Rimfire World Championships WIND FLAGS
By CARL BOSWELL
The KISS principle is something to consider when making your own and the ones I made last year were simple in design but still took time to make. Let’s have a look at a ready-made wind-flag design that is relatively cheap, simple but effective in use.
Rimfire World Championships
Wind-flags by Carl Boswell
Benchrest shooters and long- range shooters appreciate the importance of wind-flags but, many shooters are oblivious to the effects of wind on their shots. When practicing or carrying out load-development work, some form of wind indicator is essential. Carl has recently returned from the rimfire ‘worlds’ where he picked up a gold medal and some
useful information on flags...
Last month, I wrote a brief account of the rimfire World Championship and would like to follow up on some equipment that we discovered whilst we were over in the USA and, with the UK Nationals write-up in this month’s issue, it will avoid focusing on another match report!
There are a number of wind-flag designs available, so many in fact, I sometimes wonder where to start. Really, it depends what you shoot, how big you want them and at what distance they will be used. Like many, I have made my own flags over the years and I have lost count of the many designs I have tried but, it has been fun making them and learning along the way what works and what doesn’t.
We have used the Keeney wind-flag in the UK for a number of years. Other National Team members have used these flags over this period of time but some only getting hold of them quite recently. I came across them at this year’s World Championship where they were being sold by Dan Killough who had a stall at the match. He had a few boxes of them and all I can say they were very popular. So much so that it was advisable to put your initials on your flags so that they would not get mixed up!
Dan can supply flags in both small or large sizes, with telescopic bases if required. Visit his website at http://
www.killoughshootingsports.com/ He has a lot more stuff on offer, so it is worth browsing.
The flags themselves start at $30 but a set of four with stands costs $140. Obviously shipping will be on top of this and the dreaded VAT when they come into the UK – usually equating to ‘pounds for dollars’ when everything is added. Spare parts can also be found on Dan’s website. (By the way, when Dan shoots he uses his own products and he is also a World Champion from this summer’s Championship).
The flags themselves are made from thin plastic sheet, with easy to see green and orange on opposing sides of the tail. The propeller is similar to the ones you would find on a model aeroplane. The tail is fixed to a carbon-fibre rod with brass fitting for a counter- balance weight and fixture for the propellor. The central support/pivot is made of nylon with a small 2mm diameter pin which sits on the stand. A ribbon fixed to the tail completes the job.
This very light ‘chassis’ and central support are key to the ease with which they respond. There is very little friction so they move easily with the slightest
52
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104