Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind

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.

To ensure accuracy when shooting in high wind, especially at long distances, there are several steps you should take. The first is learning how to 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. 

Shooting a Rifle Accurately in High Wind

Wind has no master. It is a dynamic force with no constant – either in direction or speed. And it can be quickly altered by a myriad of factors. As masses of air move along the earth’s surface, they are sometimes funneled up a river channel or dispersed over a wide flat field. The sun’s heat as well as cloud cover, even humidity, can affect wind speed and direction.

As for shooting a rifle 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’s going to appear quite similar to where you stand. But at 200 and 500, you can’t tell. Chances are, it’s doing something totally different. It’s this unpredictability that makes shooting a rifle accurately in high wind so difficult.

But not impossible. Just think, if you’re consistently accurate at 300 yards with a stiff crossing wind, 200 on a calm day will be simple.

Understanding Wind Direction and Speed

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. 

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. 

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 apps 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 scope. 

Getting your current conditions like Temperature, Humidity, Wind  Speed & Wind Direction is not a problem with the Impact Ballistics App.

Use Heavier Bullets

If you’re planning a hunting trip to the Great Plains for pronghorn where you know it’s 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.

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 perfect ammo for your rifle.

Find a Solid Rest

Using a solid rest is a must for shooting a rifle 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 point of impact. 

Go for Quality Gear

Go for quality gear when you can. Being consistently accurate happens when there’s a great bond between the shooter and his rifle and scope. There are some great production rifle options these days that are shooting sub MOA out of the box. And don’t skimp on the glass either. 

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 TORIC rifle scopes provide either 1 MOA or .2 MRAD windage correction holds for long range precision in windy conditions. Since the windage and elevation adjustments 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. 

The MOA PRS reticle provides the needed data to make effective 2nd shot correction

Keep the Dust Out of Your Eyes

Last thing to consider is wearing shooting glasses. On the range, it’s 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.

Practice makes perfect, they say. On those windy days out on the prairie or on a long-range course, it’s never a guarantee what the wind is going to do. But by gaining a better understanding and using an app, like Impact Ballistics, the consistency of your point of impact will likely increase with time.

Check out this video from, Will Ormes, as he takes the TORIC 34mm FFP 4.5-30X56 Rifle Scope out to a mile!