Kestrel 5700 Elite AB or 5700 Hornady

[Canuck1977]

Hi all,

I’m about to buy my first Kestrel. Read a lot of posts and would like to get the input of people that played with the AB and Hornady versions before I buy.

which one is the most accurate on the ballistic data side? I don’t shoot much of Hornady’s bullets...

please let me know.

cheers

 

[Paul1262]

I only shoot Hornady bullets and therefore, I chose a Kestrel/Hornady 5700 4DOF. My unit produces excellent ballistic data.

 

[Bob2650]

Load the apps on your phone and test drive them.
I liked the phone apps well enough that I bought a much cheaper weather meter. For your test drive experiments the phone can get all your weather conditions from the internet.
If no internet, a Kestrel 3500 will give you enough weather to run the phone app.
I found a deal on ebay (very risky but I got lucky) on a near new Kestrel 5400 with link for $110 and am very happy with it.
I am not a professional shooter unlike many on this forum and gladly listen to whatever they say.
A professional would probably benefit from a 5700 all in one solution instead of fooling with a cell phone and weather meter to calculate your dope.

 

[azred33]

There are 3 different versions of solver used in the Kestrel. It is not a straight comparison of Applied Ballistics versus 4DOF.

Kestrel 5700 ($399) includes:
Link connection to your phone
G1 and G7 solver
Ability to true using MV

Hornady Kestrel ($499) includes:
Link connection to your phone
G1, G7 and 4DOF solver
Ability to true using MV and Hornady Axial Form Factor
Hornady library of bullets (radar tested) that includes Hornady bullets as well as other manufactures.

Kestrel Elite ($699) includes:
Link connection to your phone ($599 version does not)
G1, G7 and AB Custom Curve solver
Applied ballistic library of bullets (radar tested) that includes Hornady as well as other manufactures.
Ability to true using MV and Applied Ballistics Drop Scale Factor.

As for data accuracy, both Applied Ballistics and Hornady solvers, once trued, will produce excellent results. On paper I do see some divergence between their solutions at longer subsonic distances, but I don’t have a range long enough to test which one is more accurate, but within 1500 yds or so, both give accurate holds.

 

[Paul1262]

I recently read on the Kestrel web page that the Hornady 5700 4 DOF can be upgraded to the Kestrel Elite version. Just curious if anyone had completed this upgrade?

 

[Paul1262]

I recently read on the Kestrel web page that the Hornady 5700 4 DOF can be upgraded to the Kestrel Elite version. Just curious if anyone had completed this upgrade?
[/QUOTE I have been advised by Kestrel that you can't upgrade the Hornady 5700 4DOF to the Kestrel Elite, only 5700's with applied ballistics.

 

[ColdSteel260]

I'm not sure you would want more from a Kestrel than what the 4DOF offers... Unless it doesn't support your bullets of choice.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I'm not sure you would want more from a Kestrel than what the 4DOF offers... Unless it doesn't support your bullets of choice.

Range and Target card are pretty nice if you don’t want to be constantly inputting or carrying a paper range card.

 

[RobertB]

I am sold on the 4-DOF after going to different events with Hornady and getting to see their presentations of why they formed it and how it works. I've used it in shots past 2 miles with amazing results and it being a free app it's that much more impressive. I would go with it as you still have your BC based solver as well running G1 or G7. The 4-DOF library is pretty packed with many popular bullets by several manufacturers other than Hornady. On top of that you will save some good money as Hornady doesn't charge near as much to use the solver. I have a few Kestrels with multiple 4-DOFs and AB's and the 4-DOFs are what stays in my pack.

 

[DellaDog]

Range and Target card are pretty nice if you don’t want to be constantly inputting or carrying a paper range card.

And more than 3 profiles.
I sure hope it's NOT true that the Hornady will not be upgradeable - at least for these options.

 

[ColdSteel260]

And more than 3 profiles.
I sure hope it's NOT true that the Hornady will not be upgradeable - at least for these options.

You can store additional profiles on your phone and load them as needed. I find it easier to change parameters that way anyways.
Range card is something that can be used on the 4DOF phone app, however, it's not something I've used at a match. It goes onto a dope card on the gun or an armband.