I did a lot of RF and CF benchrest shooting years ago, and I became very good at managing the wind. If it was over 10 mph, I stayed home! But, I did pick up a few habits that helped. First, flags, lots of flags. One at the target is almost useless. With air rifles, at a 50 yard target, if I were trying to do it competitively, I'd probably have at least 4 flags out. If you're group shooting, you look for consistency in the conditions,since you don't really care where the group prints. But, if you have 4 in a good group, conditions are changing and time is running out, you probably have to take a shot and hold for the wind, just as in score shooting. I always tried to watch for the calmest repeating condition and avoid as much wind as possible. Of course, shooting as I do now, just to entertain me and the puppy, I can sit there all day if I have to in order to get that best condition. But whether for competition or just passing time, if you really want the best score or group possible, it takes some flags, and the discipline to learn from them. I use survey flagging, it's very susceptible to movement from even slight winds. So, if you have your third and fourth flags blowing at 20 degrees, then maybe that translates to a half-inch hold into the wind. I can write that much easier than I can do it, but that's the gist of it. Longer flags will give you more detail, since it takes more wind to move them to the same position. Purpose-built BR flags usually have a propeller attached too, which helps with the wind speed. Really reading the wind is about equal parts art, science, and luck. At longer distances, it's not unusual to have several different wind conditions between you and the target. Good luck.
