solution to my problem. I have purchased one of the books by Jim Owens. The 22 practice session may be the most beneficial . I have been a pistol guy most of my life and have just started shooting out to 500 meters last year. Thanks for helping Jeanne and i out.
There are those that talk, and those that act. Make a choice.
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