Anyone have any advise on doping mirage?

We are shooting out to 800 yds at a steel buffalo using .45-70's & blackpowder.  Everything is from a bench & sand bagged.
It's not an event, just shooting for fun & load developement,
We have a spotting scope & are shooting at a 24 inch bull on the buff.

Mirage is driving us nuts.

If you can see it good it's good stuff to watch.  I can't count on Mirage since my spoting scope and ranges I shoot don't make it obvious often

Get a day it's running and visable try shooting with your rifle on mechanical zero holding center and see were the bullet hits.  Then if the mirage shows a change shoot another and observe the strike. Spend a couple of sessions just working our what it does and looks like and you have a tool that may be valuble 

Boats

We are shooting out to 800 yds at a steel buffalo using .45-70's & blackpowder.  Everything is from a bench & sand bagged.
It's not an event, just shooting for fun & load developement,
We have a spotting scope & are shooting at a 24 inch bull on the buff.

Mirage is driving us nuts.

Best resource out there. Warren Page's book  "Precision Shooting"  Chapter "Shooting thru the swimming pool"  Get a copy, read it, reread it. A week or so later read it again.    Mirage really is your friend, shows you what the wind (air) is doing. Remember that the air you are shooting thru is MOVING.  Practice, Practice, Practice!!!   4227

I don't know how your buffalo is set up but I think the ground needs to be fairly flat and uniform firing line to target for mirage to be usefull.  If there is a drop or gully of some sort were the bullet flys high over ground or grass I have not been able to use Mirage much.  Our clubs Silouette range is set up that way. the 500 meter backstop has never shown much mirage.

On formal 600 yard ranges like in the Military I have used it a lot, could be I just had time to look.

But Jim hit it right, no matter what it looks like firing a shot on a sighter target and observing the strike is the way to find out.

Boats

I tried to answer this hours ago, my key board crapped out and had to buy a new one.

The best reading material for shooting in the mirage is available from the NRA, reprints of the AMU shooting manuals.

Spotting scope, focus your scope on the mirage not on the target.

Find out how to make a mirage board and use it.

Mirage is not always going to tell you the direction the wind is coming from! 

Mirage, learn all you can about it. It's always here with us. Even at -70 below zero. At night with no sun out the effects of mirage can still be seen.

You can see your bullets going through the mirage at long distances, by the use of your spotting scope.

Mirage can be a vary helpful tool if you know how to read "mirage".

Bob, I agree with you to a point        (If this site is to help one another and for us to learn, making a statement "Go ahead and shoot in it and find out" to Notlwonk's question doesn't seem helpful.)  However some things must be experienced for one's self.   

When I was shooting for the Army Rifle Team I had instructors/coaches tell us not to shoot in a boil.  But they had us try it just so we KNEW what might happen if we did.   

Of cause the effect differs depending on the distance and other conditions but usually your shot will print high or even off the target as the mirage makes the target appear where it is not.  IF you must shoot because of time running out or what ever, look at the mirage thru your spotting scope, try and calculate how hard it is boiling and sight accordingly, usual low.   

I thought I knew how to shoot before I got selected to shoot for the Army but that's where I really learned. We shot 5 days a week all day, Saturdays I coached the Juniors and Sundays I shot pistol, trap or skeet.  Hard work but fun duty.    

  Most of this in Panama Canal Zone.  4227

4227
You did exactly what is needed, you explained what will happen if one shoots the "boil". This tells the shooter that has never done it what to expect when they go and try shooting those conditions- they know what to expect. Thanks for your reply.
bob