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April 2nd, 2026

Get Excellent FREE Lapua Ballistics App for Android and iOS

Lapua ballistics app android apple free

Download the FREE Lapua Ballistics App

Lapua offers a FREE Ballistics App. This was the first mobile ballistics App utilizing the 6DOF calculation model, making it one of most accurate ballistics Apps on the market. With this free App you can calculate trajectories, range, bullet drop, turret adjustments and more. Lapua Ballistics offers up-to-date, Doppler-measured Lapua cartridge and bullet data. It also includes the option to define custom bullets manually.

Lapua Ballistics App 6DOF degrees of Freedom solver doppler radar bullet BC Apple iOS Android OS mobile smartphone iphone

Lapua’s sophisticated FREE Ballistics App has many great features — much more than you’d expect for a free App. If you do much shooting past 300 yards, or use a wide variety of bullets and/or cartridge types, definitely download the App and give it a try. For more details, read the Lapua Ballistics App User Manual. This handy PDF file explains how to set up the App and utilize all its powerful features.

CLICK HERE for FREE 29-page Lapua Ballistics App USER GUIDE

The Lapua Ballistics App is available for Android and iOS smart phones and mobile devices free of charge. For more info, visit www.lapua.com/support/lapua-ballistics-app-2/.

Features in the Lapua Ballistics Calculator

  • Utilizes 6DOF, the most accurate calculation method
  • Always available with latest Lapua cartridge / bullet information
  • Quick and easy to change inputs like distance, wind speed and angle
  • Several result outputs available, with numerical, reticle, table and graph views
  • Create and clone your own firearm / reticle combinations
  • Choose between metric and imperial values
  • Set Point Blank-range to different sight-in distances and impact windows
  • Set Aiming point to moving target
  • Add custom bullets (calculations based on BC G1 or G7 and Siacci method)
  • Features include Sight-in-POI, Coriolis, Max Range and Cant Angle calculation
  • Compare up to 3 Lapua cartridge/bullet performances to each other
  • Custom trajectory tables

Lapua ballistics app android apple free

After downloading the FREE Lapua Ballistics App for Android device or Apple iPhone/iPad, you’ll want to access the Lapua Ballistics App Guide which shows how to use all the features and options. In addition, Lapua offers a handy FAQ Page with User Tips and Answers to frequently Asked Questions. After downloading the FREE App, you should definitely go to the FAQ page. It has helpful illustrations showing how to set up the App for your firearms and cartridge types. Also check out the page explaining the Sight-In POI feature which allows profiles of different bullet weights in the same firearm.

Watch Video for Explanation of Lapua Ballistics App Features

Recent Lapua Ballistics App Updates

free lapua ballistics app 6DOF iOS androidIn 2025 Lapua added major Software Updates to its Ballistics App. Enhanced features include:

Range Presets: Create ranges, with angles, and quickly move between them.
Output Units: Set the unit of the calculation output to clicks, MRAD, or MOA
Device Compass for Shooting Direction: When getting wind data or getting location in Coriolis tab, shooting direction is taken from device compass.
Wind Direction Correction: When changing shooting direction, ether by Coriolis tab or Get wind data button, wind direction is corrected by the new shooting direction.

free lapua ballistics app 6DOF iOS android

Permalink - Videos, Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Competition, Shooting Skills Post comment »
April 2nd, 2026

Print Your Scope Dope — Make a Handy Laminated Ballistics Card

laminated ballistics Card print-out

Tactical competitor Zak Smith stores his elevation and wind drift data on a handy laminated data card. To make one, first generate a come-up table, using one of the free online ballistics programs such as JBM Ballistics. You can also put the info in an Excel spreadsheet or MS Word table and print it out.

Above is a sample of a data card. For each distance, the card includes drop in inches, drop in MOA, drop in Mils. It also shows drift for a 10-mph cross wind, expressed in inches, MOA, and mils. Zak explained that “to save space… I printed data every 50 yards. For an actual data-card, I recommend printing data every 20 or 25 yards.” But Zak also advised that you’ll want to customize the card format to keep things simple: “The sample card has multiple sets of data to be more universal. But if you make your own data card, you can reduce the chance of a mistake by keeping it simple.”

Once you have the card you can fold it in half and then have it laminated at a local office store or Kinko’s. Keep this in your pocket, tape it to your stock, or tie the laminated card to your rifle. If you regularly shoot at both low and high elevations, you may want to create multiple cards (since your ballistics change with altitude). To learn more about ballistic tables and data cards, check out the excellent “Practical Long-Range Rifle Shooting–Part 1″ article on Zak’s website.

ballistics data scope coverScope-Cover Mounted Ballistics Table
Another option is to place your ballistics card on the back of the front flip-up scope cover. This set-up is used by Forum member Greg C. (aka “Rem40X”). With your ‘come-up’ table on the flip-up cover you can check your windage and elevation drops easily without having to move out of shooting position.

Greg tells us: “Placing my trajectory table on the front scope cover has worked well for me for a couple of years and thought I’d share. It’s in plain view and not under my armpit.

And the table is far enough away that my aging eyes can read it easily. To apply, just use clear tape on the front objective cover.”

Links for JBM Ballistics Program

JBM Calculations Entry: JBMballistics.com/ballistics/calculators/calculators.shtml

JBM Advanced Trajectory Calculator: JBMballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

JBM Simple Trajectory Calculator: JBMballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj_simp-5.1.cgi

JBM Trajectory Cards (Come-up Table): JBMballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmcard-5.1.cgi

Permalink Optics, Tech Tip Post comment »
April 1st, 2026

NEW 7.6 Creedmoor — Ultra-Accurate, Versatile .30-Cal Cartridge

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

Leveraging the incredible success of the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge, ammo-makers and rifle manufacturers have teamed up to produce a bigger Creedmoor cartridge — the 7.6 Creedmoor. The latest addition to the Creedmoor line gets its name from its 7.62mm bullet dimension. Yep, that makes it a .30-cal cartridge, but the creators stuck with the metric title for consistency. Makes sense. We like the way “7.6 Creedmoor” sounds and we bet consumers will too. The 6.5 Creedmoor has been a singular success — it is by far the most popular new cartridge introduced in the last decade. We think the 7.6 Creedmoor could become equally successful in short order.

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

In creating the new 7.6 Creedmoor, the product engineers were primarily concerned with accuracy, reliability, and compatibility. In a brilliant marketing stroke, the 7.6 Creedmoor’s designers crafted this cartridge to be 100% compatible with existing .308 Winchester and 7.62×51 rifles. So you can shoot the 7.6 Creedmoor safely in your existing .308 Win deer rifle or F-TR rig. As one ammo-maker’s marketing manager told us: “The 7.6 Creedmoor gives you everything you liked about the .308 Win, with a trendy name and the undeniable Creedmoor cachet. The 6.5 Creedmoor has become hugely popular. We expect the new 7.6 Creedmoor to do as well, or better!” We agree. Consider this — the 7.6 Creedmoor offers much better barrel life than the 6.5 Creedmoor, along with better bullet selection, particularly for hunters. With these advantages, how could the 7.6 Creedmoor not become a huge hit? The Creedmoor name alone should ensure success.

We discussed the new 7.6 Creedmoor with Dennis DeRille, one of the “founding fathers” of the 6.5 Creedmoor. Dennis said — “The Creedmoor name is synonymous with innovation and tactical success. This new 7.6 should live up to its name as it delivers .308 Win performance in a package for the 21st Century.”

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

Reassuring .308 Win Ballistics and Die Compatibility
Another great feature of the new 7.6 Creedmoor is that you can use existing .308 Win dies and reloading components. That excited one PRS shooter: “I had all this old .308 brass and .30-Cal bullets sitting around. When I heard about the 7.6 Creedmoor I said ‘Wow this is great, I can use this stuff in a Creedmoor now’. I know it will be accurate based on the name alone. That’s cool — tacticool!

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

Because the new 7.6 Creedmoor shares case capacity and design details with the venerable .308 Win, it also shares the .308 Win’s impressive ballistics performance. “Whatever you can do with a .308 Win, you can do with the 7.6 Creedmoor… and then some!” says Hornady. Here is a chart showing projected velocities for the 7.6 Creedmoor with various barrel lengths and bullet weights.

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

NRA Approves 7.6 Creedmoor for F-TR Competition
Currently, NRA competition rules restrict F-TR rifles to the .308 Win (7.62×51) and .223 Rem (5.56×45) chamberings. But that’s going to change. Starting in June 2026, the NRA will allow 7.6 Creedmoor rifles in all F-TR matches. In addition, the 7.6 Creedmoor can be used in service rifles such as the popular M1A. It’s great to see this old battle rifle updated with Creedmoor accuracy and performance.

USA and Foreign Ammo Makers will Produce 7.6 Creedmoor Ammo
7.6 Creedmoor factory-loaded ammunition will be available from all major USA ammo-makers including Federal, Hornady, CCI, and Remington. As well, foreign ammo-makers Hirtenberger, Sellier & Bellot, and Prvi Partizan have pledged to produce 7.6 Creedmoor ammunition. That’s good news for shooters who want affordable Creedmoor ammo. One ammo-maker told us: “The whole industry is excited about the 7.6 Creedmoor. To be honest, .308 Win ammo sales have been declining for a number of years. Now we can repackage those same great components and market them to a new set of consumers reared on the 6.5 Creedmoor. This is a great deal for ammo-makers, who know how excitable Creedmoor fan-boys can be!”

7.6 Creedmoor .308 Win 7.62x51 ballistics 6.5 tactical PRS tacticool

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, New Product, News, Tactical 1 Comment »
April 1st, 2026

California Bans Use of Firearms-Related Words as “Hate Speech”

California Hate Speech firearms weapons

A new statute passed in California will bar state employees (as well as teachers, police personnel, and health care workers) from using a variety of firearms terms in official communications. California Assembly Bill 22408, authored by Assemblyman Tony Fulenzo (D. Los Angeles), defines over 30 gun-related words as “hate speech”. Under existing California law, any words/phrases defined as “hate speech” are proscribed (forbidden) in official publications, school textbooks, and all public-sector communications (including email). By effect of AB 22408 then, dozens of gun-related nouns, verbs, and adjectives will be banned, and “shall no longer be uttered or used in the State of California by any public agent or employee”.

Assemblyman Fulenzo said his intent in sponsoring AB 22408 was to alter public attitudes toward firearms, and in particular, to convince school children that firearms are bad. “We want to prevent young kids from perceiving firearms as ‘cool’ or ‘exciting’. The best way to do that is to bury the subject altogether. We need to dismantle the ‘gun culture’. That begins with banning the words themselves.”

California Hate Speech firearms weaponsFulenzo said AB 22408 was inspired by existing bans on racist “hate speech”: “We don’t want children to read about guns or talk about guns. The first step, therefore, is to remove firearms-related words from textbooks, classroom presentations, and state documents. This is not something new. California has done the same thing with hateful words directed at minority groups. In California, by law, we have banned the use of the ‘N’ word (and other racist terms) in official state publications and school textbooks. Now we are just following that practice and banning the ‘G’ word (i.e. ‘gun’) and similar firearms-related hate speech”.

Ban on Gun Words in Oregon Next?
Meanwhile, in neighboring Oregon, anti-gun groups have called for the passage of similar legislation banning the use of firearms-related terminology. And there have been protests in Arizona also.

California Hate Speech firearms weapons

Permitted Word Equivalencies for Banned Firearm Terms
When enacted into law, AB 22408 will ban more than 30 firearm-related words, including “gun”, “pistol”, “rifle”, “bullet” and other commonly-used words. Where it is necessary to reference a firearm, as in a police report, AB 22308 provides for substitute words or phrases. AB 22408 recognizes that, in some instances, it will be necessary to mention firearms-related facts in official documents. By using these officially-designated substitute words, firearms-related facts can be logged without resort to banned “hate speech”.

Gun = “Gunk”

Pistol = “Piddle”

Rifle = “Ripple”

Shoot = “Suit”

Bullet = “Mullet”

Ammo = “Venmo”

Cartridge = “Partridge”

How to Use California-Approved Substitute Gun-Related Words:

Under AB 22408, if an official report requires description of a hate speech item, then the approved replacement words shall be used instead of the prohibited terms. For example, if a hospital treats a pistol wound, this shall be listed as a “piddle wound” in the official medical report. Likewise the recovery of cartridges at a crime scene by police shall be recorded as a “partridge recovery” in the incident report.

New Law Does Not Restrict Speech by Non-Governmental Entities
This new law only applies to “public sector” entities (schools, police/sheriff agencies, hospitals/health clinics, state and municipal agencies). Private businesses, including newspapers and web sites, will still be allowed to use firearms-related words without the threat of prosecution. Likewise, private citizens will still be allowed to say “gun”, “pistol”, or “rifle” etc. in their own private communications. However internet posting of hate speech involving forbidden firearm words will be monitored by a new California State Agency. This new Agency, the California Office of Firearms Hate Speech (COFHS) will be funded by a new 5% sales tax on firearms ammunition and components.

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April 1st, 2026

NRA Offers After-Life Perpetual Membership for Just $5000

NRA Afterlife after-life perpetual membership

After you’ve become an NRA Life member what’s next? Well now you can extend your NRA membership into the afterlife, the great beyond. For just five thousand bucks, you can now show your commitment to the Second Amendment for all eternity. The NRA has announced that it will, for the first time ever, offer Perpetual Memberships so you can enjoy being an NRA member from your grave. The new “After-Life” Perpetual Membership confers many benefits, including continuing insurance on firearms in ones estate, NRA-branded headstones (see above), and perpetual magazine subscriptions to a surviving spouse or designated beneficiary. In addition, upon the passing of an After-Life Member, the NRA will donate $100.00 to the NRA program of his/her choice.

How to Become an NRA Member Forever
The NRA After-Life Perpetual Membership has been introduced by the NRA as the request of many current NRA Life members who want a permanent, perpetual affiliation with the NRA. A step-up from the $1500 Life Membership, the new After-Life Membership normally costs $7500.00, but this month the After-Life Membership costs just $5000.00. As a special Promotion in connection with the 155th Annual NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston, TX (April 16-19, 2026), the new After-Life Membership will discounted 33% for the entire month of April, 2026. For a mere $5000.00 (after discount) the NRA After-Life Membership secures an individual’s support for the Second Amendment throughout eternity.

NRA Afterlife after-life perpetual membership

Help Defend the Second Amendment in the Future
Many celebrities, business leaders, and avid shooters have NRA Life Memberships. Until today, that was longest-duration NRA membership available. Now, with the introduction of the After-Life Perpetual Membership, current Life Members can secure their affiliation with the nation’s leading gun rights organization for all time, in perpetuity. When you think about it, $5000.00 is a small price to pay for the assurance that you will continue to support freedom and the Second Amendment long after you’re gone. And while you’re still alive and well, you should definitely attend the 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, April 16-19, 2026. CLICK HERE to register.

All NRA After-Life Perpetual Members will receive a handsome yet somber yellow-on-black sweatshirt.
NRA Afterlife after-life perpetual membership

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March 31st, 2026

Cartridge Efficiency — Bullet Speed and Energy Vs. Case Volume

USAMU Handloading Guide Facebook cartridge efficiency

Efficient cartridges make excellent use of their available powder and case/bore capacity. They yield good ballistic performance with relatively little recoil and throat erosion.

USAMU Handloading Guide Facebook cartridge efficiency

Cartridge Efficiency: A Primer (pun intended!) by USAMU Staff

The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) published a series of reloading articles on its Facebook Page. In this article, the USAMU discusses cartridge case efficiency and its benefits. While this is oriented primarily toward NRA High Power Rifle and Long Range (1000-yard) competition, these factors also apply to medium/big game hunters. Assuming one’s rifle and ammunition are accurate, key considerations include ballistic performance (i.e., resistance to wind effects, plus trajectory), recoil, and throat erosion/barrel life.

Efficient cartridges make excellent use of their available powder and case/bore capacity. They yield good ballistic performance with relatively little recoil and throat erosion. A classic example in the author’s experience involved a featherweight 7x57mm hunting/silhouette rifle. When loaded to modern-rifle pressures, just 43-44 grains of powder pushed a 139gr bullet at 2900 fps from its 22″ barrel. Recoil in this light rifle was mild; it was very easy to shoot well, and its performance was superb.

An acquaintance chose a “do everything” 7mm Remington Magnum for use on medium game at short ranges. A larger, heavier rifle, it used ~65 grains of powder to achieve ~3200 fps with similar bullets — from its 26″ barrel. Recoil was higher, and he was sensitive to it, which hampered his shooting ability.

Similarly efficient calibers include the 6mm BR [Norma], and others. Today’s highly-efficient calibers, such as 6mm BR and a host of newer developments might use 28-30 grains of powder to launch a 105-107gr match bullet at speeds approaching the .243 Winchester. The .243 Win needs 40-45 grain charges at the same velocity.

Champion-level Long Range shooters need every ballistic edge feasible. They compete at a level where 1″ more or less drift in a wind change could make the difference between winning and losing. Shooters recognized this early on — the then-new .300 H&H Magnum quickly supplanted the .30-06 at the Wimbledon winner’s circle in the early days.

The .300 Winchester Magnum became popular, but its 190-220gr bullets had their work cut out for them once the 6.5-284 and its streamlined 140-142gr bullets arrived on the scene. The 6.5-284 gives superb accuracy and wind performance with about half the recoil of the big .30 magnums – albeit it is a known barrel-burner.

Currently, the 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra-Magnum (aka 7mm RSAUM), is giving stellar accuracy with cutting-edge, ~180 grain bullets, powder charges in the mid-50 grain range and velocities about 2800+ fps in long barrels. Beyond pure efficiency, the RSAUM’s modern, “short and fat” design helps ensure fine accuracy relative to older, longer cartridge designs of similar performance.

Recent design advances are yielding bullets with here-to-fore unheard-of ballistic efficiency; depending on the cartridge, they can make or break ones decision. Ballistic coefficients (“BC” — a numerical expression of a bullet’s ballistic efficiency) are soaring to new heights, and there are many exciting new avenues to explore.

The ideal choice [involves a] balancing act between bullet BCs, case capacity, velocity, barrel life, and recoil. But, as with new-car decisions, choosing can be half the fun!

Factors to Consider When Evaluating Cartridges
For competitive shooters… pristine accuracy and ballistic performance in the wind are critical. Flat trajectory benefits the hunter who may shoot at long, unknown distances (nowadays, range-finders help). However, this is of much less importance to competitors firing at known distances.

Recoil is an issue, particularly when one fires long strings during competition, and/or multiple strings in a day. Its effects are cumulative; cartridges with medium/heavy recoil can lead to shooter fatigue, disturbance of the shooting position and lower scores.

For hunters, who may only fire a few shots a year, recoil that does not induce flinching during sight-in, practice and hunting is a deciding factor. Depending on their game and ranges, etc., they may accept more recoil than the high-volume High Power or Long Range competitor.

Likewise, throat erosion/barrel life is important to competitive shooters, who fire thousands of rounds in practice and matches, vs. the medium/big game hunter. A cartridge that performs well ballistically with great accuracy, has long barrel life and low recoil is the competitive shooter’s ideal. For the hunter, other factors may weigh more heavily.

Cartridge Efficiency and Energy — Another Perspective
Former Lapua staffer Kevin Thomas explains that efficiency can be evaluated in terms of energy:

“Cartridge efficiency is pretty straight forward — energy in vs. energy out. Most modern single-based propellants run around 178-215 ft/lbs of energy per grain. These figures give the energy potential that you’re loading into the rifle. The resulting kinetic energy transferred to the bullet will give you the efficiency of the round. Most cases operate at around 20-25% efficiency. This is just another way to evaluate the potential of a given cartridge. There’s a big difference between this and simply looking at max velocities produced by various cartridges.”

Permalink - Articles, Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Reloading Post comment »
March 31st, 2026

Keanu Reeves — A Hollywood Star Who Can Really Shoot

Keanu Reeves John Wick Taran Butler Hollywood movie 3-Gun Video

Keanu Reeves, the A-List Hollywood actor who starred in The Matrix, Speed, Point Break, and other hit movies, is a talented shooter. For his role in the popular John Wick series of movies, Reeves has done extensive training with our friend Taran Butler, one of the nation’s top 3-Gun competitors. Check out this video showing Keanu Reeves running through some multi-gun stages. The actor’s speed on target is outstanding, and his transitions are very fast. We’ve run some multi-gun matches in the past. Trust us, it takes a lot of training and dedication to get this fast. You also need good equipment.

Watch Keanu Reeves Display Impressive Multi-Gun Speed in this Video:

Keanu Reeves John Wick Taran Butler Hollywood movie 3-Gun Video

Permalink Competition, Shooting Skills Post comment »
March 31st, 2026

Improve Benchrest Rifle Balance with Removable Stock Weight

rifle weight Joe ring

rifle weight Joe ringCredit our buddy Joe Friedrich for this simple yet effective accessory for your benchrest rifle. Joe shoots a .22 LR benchrest rig with a barrel tuner. When he added weights to his tuner, he found his rifle no longer balanced well. He wanted to add some weight in the rear without drilling holes in the stock. He also wanted the weight to be removable, and easily placed on another rifle in his stable. He wanted a weight that could be moved from gun to gun as needed.

At a local sporting goods shop Joe found a 1.5-lb ankle weight that comes in a padded, tubular elastic cover. It’s like a 1.5-lb sausage in a soft, stretchy nylon cover. (Imagine a really fat, heavy bungee cord). Joe simply attached a plastic zip tie at the end to make a loop that fits perfectly over his buttstock. CLICK HERE for full-screen photo.

To “tune” the rifle’s balance, Joe just slides the ankle weight fore and aft on the stock. We have tried this moveable ankle weight on a variety of different BR stocks (including a McMillan Edge) and it worked perfectly. This is a great invention, and would work with sporter rifles and ARs just as well.

rifle weight Joe ring

NOTE: Obviously, this ring will increase the measured weight of your rifle. So, if you are competing in a registered match with weight restrictions, you have to ensure that your rifle still makes class weight limits with the ankle weight ring in place.

Permalink Competition, Gear Review, Tech Tip Post comment »
March 30th, 2026

BargainFinder 549: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week

AccurateShooter Deals of the Week Weekly Bargain Finder Sale Discount Savings

At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.

NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.

Graf & Sons — Major RCBS Sale on Presses, Tools, Dies Etc.

sig scope optics sale
⏺️ » Thousands of RCBS products on Sale — presses, dies, tools

Grafs.com is running a massive RCBS Sale right now with big savings on thousands of RCBS products including reloading presses, priming tools, powder measures, case prep equipment, and hundreds of die sets. Among our top picks, the Universal hand priming tool is excellent, and the unique RCBS Summit is a great compact reloading press.

Sportsman’s Warehouse — SIGnature Sale — Optics and Pistols

sig scope optics sale
⏺️ » Great savings on pistols, optics, mounts and more

If you need a carry pistol, or a new riflescope, thermal scope, reflex/red dot optic, or binoculars, definitely check out the major Optics and handgun sale at Sportsman’s Warehouse. If you need a hunting scope and Rangefinder, definitely consider KILO3K Laser RF and 3-12x44mm BDC-1 combo — now $150.00 off the regular price. Along with the discounts of 10-25% there are eGift cards available with many items.

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Permalink Handguns, Hot Deals, News, Optics Post comment »
March 30th, 2026

Wind Reading TIPS — How Terrain and Topography Affect Wind

Steven Blair F-Class Wind Tips

At the request of our Shooters’s Forum members, we’re repeating an excellent article by Steven Blair on wind reading. Steven, a top F-Class shooter, talks about mirage, topography effects, tail winds, and other subtle factors that can cause frustration for shooters. Steve explains that wind effects can be complex — there’s more going on than just velocity and angle. You need to notice things like berm locations and effects of temp changes over the course of the day.

Wind Reading Tips for Competitive Shooters
by Steven Blair, Past California State Long Range F-Open Champion

Assess the Terrain and How the Wind Will Interact with It
Before you begin a match, take a few minutes to look around the range at the terrain, any obstructions, range topography (berms and backstop), and trees, buildings or structures that could affect wind flow over the range. Imagine what might happen if the wind was from the left or right, headwind or tailwind. Depending upon the direction, significant effects may be seen on range. A head or tail wind may ripple across the berms, causing elevation changes, both high and low. A tall side berm, like the east side berm at Ben Avery, may cause turbulence when the wind comes from that direction. Blocking features might shield most of the wind but a break along the range can funnel strong gusts through the gap with no other indications. Take a few notes about the effects of different wind directions and refer to them if the prevailing direction changes. (Tip courtesy Tony Robertson.)

Steven Blair F-Class Wind Tips

Use a Spotting Scope, Even When Shooting a Scoped Rifle
A good spotting scope can “see” mirage much more clearly than even an expensive rifle scope. Take your spotting scope to the line and position it as sling shooters do, close enough to use without much movement. Focus the scope approximately 1/3 of the way down range or where the most significant wind effects are likely to occur. Take a quick look while waiting for pit service, glance at the flags and compare to your scope sight picture. I often see ambiguous indications at the target through the rifle scope, but see a clear indication of wind direction and speed through the spotting scope at the shorter distance. When shooting the Arizona Palma Championship at Ben Avery last weekend, I was scoring while the wind was coming from the east. Shooters up and down the line were out to the left, losing points. Mirage at the target looked moderate and the flags weren’t indicating strong wind. As I focused the spotting scope back, the mirage suddenly looked like it was flowing twice as fast around 500 yards than it was closer or farther. It wasn’t until I realized that the access road cut through the berm there that I understood what was happening. (Tip courtesy Gary Eliseo.)

Steven Blair F-Class Wind Tips

Don’t Over-React to Something That May Be an Anomaly
On ranges with sizable berms, a headwind or tailwind can cause significant elevation problems. It is generally not possible to see or predict when this will occur. When the conditions exist that cause elevation changes and other competitors are experiencing the same problem, the best strategy is to ignore it. Certainly, avoid shooting when the head or tail wind is gusting, the same as you would in a crosswind. But, if you react to random, range-induced elevation changes, the only likely result is to make it worse. Whether the problem is caused by range or ammunition, maintain your waterline hold until you have evidence that something has fundamentally changed.

Steven Blair F-Class Wind Tips

My .284 Shehane will usually require a click or two down during a string as the barrel warms. That is normal and manageable. But, if your shots are just bouncing up and down in the 10 ring, leave it alone. The same is also true of an occasional gust pushing a shot into the 9 ring. If the conditions have not changed and one shot just went out, it may be the result of a random occurrence that was not predictable. (Tip courtesy “School of Hard Knocks”.)

Adjust Spotting Scope Focus and Magnification as Needed to View Mirage vs. Target Details
In F-Class we only need to see mirage, spotters, and scoring disks. That does not take a lot of magnification. My scope is a Nikon 25-75x82mm ED. It is a superb scope for the money and makes it trivial to see minor variations in mirage. It is good to have the high magnification available, and it can always be reduced if necessary. I use different power settings for different situations.

Steven Blair F-Class Wind TipsSetting Magnification Levels
During a match, in very good viewing conditions, I set my spotting scope at 75X, full power. The mirage is more subtle in the morning and greater magnification is needed.

During a match with heavy mirage I set my spotting scope at about 40X. I have no problem seeing mirage, even at this magnification.

When practicing at 300 yards or closer I set my spotting scope at max power (75X) so I can see the little 6mm holes from my 6BR rifle. I usually need to focus back and forth between shots to see both bullet holes and mirage.

Steven Blair, 2012 California State Long Range F-Open Champion, has been shooting since childhood and competing for over 30 years. Before retiring, Steve spent 16 years in Engineering and IT with General Atomics. He has held Engineering and Marketing positions with several firearms companies and worked on projects from pistols to 155mm howitzers.

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