You’ve resigned yourself to the fact that you are going to take the time and effort to get out to the range to zero your gun and to do some target shooting in order to practise before joining a shooting sports league. Here are some tips that will make your time on the range a little more rewarding. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but with the price of sabot slugs, why not make the most of every shot? Alternatively if you’d like to practice your shooting skills you could look into ranges like 717 Armory. When at a shooting range, most people will be trying to improve their shot precision. Practicing is one of the best ways to do that, however, there are other methods. For example, one way of improving your shooting is to look into red dot sights for your gun. Finding a good one can improve your shot significantly. It’s believed that the Leupold LCO is one of the best red dot sights, according to riflescopelevel.com and others. However, using wind flags might also help you out.
Wind Flags
Make yourself ten wind flags and take them with you every time you go to the range. When properly positioned relative to yourself and the target, these flags will help you learn how varying wind direction and angle will effect your shot placement.
- “Acquire” ten standard metal coat hangers from a nearby closet.
- Cut the hangers at the twisted parts of the hook so that only the straight sections remain.
- Shape the hangers into “L” shapes, making the “L” portion about a foot long.
- Attach a 14 to 18 inch piece of surveyor ribbon or yarn to the end of the “L” portion of the coat hanger.
Flag Placement
As you walk from the bench toward your target, embed one of your coat hanger flags in the ground to the left of your sight line each time a fifth of your firing distance is covered. For example, if you will be shooting at a distance of 50 yards, place a flag every 10 yards. At your target, embed a flag to the right of your sight line and do so each time a fifth of your firing distance is covered as you return to the bench.
Ideally each of these flags should be seen in your scope when you have acquired your target sight picture. The idea here is that you will be able to see how the wind is effecting each one of the flags along your shooting lane at the moment you take your shot. Care should be taken to make sure that the ribbon or yarn portion of your wind flags are not directly in your slug’s flight path.
It is important to use this many flags so that you will get an accurate idea of the wind conditions throughout the range at the moment you take your shot. Without actually shooting, watch the flags through your gun’s scope. You’ll notice that they don’t all point in the same direction all of the time. Some may hang straight down while others are blown in one direction or another, and some may point one way while others point in the opposite direction. You’ll also notice that often the flags to the left of your shooting lane will behave differently than those on the right. Wind conditions associated with each unique flag pattern will effect a slug’s flight differently. As you shoot, note the positions of all the flags and then note where your slug impacts. Over time you will learn how to gauge a slug’s flight path over a variety of wind conditions and will feel confident making the necessary adjustments when shooting game in the field. When attempting to shoot groups on the range you should always take your shots under similar wind conditions.
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Note: If you could find a day that all the flags are going one direction,at the same speed-same angle, like the example shown above; it would be possible to shoot exactly into ONE HOLE with good ammo and a good slug gun.