Spot trace article

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11 years 3 weeks ago #31680 by 13fcolt
Spot trace article was created by 13fcolt
bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2013/12/how...lets-wake-signature/

One of my other favorite places on the internet for shooting knowledge is accurate shooter. This is one of the best explanations I've seen for how to spot trace.
The following user(s) said Thank You: OleCowboy

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11 years 3 weeks ago #31683 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic Spot trace article
:(

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11 years 3 weeks ago #31684 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Spot trace article
I don't get it.

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11 years 3 weeks ago - 11 years 3 weeks ago #31693 by Libertarian623
Replied by Libertarian623 on topic Spot trace article
A couple of things about trace. Seeing trace is much easier in the evening when the sun is low on the horizon and the dewpoint is high. It makes for a great shooting experience if conditions are right. As a spotter you can make the calls even without seeing a impact (ie shooting into grass or trees as a back drop). Last year during a shoot we where getting some really strange results against a 700 yard berm; everyone was way high on there shots, well we got out a spotting scope and watched the trace, it was like the bullets where hitting a ski ramp about 20 yards out from the berm and it was pushing the bullets up pretty dramatically, well the wind was just funneling against the front side of the berm causing some extremely concentrated wind conditions. I try to set up between the shooter and the sun within 10 feet or so,this seems to yield the best refractory results. Then put the target in the lower corner of the spoting scope so that you can actually observe trace for a significant amount of time. In the video he shows setting up on the shadow side of the shooter this will not yield the best results, he may have done this due to the angle of the sun for his location ( being quartering in toward the sun) or he just didn't have a sunshade. Set up in between the shooter and the sun for best results. With my current set up of my rifle it is so heavy that I can see trace on my own shots without a problem at three hundred and beyond sometimes closer. A lot of times I judge my follow through based on how well I am seeing the trace, if I am not seeing any then I am way to tight and not following through correctly. This means my NPA is off and I need to adjust. Its a tool that provides a lot of feed back to the spotter and the shooter. Anyways thats my thoughts on trace.
Last edit: 11 years 3 weeks ago by Libertarian623.
The following user(s) said Thank You: jtallen83, OleCowboy

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11 years 3 weeks ago #31700 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Spot trace article

Libertarian623 wrote: A couple of things about trace. Seeing trace is much easier in the evening when the sun is low on the horizon and the dewpoint is high. It makes for a great shooting experience if conditions are right. As a spotter you can make the calls even without seeing a impact (ie shooting into grass or trees as a back drop). Last year during a shoot we where getting some really strange results against a 700 yard berm; everyone was way high on there shots, well we got out a spotting scope and watched the trace, it was like the bullets where hitting a ski ramp about 20 yards out from the berm and it was pushing the bullets up pretty dramatically, well the wind was just funneling against the front side of the berm causing some extremely concentrated wind conditions. I try to set up between the shooter and the sun within 10 feet or so,this seems to yield the best refractory results. Then put the target in the lower corner of the spoting scope so that you can actually observe trace for a significant amount of time. In the video he shows setting up on the shadow side of the shooter this will not yield the best results, he may have done this due to the angle of the sun for his location ( being quartering in toward the sun) or he just didn't have a sunshade. Set up in between the shooter and the sun for best results. With my current set up of my rifle it is so heavy that I can see trace on my own shots without a problem at three hundred and beyond sometimes closer. A lot of times I judge my follow through based on how well I am seeing the trace, if I am not seeing any then I am way to tight and not following through correctly. This means my NPA is off and I need to adjust. Its a tool that provides a lot of feed back to the spotter and the shooter. Anyways thats my thoughts on trace.


Well did not know they called it spot trace, kool name. I have used it before, so long ago I have almost forgotten. Not sure we called it anything other than 'did'ja see that'...

Anyhow you brought up a great example of how the wind can do some strange things out there.

Seeing spot trace is always iffy. Thinking on it from way when days I think it was something we saw more in cooler weather than in hot weather...here in Texas. Summer shooting can bring on a lot of heat visuals at long distances and you cannot follow your round nowhere as well. Bring on the cool weather and the air is still and the ST stands out like a sore thumb...look for it

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11 years 3 weeks ago #31705 by MrMarty51
Replied by MrMarty51 on topic Spot trace article
Do`nt think I`ve ever looked for it, I have though, watched the slug, fired from My 45 Colt Combat Commander, going down range, cool to watch too. :rotfl:

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