Re: Adaptive's FDAC
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mouse07410</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I confess I don't quite get it. It is a cute device and a nice backup - but backup against what?
OK, you can get your physical altitude from a map as you should know where you are. You estimate the wind observing your environment, as a good shooter should be able to do that.
Where are you going to get the temperature? Kestrel? What makes you assume your Kestrel battery is charged but your iPhone battery is not? Perhaps you plan to carry an outdoor thermometer with you? Or plan to rely on that electronic watch with temperature gauge like the video review showed? An EMP that could fry your iPhone would fry all the electronics in the area including Kestrel and that watch of yours...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ive run it alongside several popular ballistics programs on my Iphone and as much as I liked them I find the FDAC generally to be more accurate.</div></div>
I find this strange. Especially since FDAC has adjustments only for some velocities (approximately matching yours at best), while you should be able to determine the correct average velocity for your ammo using a good chrono and plug it into one of "several ballistic programs on iPhone".
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anything similar in function but less in cost?</div></div>
Yes - go to
JBM Online Trajectory Card
and print the Trajectory card for the altitudes and temperatures you're planning to operate in - for your precise load. For free.
P.S. For the fun of it I checked the difference between 175gr SMK and 178gr AMAX. They are correct - it's 0.2 mRad elevation difference (as FDAC specifies), windage is spot-on. </div></div>
Just because you know how to judge wind speed doesn't mean you have the mental capacity to convert that value into an actual sight adjustment. Somewhere along the line you're going to need some sort of chart, math formula or computer program to solve that problem for you. Now, if you choose to TRY to commit all that to memory, good on you but highly unlikely that you'll be able to memorize every possible wind speed/target distance scenario.
Even if you don't have an electronic device to supply a precise temperature value, you should have a pretty good idea of the temperature +/- 10 degrees. If not, I'd go back to square one and start paying more attention to your surroundings. Even a 10 degree temperature change is only going to result in about a .2 Mil POI shift at 900 yards(difference between less than 1K ft in DA). Still a hit in the body, resulting in the target being rendered combat ineffective. I've spent plenty of time operating in environments where active ECM operations were in effect as well as compass calls and none of my electronics were fried.
The FDAC is a combat tool. So even if your muzzle velocity doesn't match up exactly, the FDAC is going to get your bullet on the target relying on danger space to make up for the +/- 20 or 30 feet per second in muzzle velocity from that factory ammo. If you're using handloads, awesome! If you wanna use the FDAC try to find an accuracy node at or around the velocity specified on the cards. Too easy.
Sure you can go to JBM and run that for free and print off 5, 6, maybe 8 cards for different temperature/elevations, take the time to laminate them, then take the time to make sure they're organized and stay organized in your kit. Seems to make more sense to take Taylor up on his offer to try one for free. Helluva deal to me.
I use the FDAC and am extremely pleased with it's performance. The guys at ACTS are excellent snipers working hard to put a robust, reliable and simple product in the hands of fellow snipers to help them kill more bad guys. I have a slew of them available to my students that come through my courses and have yet to have any complaints. I teach them how to use it and actually make them shoot UKD courses of fire with them to build confidence.
Awesome job Chris and Taylor, I can only expect more great stuff to follow.