Re: JBM Ballistics, servers are down?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EvilWoodchuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does anyone know a good place to learn those calculations? I'm just getting into long range shooting and would like to learn to do it the old school way.</div></div>
For a computer-free approach - check MilDot Master and FDAC devices (basically ballistic slide-rules). They're very good (heck, I bought them - and I swear by electronics
).
Or go to JBM Web site, print a few Data Cards for those conditions and ammo you plan to use, laminate them and carry with you.
For the actual <span style="text-decoration: underline">learning</span> - you better be good with differential equations.
Dr. Pejsa (Google for his two publications: <span style="font-style: italic">Pejsa's Handbook on New, Precision Ballistics</span> and <span style="font-style: italic">The Exact Ballistics for Riflemen</span>) simplified the equations down to algebraic level, but they may be problematic outside of supersonic region.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JBM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are some simpler methods that you could do with paper and pen (still take a long time) that you can find in McCoy's book, Modern Exterior Ballistics.
The way my site does it -- numerical integration -- would take days or weeks to do by pen and paper.</div></div>
I've nothing to add to JBM's pointer, except that I don't think we did numerical integration by hand (paper and pencil) even in school. I don't think paper and pencil approach is usable.
You may want to look up GEBC (Gnu Extended Ballistic Calculator) - it comes with the source code. I fixed it for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and toyed with the idea of enhancing it - but with Bullet Flight, FTE and Shooter available on iPhone it just doesn't make sense to invest time into something that $10 (or $20 or $30) would secure you the best quality.