VideosGun Digest TVVideo: Primer on Reading the Wind Down Range

Video: Primer on Reading the Wind Down Range

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When it comes to long-range shooting the wind really blows. Perhaps no one environmental variable wreaks more havoc in delivering a round on target. However, with a little knowhow and some patience even the stiffest gusts can be tamed.

Aaron Davidson gives a pretty solid rundown on the basics of how to avoid getting blown away on a long-distance shot in the above video.

The main thrust of the video, by the founder of Wyoming-based custom gun maker Gunwerks, is reading the mirage. There is perhaps no more readily available gauge of the wind's speed and direction down range than the visible heat effect.

Davidson, however, also goes over other indicators that can be used to double-check or in place of a mirage — from vegetation to insect hatches. He also touches upon how bullet design affects wind drift, albeit briefly.

The only thing to add to this nifty little primer on a vital marksmanship skill is it should be sharpened on a regular basis.

The nice thing is, becoming wind literate is something that can be done away from the shooting range. A good optic — binoculars or spotting scope — some wide-open spaces, and a little free time is all that is required to be competent at reading the wind.


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Elwood Shelton
Elwood Shelton
Elwood Shelton is the Digital Editor for Gun Digest. He lives in Colorado and has provided coverage on a vast spectrum of topics for GD for more than a decade. Before that, he was an award-winning sports and outdoors reporter for a number of newspapers across the Rocky Mountains. His experience has consisted of covering the spread of chronic wasting disease into the Western Slope of Colorado to the state’s ranching for wildlife programs. His passion for shooting began at a young age, fostered on pheasant hunts with his father. Since then, he has become an accomplished handloader, long-range shooter and avid hunter—particularly mule deer and any low-down, dirty varmint that comes into his crosshairs. He is a regular contributor to Gun Digest Magazine and has contributed to various books on guns and shooting, most recently Lever-Actions: A Tribute to the All-American Rifle.

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