Sighting in in the wind

[BuckHunter511]

I need to check my zeros this weekend. Will the wind have a dramatic effect on my bullet? How far off zero are your guns after a year?

 

[DaveB]

Yes it will. Try to be prepared and shoot during a lull. Also, is wind crossing or directly in your face or back.

What caliber and weight you shooting that does play a part.

Doesn't matter if the rifle was zero'd last year you need to confirm zero this year. It should be right on unless you changed something.

 

[7mminatree]

Bullet drop is science,wind drift is Voodoo!

 

[TNReb]

Winchester's ballistics calculator will show you bullet drift.

http://ballisticscalculator.winchester.com

 

[bigtex]

The longer the shot the further the wind drift. How much depends on many things,wind speed, bullet weight,velocity, etc.
With a good scope, rings, and mounts, point of impact should change very little if any over time unless the rifle has been bumped hard, dropped, etc.
That said, I ALWAYS check my rifles zero before I hunt with it.

 

[Deer Assassin]

Bullet drop is science,wind drift is Voodoo!

ditto

 

[280longshot]

Kentucky windage has worked for some..

 

[mr.big]

voodoo chile

 

[Mike Belt]

You should always check your zero prior to hunting season. There are too many things that could have happened to it in the last year. It's good to know that when you squeeze the trigger and know you were dead on target that the end result should be a dead deer. When that doesn't happen and you didn't check it you don't know if it was you or the gun. I like knowing and you owe it to the deer.

 

[MUP]

Explained this very thing to my daughter two weeks ago as we took her rifle out to check zero, as we do every year. This time tho, she was grouping about 1-1/2" to the right, but good elev. Made the adjustment and all was good. Don't have any idea what could have caused it, probably a slight bump I suppose, but it definitely pays to know you're on zero and be confident of where you'll hit.

 

[DaveB]

My BIl is somewhat of a perfectionist but only when it comes to his 222 Remington. When he walks out to his 200 yard target he take a triple handful of home made wind flags. He plants one just about every 25 yards. He has actually spent a fair piece of time trying different materials for the flag. I think he is now using red knitting string. The sticks are I think 48 inches long.

I believe he would consult a voodoo witch doctor if he thought it would help.

 

[MUP]