Wind Training

Talk about 4 hours of squandered components.

Time has been tight for training the last month or so.  I finally had the time available to do some outdoor training.  Weather was,,,lets say challenging.  Temps were great, 70-78 from 10am-4pm.  the wind, however, was not my friend.  I knew before I headed out the wind was crappy. 20-44 mph and switchy due to the terrain I was shooting in.  But I figured I needed some wind practice in case Perry was windy this year.

To give an example, it would be 20 mph coming at me from 1-2:00, then lull for a second or two, then come at me from 9-11:00.  Made for some really low TF & RF scores.  Never scored above a 94-3 with most around the 90 mark. 

Slow fires were lucky to make low 80's, had to really strain to TRY and stay on the repair center.  I did so occasionally, but usually had to resort to passing through shooting.

On the plus side,  I just got a couple thou of jacketed Zero 185 hp in & wanted to check them against my Nostler 185 loads.  Used the same 4.6 BE, 1.2" OAL, IMI brass, .470 crimp.  Groups were as virtually as good as the Noslers, I had decided to spot the Zero's 1/4" additional due to the gusty switching conditions, but that wasn't necessary.  Best results were with my hardball gun, under 1 1/8" for 8 shots.  I had one shot out to the left by 1/2" and 1 shot out to the right by the same.  I'm thinking at least one of those, possibly both, were due to a full condition reversal.

Al

You only squandered the components if you didn't learn something.

What's the weather gonna be like on match day?
Are you going to spend the money to enter a match then decide not to go at the last weather report?  If you go to Perry it will be hot & calm, sunny & windy, rain with the wind turned 180.  That will be slow fire.  My outdoor training goes on regardless of the weather.

I heard or read a long time ago, maybe in Gil Hebard's "The Pistol Shooters Treasury" that the wind blows on everybody and will mentally beat a large portion of shooters. That leaves you with a smaller group to compete against. I used to take that attitude and found out for myself that there was wisdom in those words.

I should have been more specific on my 'squandering' verbage. 

In retrospect, I should have used my cast loads, of which I have many thousands, instead of the Zero's & Noslers.  While their accuracy isn't equal to the jacketed loads, I wouldn't have been able to tell under the conditions.
Al

I wouldn't say you squandered anything. You got some trigger time and when conditions are not as windy or calm out it will seem easier. Like when we shoot the MN regional in a couple weekends. Lots of trees to slow that stuff down!

Garth

Hey Garth,
Yea, it'll be like shooting indoors.

On the down side, I can shoot really lousy indoors too
Al