Kestrel 4500 AB question
- Thread starter david8989
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You either have to have the Bluetooth version or buy a PC cord for the version w /o Bluetooth to upload the curves from online. It's 100$ either way you look at it. I just input all my own data and it works fine for me. Couldn't justify spending 100$ extra for something I can simply google or measure myself
It really sucks there is no Mac support. My old vista laptop is a piece of shit and missing all the numbers on the keyboard. I tried to install windoze on my Mac pro last night but I removed the optical and put in another SSD and windoze won't load through my usb optical. I'm thinking about getting one of those new surface pro 3s. Can anyone confirm that you can use the Bluetooth loaded through a surface pro?
You know, it would appear that you have to have the Software in order to figure out the list. Meanwhile, here is a link that might be helpful: Ballistics Calculator | Applied Ballistics, LLC
Otherwise, I would post your question in this thread, which Nick and Brian read regularly to answer customer's questions: http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...istics-kestrel;-pro-staff-support-thread.html
I remember that there is another software program out there called Parallels that works well on the iMac. I am also an iMac user (even Lowlight has an iMac) and I would like to see if you find a solution. I was able to download the custom drag curve for my .308 155 grain Lapua Scenars before my really old HP running Windows XP. When they stopped supporting it, my HP desktop died.
I am also curious if a really cheap laptop (think like $300) would work instead. Then I have a dedicated small laptop for my shooting stuff and can keep it away from my pesky kids and wife.
Let us know!!
Well money is tight so chances are pretty good im just gonna go with the non BT model to start with (old comp doesn't support BT anyways) and see if it will work to my standards and if not I'll pick up the USB cable.
I'm sure all four of those projectiles have a custom curve. That said, guys, buy the BT version. Buying the AB Kestrel without BT is kinda silly unless you already have the PC Interface. The custom curves are, in my experience, what make the AB Kestrel as accurate as it is. Rather than plugging in the value, G1 or G7, of a model, that doesn't fit your bullet, you have a custom drag curve made specifically to mimick the flight of your projectile. That's what its all about. If you just plan to plug in G1/G7 values you can do the same thing with the AB App on your phone at $45 bucks if memory serves intead of ~$650 for the Kestrel.
Its your money, do as you wish, but I'm telling you right now if you don't have a way to access and load the custom curves onto the Kestrel you are cutting your own nuts off before you even get started.
Its your money, do as you wish, but I'm telling you right now if you don't have a way to access and load the custom curves onto the Kestrel you are cutting your own nuts off before you even get started.
You know, it would appear that you have to have the Software in order to figure out the list. Meanwhile, here is a link that might be helpful: Ballistics Calculator | Applied Ballistics, LLC
Otherwise, I would post your question in this thread, which Nick and Brian read regularly to answer customer's questions: http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...istics-kestrel;-pro-staff-support-thread.html
I remember that there is another software program out there called Parallels that works well on the iMac. I am also an iMac user (even Lowlight has an iMac) and I would like to see if you find a solution. I was able to download the custom drag curve for my .308 155 grain Lapua Scenars before my really old HP running Windows XP. When they stopped supporting it, my HP desktop died.
I am also curious if a really cheap laptop (think like $300) would work instead. Then I have a dedicated small laptop for my shooting stuff and can keep it away from my pesky kids and wife.
Let us know!!
My experience exactly. The custom curves REALLY make the AB Kestrel completely fool proof.
Ya get the AB with BT model. The custom curve for the 175gr. SMK had my Gap 10 .308 making hits at 800-1000 yards with ease, its like magic.
I've read the cable to hook up the kestrel is as much as the Bluetooth addition. I didn't research it though so I don't know.
I run Parallels on my Mac Book Pro and the AB Loader works just fine with no issues. I acquired the serial interface a number of years ago to download weather data from a 4000 and it woks with the 4500AB. The Litz custom profiles in AB Loader are definitely the way to go.
You can run VMware fusion or Parallels on the Mac. I only run Mac book pros for work because they last but some business stuff requires Windows. Having the ability to virtualize literally whatever I want on the Mac gives me a ton of flexibility and if one Windows virtual machine dies then no problem, another is up and running in was than a minute. That being said I have had a few 4500s with ab and my current one needs to be sent back because it has a line missing from the dot matrix screen which makes it a pain in the ass to use. My others were non blue tooth and this one is. Is there a list of the custom curves/bullets supported somewhere? All I run for the most part are berget hybrids in various calibers and so far the g7 curve with what I've figured as the BC has taken me out to 1300 yards with dead nuts elevation.
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I read today when I updated the software that the new beta version offers 100s of new profiles. You may want to look into and see if your exact bullet you are looking for is in there.
Let me ask you guys this.... I've got the AB 4500 Non - Bluetooth version. If I know the ballistic coefficient , measure the oal of the bullet itself, and all my input parameters are accurate on the kestrel itself , what exactly am I losing by not having the "ballistic curves"? I've checked the Kestrels predictions at 1330 yards versus real world dope and it was dead on.
I will be the first to admit I really don't understand how all this " ballistic curve stuff " works with the unit. Can someone please enlighten me as to how all this stuff works??
I will be the first to admit I really don't understand how all this " ballistic curve stuff " works with the unit. Can someone please enlighten me as to how all this stuff works??
Using a coefficient, like a G1 .648 or a G7 .235 I believe to be less accurate. You're essentially saying, this bullet will fly to 64.8% of the model's 100%...you are assigning a value based on a model to predict the flight of the bullet. Anybody with more information on the subject please correct me where I stray into the wrong on this. The custom curves have been developed by Bryan Litz, probably using all kinds of fancy equipment and many many hours of testing. Rather than using the same model for two different bullets and assigning coefficients based on how closely their flight resembles the model, they get their own model specifically mimicking the flight of that bullet. Make sense?
This is not to say you can't get accurate data using G1 or G7 models especially if you band or step the coefficients so the flight path tracks your bullet closely. The point is, you can do that now with a phone app and a much cheaper Kestrel. The advantage to the AB Kestrel is loading those custom curves. If you are going to input all the parameters manually that's fine and you still have the calculator built right into your Kestrel, but that's a lot of work to get it going. It took me about 5 minutes to install the software, 2 minutes to load the basic information into profiles, and another 30 seconds to upload them and its been dead on since. Adding additional profiles or tweaking them if I change the scope height or a MIL to MOA scope takes a few clicks and a few seconds to upload the changes.
Like I said, you can still get good results the longhand way but IMO you could have bought a $300 Kestrel and a 50 dollar phone app and done the same thing. Maybe money comes easier to some of us but to me the AB Kestrel is less attractive an offer without the library of curves.
This is not to say you can't get accurate data using G1 or G7 models especially if you band or step the coefficients so the flight path tracks your bullet closely. The point is, you can do that now with a phone app and a much cheaper Kestrel. The advantage to the AB Kestrel is loading those custom curves. If you are going to input all the parameters manually that's fine and you still have the calculator built right into your Kestrel, but that's a lot of work to get it going. It took me about 5 minutes to install the software, 2 minutes to load the basic information into profiles, and another 30 seconds to upload them and its been dead on since. Adding additional profiles or tweaking them if I change the scope height or a MIL to MOA scope takes a few clicks and a few seconds to upload the changes.
Like I said, you can still get good results the longhand way but IMO you could have bought a $300 Kestrel and a 50 dollar phone app and done the same thing. Maybe money comes easier to some of us but to me the AB Kestrel is less attractive an offer without the library of curves.
That sucks. It's my primary 300 win mag bullet and a phenomenal one at that!
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I'll say that both of my kestrel with applied ballistics and the g7 curves have been dead on for every one of my guns. I point my bullets so I need to play with the BC anyways to get it to align with confirmed dope. I leave the Mv at whatever it was from what my magneto speed reads and adjust BC as needed until all dopes align. I'll test it out to 2k here soon with my 300wm and see how close it is with the g7 curve and my BC.
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I haven't pointed those yet but point all of my other calibers. I know with my 6mm Creedmoor and the 105gn hybrids running at 3150fps +/-10fps the g7 BC that I use is something like 339 or something. I'd have to double check it but it's spot on for elevation for every target I've shot at out to 1300 yards so far. I'll play with the BC for the pointed 215gn hybrids but I don't think I'll see the increase I saw in the smaller 105gn hybrids.
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