This is getting embarassing, I promise you I'm not trying to do a HA thing and get the award for the most (stupid) posts, anyhow a genuine question I'd like some help with.

I'm about to try a RN bullet in my 7x57 which with a BC of .279 is going to be a lot more wind sensitive than anything I've ever used before. Allthough shots are generally 150 or under and in woods I think I may need to take account of wind in some situations, not least because the targets can be small. According to the ballistics programme it'll be deflected by 3" at 150yards in a 10mph wind.

The question is how do you recognise 5mph,10mph, 20mph etc(much over and I doubt I'd shoot) From my army days I seem to remember a description of the various types of wind (no jokes please) eg 5mph leaves moving, 10mph small branches moving, 20mph large branches and small trees moving etc. Can anyone provide a hunters guide to wind so that I can decide wind speed and aim off accordingly?

Midway has a wind gage for less than $20.00, it works well. http://www.midwayusa.com I also have a Kestrel 2000 electronic meter that works almost as well as the $20.00 gage. If you get the gage and spend a little time reading the wind, you will be amazed at how quickly you can read the wind without the meter.

The tricky part is how much correction to apply with various speeds and directions. This involves a lot of shooting and testing.

FWIW, I have observed lower wind readings on the ground than the old rules of thumbs would indicate. This would cause over correction if used at face value.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scott H (edited 06-13-2001).]

The wind would have to be from a 90 degree angle to the shot to have full deflection. Obviously, the wind would normally be from one of 358 other degrees, so the deflection would range from full to none, depending on the angle.

For deer under 150 yards, don't even think about compensating for wind until the wind is stiff enough to make holding the rifle difficult -- then do so sparingly.

300 yard prairie dogs are a different thing: The target is much smaller and deflection increase exponentially with range, somewhat as bullet drop increases at an ever faster rate.

So, grab your .222 and come on across the pond and we'll teach you all you want to know about "Kentucky windage".

Stonecreek had it right on. For big game at 150 yards unless the wind was howling don't worry and just shoot. One rule of thumb is that on most tagets if you have a stiff wind and are worried about wind drift, hold just at the windward edge of the target. For example the kill area (heart/lungs) of a deer is about 8 inches across, so if you have a cross wind going left to right hold on the left edge of the kill area. By doing this you give yourself the whole kill area to drift and still kill the deer. It takes a hellva wind or a very long shot to drift most bullets more than 8 inches. I have used this method numerious times and it works very well.
Good hunting.

1894. being a retired meteorologist, you'd think I could answer your question. I can't primarily becouse I've been out of it for several years, and haven't given it a thought.
However, if memory serves,I think it was called the Beaufort Scale or some such. You might try searching under that title.
If no luck, use Mtelkhunter's system. It works.
Paul B.

Gents, I take your point but the deer I shoot at most often is the size of a coyote, I'm generaly looking to shoot into a kill area the size of a CD say no more than 4" diameter. Seeing as 150 yards and 3"drift in a 90degree 10mph wind potentialy take me out by an inch I thought I'd try to do some homework. I like the idea of a windguage to compare speeds to real life and I certainly like the idea off the offer of practical tuition in the US of A, can I use my 6.5?

1894

What I think you were looking for was the old Beaufort Scale. It was originally designed for maritime use but is converted for land use at the following site. Their format is a little confusing, but you can probably figure it out. http://www.im.nbs.gov/beaufort.html

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Warren Jensen

Warren@lostriverballistic.com
lostriverballistic.com

That is indeed it, many thanks.