{"id":4075,"date":"2023-02-25T23:19:08","date_gmt":"2023-02-25T23:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=4075"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","slug":"shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/","title":{"rendered":"Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/riflemarksmanship-supported-shooting-positions\/\" title=\"Rifle Marksmanship Supported Shooting Positions\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1722\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shooting a rifle<\/a> accurately in high wind can be a challenge, but with the right techniques and a bit of understanding, it is possible to do it well.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To ensure accuracy when <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/improving-accuracy-of-a-factory-gun-2\/\">shooting<\/a> in high wind, especially at long distances, there are several steps you should take. The first is learning <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"how to\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"386\">how to<\/a> read the direction and speed of the wind. Then understanding how a bullet may move, or drift, at any particular speed and angle. Using heavier bullets to reduce drift is also helpful. Additionally, a solid rest is paramount.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Shooting_a_Rifle_Accurately_in_High_Wind\" >Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Understanding_Wind_Direction_and_Speed\" >Understanding Wind Direction and Speed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Use_Heavier_Bullets\" >Use Heavier Bullets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Find_a_Solid_Rest\" >Find a Solid Rest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Go_for_Quality_Gear\" >Go for Quality Gear<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-a-rifle-accurately-in-high-wind\/#Keep_the_Dust_Out_of_Your_Eyes\" >Keep the Dust Out of Your Eyes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shooting_a_Rifle_Accurately_in_High_Wind\"><\/span><b>Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wind has no master. It is a dynamic force with no constant &#8211; either in direction or speed. And it can be quickly altered by a myriad of factors. As masses of air move along the earth\u2019s surface, they are sometimes funneled up a river channel or dispersed over a wide flat field. The sun\u2019s heat as well as cloud cover, even humidity, can affect wind speed and direction.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/rifle-marksmanship-trigger-control-success\/\" title=\"Rifle Marksmanship : Trigger Control Equals Success\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1434\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting a rifle<\/a> accurately in high wind, the further the shot, the more diverse the wind across the expanse that separates you from the target. If you can, walk outside right now. Feel the wind. Then look 100, 200, and 500 yards away and try to gauge the wind at those distances. At 100 yards it\u2019s going to appear quite similar to where you stand. But at 200 and 500, you can\u2019t tell. Chances are, it\u2019s doing something totally different. It\u2019s this unpredictability that makes shooting a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-benefit-of-having-a-backup-rifle\/\">rifle<\/a> accurately in high wind so difficult.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But not impossible. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Just think, if you\u2019re consistently accurate at 300 yards with a stiff crossing wind, 200 on a calm day will be simple.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Wind_Direction_and_Speed\"><\/span><b>Understanding Wind Direction and Speed<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In order to shoot a rifle accurately in high wind, it is important to understand the wind direction and speed. Reading the direction of the wind, and having a general idea of its speed, can help you adjust your aim accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you know where to look, there are some fairly obvious indicators of direction and speed that can help you with shots within a few hundred yards. For example, observing vegetation, smoke, dust, and other atmospheric elements like clouds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Luckily, we have an advantage that our grandfathers did not. And that is the ability to instantly tap into weather stations that measure meteorological conditions with our smartphones. In fact, most shooting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/impact-ballistics#:2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">apps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are already hooked into a weather tower. As long as you have a range finder, you can not only get wind speed and direction in an instant, but your shooting app will also tell you exactly either where to place your reticle or how to dial the <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"scope\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"229\">scope<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1991\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1991\" style=\"width: 597px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1991\" title=\"Shooting a rifle accurately in high wind\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP.png\" alt=\"Shooting a rifle accurately in high wind can be a challenge, but with the right techniques and a bit of understanding, it is possible to do it well.\" width=\"597\" height=\"597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-96x96.png 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1991\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shooting a rifle accurately in high wind<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Getting your current conditions like Temperature, Humidity, Wind\u00a0 Speed &#038; Wind Direction is not a problem with the <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/impact-ballistics-mobile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impact Ballistics App.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_Heavier_Bullets\"><\/span><b>Use Heavier Bullets<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you\u2019re planning a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"hunting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"334\">hunting<\/a> trip to the Great Plains for pronghorn where you know it\u2019s always windy and you may have to take a long shot, consider using a heavier bullet to reduce drift. Think of it like throwing a wadded up piece of paper in the wind versus a rock. The heavier object, ie. the rock, prevails.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do note that planning is important here. Making a bullet change means resighting your rifle and getting to know the flight of a new cartridge. Plus, it may take several tries before you find the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/finding-the-right-ammo-for-your-rifle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">perfect ammo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for your rifle.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Find_a_Solid_Rest\"><\/span><b>Find a Solid Rest<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Using a solid rest is a must for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/moa-vs-mrad-rifle-scopes\/\" title=\"MOA vs MRAD Rifle Scopes\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1880\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting a rifle<\/a> accurately in high wind. Hunters may choose a bipod whereas shooters at the range could consider a bag. Already having a solid rifle rest in play will allow you to concentrate on reading the wind, getting your distance, and adjusting your hold, all before squeezing the trigger. The smallest variation when shooting long distances can drastically change <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/my-point-of-impact-story\/\">point of impact<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Go_for_Quality_Gear\"><\/span><b>Go for Quality Gear<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Go for quality gear when you can. Being consistently accurate happens when there\u2019s a great bond between the shooter and his <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/finding-the-perfect-6-5-creedmoor-rifle-scope\/\" title=\"Finding the Perfect 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle Scope\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"455\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rifle and scope<\/a>. There are some great production <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/reloading-rifle-ammo-for-beginners\/\" title=\"Reloading Rifle Ammo for Beginners\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1831\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rifle options these days that are shooting<\/a> sub MOA out of the box. And don\u2019t skimp on the glass either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When shooting in high winds, it is important to adjust your hold accordingly to compensate for the wind drift. And the glass-etched MOA and MRAD reticle options on our <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-30mm-long-range-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC rifle scopes<\/a> provide either 1 MOA or .2 MRAD windage correction holds for long range precision in windy conditions. Since the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/scope-sighting-made-simple\/\" title=\"Scope Sighting Made Simple\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1387\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">windage and elevation adjustments<\/a> match the reticle values, you can easily make adjustments quickly and easily by using the reticle as a reference in relation to the impact of the bullet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_4076\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4076\" style=\"width: 288px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4076\" title=\"Shooting a rifle accurately in high wind\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency.png\" alt=\"Shooting a rifle accurately with high wind\" width=\"288\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency.png 1023w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency-300x297.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency-768x760.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency-303x300.png 303w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency-96x96.png 96w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/TRACT-MOA-PRS-transparency-150x149.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4076\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shooting a rifle accurately in high wind<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products\/toric-uhd-30mm-4-20x50-ffp-moa-prs-long-range-rifle-scope-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MOA PRS reticle<\/a> provides the needed data to make effective 2nd shot correction<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Keep_the_Dust_Out_of_Your_Eyes\"><\/span><b>Keep the Dust Out of Your Eyes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last thing to consider is wearing shooting glasses. On the range, it\u2019s always important to wear eye and ear protection. We know that sometimes in the field these things are an afterthought. But when shooting in high winds, glasses can keep the dust out of your eyes so that you can line up the shot.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Practice makes perfect, they say. On those windy days out on the prairie or on a long-range course, it\u2019s never a guarantee what the wind is going to do. But by gaining a better understanding and using an app, like <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/how-the-impact-ballistics-calculator-helps-shooters\/\">Impact Ballistics<\/a>, the consistency of your point of impact will likely increase with time.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Check out this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1KpMTPV3ZZQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> from, Will Ormes, as he takes the TORIC 34mm FFP 4.5-30X56 <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/tips-for-off-hand-shooting\/\">Rifle Scope<\/a> out to a mile!<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1KpMTPV3ZZQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12089,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2257,2265,2267],"tags":[2672,2797,2906,3189],"class_list":["post-4075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-fix-adjust","category-rifle-scope","category-shooting-skills","tag-high-winds","tag-hunting","tag-long-range-shooting","tag-shooting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4075"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4075\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11367,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4075\/revisions\/11367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}