SSAA COMPETITION - THE DISCIPLINES ISSUE
Benchrest
A
nyone who has attended a shoot-
ing competition, even as a spec-
tator, will have noticed various
forms of wind-indicating equip-
ment placed on the range. Some may call
them wind flags and in a few simple cases
this might be accurate, but the modern
indicator performs so many tasks that to
call them a mere flag does not do justice to
their usefulness.
It will come as no surprise to any shooter
that from the moment a bullet leaves the
muzzle and becomes a projectile, there are
a number of forces working upon it. There
are things such as rotational spin, yaw and
pitch and, of course, gravity. However, the
one force of nature that will really move a
bullet from its intended course is the wind
and with the use of efficient indicators we
can exercise some form of control over
what happens on the target. Shooters often
do this by employing a ‘holding off’ tech-
nique to guide shots to the same point on a
target. This also works when shooting out
in the field.
The fussiest group of extreme accuracy
shooters in the competitive sense would
26 Australian Shooter
The importance of
be those who compete in the Benchrest
events, both rimfire and centrefire. With
the exception of Hunter Class, Benchrest
events are all about shooting the tiniest
possible group for five and sometimes 10
shots. Think in terms of five bullets passing
through a hole at 100 yards around one-
tenth of an inch at times. In fact, groups
smaller than .060" have been shot in cen-
trefire competition in this country - the
outright world record stands at .009", shot
many years ago in the USA.
It is all but impossible to shoot those tiny
groups without using some sort of wind-
indicating device. The slightest puff of wind
can move a bullet an alarming amount at
200 yards, and this is a sport where the
winners may be separated by only tenths of
a thou in aggregate. To fully appreciate this,
one must be a competitor or at least have
some experience of group shooting.
It has often been said that there are
plenty of one-tenth rifles, but very few
one-tenth shooters. Scores shot in any
particular match are usually a fair indica-
tion of the conditions of the day. Wind
indicators and the ability of the shooter to
by Brendan Atkinson
interpret their messages is what usually
decides the winner.
When I first started shooting Benchrest
back in 1975, we had little more than
‘rags on sticks’ which only told us that
yes, there was some wind blowing and
little else. In 1983, I constructed 40 indi-
cators from styrofoam in preparation for
the National Championships in Adelaide
that year. These were light, extremely
reactive to changes and with a ribbon
attached would give wind direction and
a rough idea of intensity. We used those
indicators at the Para Range up until
about seven years ago.
Most of the experimentation on indi-
cator design was going on in Canberra,
where Stuart and Annie Elliott were
experimenting with Koreflute vanes and
propellers made from polypropylene. This
was in the early 1980s and various designs
were tried until they finally settled on a
specific shape in 1994. Not unlike part of
the tailplane of a jetliner, these indicators
have been used all over Australia and have
been seen at all World Benchrest Champi-
onships since 1995.
 SSAA COMPETITION - THE DISCIPLINES ISSUE

wind indicators

Right-to-left (green) conditions. Note the

red, white and blue color of prop.

As testament to their effectiveness,

shooters from the USA, UK, Germany, New
Zealand, New Caledonia, Italy, Norway,
Sweden and Finland have used their indica-
tors. Australian teams travelling overseas
to world championships have transported
Left-to-right (red) conditions. The prop is
the Elliott indicators with them and have red, white and blue.
found that the overseas competitors have
requested to buy them after the shoot.
So just what are these indicators and
how do they work? It will be essential to
refer to the photographs in this article to
understand the principles and description
of each unit.
The operating principle relies on a bal-
anced propeller mounted on two precision
stainless steel ball bearings and a Koreflute
vane that has been shaped to track the wind
direction. A central axle assembly contains a
pivot, which houses two stainless steel ball
bearings. The propeller bearing assembly
has two precision stainless ball bearings and
the tubing at the rear to support the vane.
Quartering right-to-left (green) condition shows
The polypropylene propeller is assembled a blue and white prop.
around a central rotor, which is connected
to the bearing assembly. The whole lot
then sits on an adjustable pole, which > A lull in the conditions shows the ribbon
hanging down and the prop at rest.

Australian Shooter 27
SSAA COMPETITION - THE DISCIPLINES ISSUE
fits into a steel spike that has been driven blue, and are extremely wind sensitive to on the propeller. If it moves further around
into the ground. any air movement. The colors will identify to 11 o’clock, one will see only a red prop.
With the propeller folded to the instruc- the angle of any wind change. If we use the These subtle wind changes are what
tions, the unique colors will not only give clock-face method, a wind from the left at destroys tiny groups and cause shooters
wind speed, but also direction, or if you 9 o’clock is 90 degrees to the shooter and to say that they swore nothing changed
like, angle and velocity. A brilliantly colored will show a red vane and all three colors of when they fired. It did, of course, and the
sailcloth tail is attached to the rear of the red, white and blue will be visible on the propellers would have indicated it.
vane and several colors are now available, propeller. However, if the wind changes Having the best wind indicators and
depending upon what sort of contrast is
required against the range backdrop. A lurid
purple-pink seemed to work well against
angle to 10 o’clock, there will still be a red
vane, but only red and white will be seen
being able to read them is a huge
advantage, but if you don’t place them >
the dry Belmont Range backdrop at the
Harry Madden shoot.
The Koreflute vanes are green on one
side and red on the other. On the range
a left-to-right wind will show red and a
right-to-left wind is green. This is more or
less an agreed international standard, but
there are always some who want to go the
other way. The curved fluoro-yellow shaped
sailcloth tails are designed to swing like a
pendulum and will not flip over and around
the support pole like surveyors tape will,
even when wet.
The key to reading these indicators lies
within the colors of the propeller. They
have three colors, being red, white and
Severe right-to-left conditions at a recent
Portland, Victoria, shoot. Note that one
indicator has been blown off the vertical
and therefore cannot be relied upon to
give an accurate reading.

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28 Australian Shooter
 SSAA COMPETITION - THE DISCIPLINES ISSUE
on the range correctly, they are useless.
The indicators must be as near to the
bullet’s flight as possible. The only way
to achieve this is to place them out in a
line from the muzzle to the target. This
is a two-person job, preferably using two-
way radios for easy communication. The
distances at which they should be set will
depend upon the range topography, but as
a general rule, we put them at 10, 35, 60
and 90 yards for shooting at the shorter
yardage of 100 yards.
One person sets up a rifle on sandbags
at the benchline and the other one takes
the indicators downrange. It is permissible
to set up indicators so they are able to
be seen through the bottom of the rifle-
scope, but they must be below the actual
target area. For WBC and NBRSA matches
(overseas only) they cannot be higher
than the bottom edge of the target frame.
Starting with the furthest indicator, one
person works back towards the benchline,
while the other person at the benchline
looks through the riflescope and advises
on the height of each unit. Usually, three
or four are required for 100 yards and five
or six for 200 yards. Most importantly, the
special bubble level tool is used to set the
posts perpendicular. Any windflag design
must have a perpendicular pivot.
Shooters are required to rotate across
the benchline - usually four moves in a five-
target match - and 25 to 30 indicators will
be required to cover the whole range. This
number can be accomplished by combining
more of the same flags from other owners.
It is generally conceded by competi-
tive Benchrest shooters that the Elliott
wind indicators are about the best ones
going at the moment and a partnership has
been formed with Barry Edgley (Custom
Benchrest) to help streamline production.
Demand from all over the Benchrest world
has hastened this decision.
Quality costs money and a combo kit is
available which will give the shooter five
indicators, adjustable poles and all neces-
sary accessories for a complete row which
will go out to 200 yards. This is priced at
$570 and if cared for properly, could give

.
a lifetime of service. Check them out at
After hammering the support spike into the The tool is in place and the bubble must www.BenchRestTraining.com for more
ground, it must be checked with the bubble tool be dead centre. information.
to ensure that it is perpendicular to the ground.

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