[DarkShadows]

i was looking for handy hints/tips for deeling with barrel mirages. was out shooting and noticed i was getting bad mirages it was about 85 out and i had shot about 200 rounds. i got a remington 700 VS and was wondering how everyone else deals with the problem.

 

[cfroehlich7584]

If your talking about the heat waves coming off your barrel and affecting the vision through your scope then i might have a solution. I had read somewhere that some competition shooters would some how fasten a piece of paper arounf their scope that was about as long as the barrel. This would theoretically deflect the heat waves and let you see the target better.

 

[Guest]

Just take a strip of cloth and lay it down on the barrel. This will keep the heat waves from traveling up into your field of view and distorting the image in the scope. You can use strips of t-shirt or a towel. Just make sure the cloth does not extend out further than the barrel does or it will get hit by the bullet and the muzzle flash. Or you could keep it simple and wait longer intervals between groups fired.

 

[CM2k]

Attaching cloth will affect the vibration of the barrel which will hamper accuracy. That's a big no. If you are going to go for anything, make sure it's plenty light, IE paper, or somehow rigging a cardboard barrel cover of sorts. While cloth probably won't kill your shot (Especially with a .233), it's best you stick with something lighter if your aim is accuracy.

 

[Nekekami]

CM2k:

Excuse me, but what is the basis for your assumption? I can definitely say that having cloth strips and camo netting partially cover the barrel hasn't affected my accuracy, neither at short or long ranges, compared to not using cloth strips and camo netting.

 

[mele]

A cloth draped over your barrel will have minimal impact on your accuracy or shot placement. The things you do not want to do is attach bi-pods to the barrel, or tightly wrap cloth around the barrel AND stock possibly causing them to mate (wraping cloth around just the barrel is usually fine). Cloth has minimal effect on the harmonics of a barrel, as Nek has eluded to.

MEL

 

[CM2k]

Nekekami;

US Army SOTIC book. But i'll yield seeing as you have superior knowledge and experience on the matter.

 

[Nekekami]

CM2k:

The book mentions that? That's interesting. I can't find anything about it in the US Army FM 23-10.

 

[Guest]

I'm with Nek and Mel, I've used light cloth or netting to cover may barrel for both mirage and camouflage purposes and have not had any change of impact. A light piece of cloth will not offer enough resistance to effect barrel harmonics. Just keep it loose and lightweight.

K2

 

[CM2k]

Nekekami;

It says not to let anything come in contact with your barrel. They never mention at what point "anything" begins to interfere with the vibrations (Weight, density, etc.). This is also not FM 23-10, but rather the "U.S Army Special Operations Target Interdiction Course", thus, SOTIC.

 

[Nekekami]

CM2k:

I'd hazard a guess and say that it's written by a remf that hasn't really handled a rifle. I made a few phone calls today, to some fellow snipers, and they haven't recorded any difference in accuracy either. And we keep detailed logs just as usual. (I also feed all the data into a database and use Excel to keep track of certain statistics)

 

[CM2k]

Nekekami;

Didn't mean to trouble you, but like I said, it doesn't mention at what point something isn't considered an object. Hell, it literally just says "Nothing should touch the barrel". I imagine cloth, grass, paper, would have virtually no effect on accuracy, whereas sticking your barrel on a nice metal Y joint would just screw up the harmonics.

 

[Troy R]

I have seen several forums before about this topic and there is always arguments about it. It may not effect a Sniper rifle that much but I am sure it would on a bench gun. Ask this question over at Snipers Hide and see what you get.