Best ballistics calculator

[rtr]

I have used a variety of Ballistic solver apps and despite giving them proper data about my bullet, environment and MV I have never found them very accurate, instead relying on building my own ballistics tables by shooting the gun and writing the data down.

I shoot a .243 using 115 DTACs (currently the older ones not the newer ones). I want a solution that will give me correct dope if I give the device/calculator a correct MV. Is the Kestrel 5700 the best device for this or is there another I should consider? Will a Kestrel 5700 that I input the correct MV into provide me with correct dope (since it knows the environmentals) or will I have to fiddle with it? All the YouTube vids I see are long lessons about screwing around with the programming of it not of people actual demonstrating it providing correct dope (ie inputting a distance and then hitting the target with the data the Kestrel provides.

 

[Lowlight]

Do you have an example of your data you can post?

Conditions, drops at distance, etc, so we can see what you are doing

You have to true a lot of these variables because there is a lot more that goes into the shot than being figured by the calculator. (By the way, have a Ballistic Calculator Discussion Section) You, being one of them, who says you're not influencing the shot?

With the programs on the phone, it's how they do business. Truing a fact of life. TRASOL comes closest to real-world data in vs correct solutions out, but they are not supporting it like they used to a year ago. They lost the developer over 9 months ago and have not replaced them.

A kestrel normally needs a lot of an adjustment as well their quick truing feature needs to be adjusted based on data around Transonic. For many that can be over 1200 yards, in fact, a lot need to use 1400 yards which few have access too.

Also many find truing the BC for your rifle first is a better way of doing business. The MV changes are one method these programs use, but the BC needs the adjustment for your rifle first. The average they give us is really best for them and their set up vs your rifle system.

Also, have you calibrated your scope?

Scope errors, especially at distance are critical. Most scopes, especially those under $2000 are off by at least 2% sometimes more. No scope is really immune, so you have to test them as these calculators have a scope truing feature for a reason. It's the next biggest variable next to shooter errors.

I find once the BC is trued, ColdBore and Field Firing Solutions are the best, the phone Apps are not nearly as robust. They are basic programs as much of these programs are running data you can do in MS Excel. So while it is Rocket Science, there are certain things they just cannot do on the phone.

But we talk about this every day in the Ballistic Calculator Section

 

[rtr]

Thanks for your reply Frank, sorry I posted in wrong section, please move if needed. I will post two photos, one of a handwritten set of ranges (drop in mil first, wind second) from a match, all of the drops I feel are accurate (note I didn't hit all the targets but the ones I missed due to drop I corrected the drop to what I thought was correct), the second is output from Ballistic AE (drop in mil is second column). Bullet is 115 DTAC (old not new) at 2939fps, sight height 2.5", zero atmosphere 54.5 F, 19% humidity, 5276 elevation, 30.014Hg. You can see they are pretty different. Looking forward to more advice, thanks.

 

[Lowlight]

You inputs don't look like mils at all, I think it's a bit of operator error in there,

Can you post your input page(s) as this is all messed up from what I am looking at, as nothing is matching up

Example, 300 yards, .57 mils ?

A 300 yard dope would be like .8, here is a JBM that is actually right

 

[rtr]

 

[Snuby642]

Your turrets are set at (1.0) value is that maybe a (0.1)?
Both calculators I use its (0.l)?
The 0 hight is that center of scope above bore or something else?

 

[Lowlight]

It looks right,

You need to list out the ranges in an order you can understand and then see how it matches up.

Part of it appears to be the angles, if you look at the sheet for everything in the 600+ ranges you have longer ranges with smaller numbers. It’s either a range issue or angle issue. You really need to figure each location out as similiar ranges have different actual values.

That these ranges every app will give you the the same answer, it’s something not app related as they are short distances. I would use a 100 yard zero too, but the numbers are pretty close. At 400 you have 1.5 but your app say 1.3 that .2 should not be a miss with a 200 yard zero. The JBM numbers look pretty darn close based off 100 yards.

Have you doped the rifle on a square range, recorded that data and then you match the software to it. Seems super close though

 

[MilDot1960]

The 5700 AB works well with the ConX, But for a stand alone App I think Strelok Pro is about as good as they get, there is very little difference between the top Apps nower days.

John.