Kestrel 5700

[Tweedycarcass23jonb]

Figures I finally have enough dough but missed dougs sale on the kestrel sportsman’s.
Oh well. Lol that’s how my luck goes.

Question for you guys if you don’t mind helping. The specs on the 5700 link are a little confusing to me. Mainly the drop scale factor and custom curves features???
Is this model good enough to do everything up to 1100-1200 yards providing elevation data and wind data.
Also is it just flat out the best bang to buy the elite model from the get go. I can’t see myself shooting past 1200 yards for awhile with 6.5 creed so if I can save $300 until then I’d really like to. I’ve scratched by shooting 1,075 yards for awhile now using weather apps chronograph and jbm ballistics. But I feel like my hit ratio at those distances would be much better served with a good weather meter. Your input and advise is greatly appreciated.
Thanks gents!

 

[Dthomas3523]

If you don’t get the elite, you don’t get the custom curves built in. You’ll have to pay for them separately. You also don’t get DSF, range, or target card with the regular 5700.

Also, which data do you feel would increase your hit ratio at distance? Were you not able to input the weather into the other app you were using?

The only thing a kestrel will do is give you real time environmentals and wind at the shooter. The big draw to kestrel is its all in one and no phone needed as well as being able to measure wind on big wind days or to use to train yourself to read wind better. You can still get the same solutions from phone apps.

 

[Tweedycarcass23jonb]

@Dthomas3523 Wind data. I was simply using the weather app on my iPhone which I’ve heard isn’t the most accurate, and I’d agree. Other than that I felt like I was doing good.
Using the jbm website is kind of a pain. It’d be nice to have a dedicated device to provide drop corrections and wind corrections on the spot instead of using my phone with trying to use jbm or referring back to previous screen shots on my phone for drop charts. Changing the weather every time I have to re-Input all the other data you normally would. So I have to make a chart every morning before I go shooting and hope the weather doesn’t change that much since Internet use Is permitting I have good service where I go in the middle of nowhere, and I usually do not have great service there or any period.
I don’t know what custom curves are or dsf. But I’ll google those two and see if I can figure that out I’m sure I will.
I mainly wondered how much value is in getting a kestrel and these two models.

 

[Dthomas3523]

@Dthomas3523 Wind data. I was simply using the weather app on my iPhone which I’ve heard isn’t the most accurate, and I’d agree. Other than that I felt like I was doing good.
Using the jbm website is kind of a pain. It’d be nice to have a dedicated device to provide drop corrections and wind corrections on the spot instead of using my phone with trying to use jbm or referring back to previous screen shots on my phone for drop charts. Changing the weather every time I have to re-Input all the other data you normally would. So I have to make a chart every morning before I go shooting and hope the weather doesn’t change that much since Internet use Is permitting I have good service where I go in the middle of nowhere, and I usually do not have great service there or any period.
I don’t know what custom curves are or dsf. But I’ll google those two and see if I can figure that out I’m sure I will.
I mainly wondered how much value is in getting a kestrel and these two models.

Custom curve is Applied Ballistic’s own doppler data for a bullet. Some work very well, and others are more average from what I’ve seen. Depends on the consistency of the bullet manufacturer as to whether the samples they ran with doppler will be representative of the lot of bullets you have. I’ve had pretty good success with them.

Keep in mind this is different than using g1/g7 BC.

DSF is for past supersonic range truing. If you shoot a lot of .22, this works very very well (and obviously ELR centerfire).

 

[Tweedycarcass23jonb]

Very helpful. Thank you for the help buddy!

 

[littlepod]

I really like using my phone apps - Strelok Pro, Geoballistics. The custom AB doppler curves would be nice, but so far my curves I have in my app work out pretty well. What I'm looking for is a good wind/weather meter. I have the weathermeter and it works well, when it works. The issue I have is that in matches with the amount of bluetooth going around, it freaks out and I end up not getting any readings.

I wanted a basic Kestrel Wind/Weather, and it looks like that's just as pricey as the 5700 sportsman sale that Doug was having... Any recommendations for solid wind/weather if I want to keep using my phone app?

 

[Dthomas3523]

The only way to get as reliable as a kestrel without a kestrel is to ask someone with one to give you the environmental data.

I typically find that guys relying solely on their kestrel for wind calls at a match don’t fair so well. It’s more of either when winds are high or for a training tool. Both of which you could use the weatherflow connected to phone for.

 

[Steel head]

I resisted getting a kestrel for a long time.
Finally saw a deal I could refuse.
Really happy I got it.
Definitely better that the phone apps.
I actually had a situation on Saturday where even the wind call was spot on with the kestrel.
Nailed a first round hit on a 12” plate At 1225 yards with my 260

I was using a phone app with a kestrel drop.
Nothing really can nail the wind perfect, just previous dope and an educated guess.

 

[littlepod]

For comps, multiple targets, aren't phone apps generally faster? And you just use Kestrel for wind call?

 

[Steel head]

For comps, multiple targets, aren't phone apps generally faster? And you just use Kestrel for wind call?

The range card is awesome on the elite.
One of my locations has 9 pieces of steel from 400 to 1900 and I have them all in the range card and can quickly change targets and rifles.

I mainly only use the wind part with really strong winds or out east in the plains.

 

[Dthomas3523]

For comps, multiple targets, aren't phone apps generally faster? And you just use Kestrel for wind call?

Sometimes. But when it’s 110 out and your fingers are sweaty and the phone doesn’t work well with touch screen, or it’s raining, or the heat turns your phone off........you get the idea.

Wind is the least amount of use mine gets.

 

[Steel head]

Sometimes. But when it’s 110 out and your fingers are sweaty and the phone doesn’t work well with touch screen, or it’s raining, or the heat turns your phone off........you get the idea.

Wind is the least amount of use mine gets.

since getting a kestrel,,,,

 

[silentwoods]

Okay, I just got a 5700 sportsman from the thread on here recently. Installed the app in my Android, my computer is a Mac.

1: my cable will be delivered tomorrow from kestrel, so is this upgrade mentioned earlier, can't remember what thread, really worth doing if I shoot 700-1500?

2: the big question, do I go to kestrels website and download it on my Mac, then cable it to my 5700 and then my Android phone app just keeps working properly?

I'm just getting into this fancy widget, so bear with me.

 

[Steel head]

It’s not really necessary for those distances
The regular 5700 software worked excellent even further than that for me.
This was my first day with the sportsman, I trued it at 1525 yards and then tried it on the far steel at that location and it was basically dead nuts.

If you buy the upgrade you purchase it from them and they send you a upgrade file via email and you use your computer to transfer it to the kestrel.

 

[silentwoods]

Thanks for the reply. I do wish the upgrade was less than 190. Cool widget for sure, I honestly got it for the weather station in one device.
After reading countless posts about it actually factoring in live environmental into the ballistic software I'm intrigued.
I guess if it doesn't keep up with a .50 I may consider it.

 

[zenbike]

I’ll have mine this Thursday. Do the upgrade, and go play.

 

[TACC]

I resisted getting a kestrel for a long time.
Finally saw a deal I could refuse.
Really happy I got it.
Definitely better that the phone apps.
I actually had a situation on Saturday where even the wind call was spot on with the kestrel.
Nailed a first round hit on a 12” plate At 1225 yards with my 260

I was using a phone app with a kestrel drop.
Nothing really can nail the wind perfect, just previous dope and an educated guess.

This is exactly why I finally broke down and bought one from Doug as well.

Confirming my questimstes on wind calls with the kestrel along with strelok pro made getting first shot impacts on a more consistent basis.

 

[silentwoods]

I’ll have mine this Thursday. Do the upgrade, and go play.

I'd be interested in what you think after.

 

[zenbike]

I'd be interested in what you think after.

I’ll let you know when I know

 

[supraguy88t]

I've been using the phone apps too specifically the Hornady one. Been tempeted to pick up a kestrel more for convenience so I can connect it to the app and have it blutooth to the phone and give me real time data rather than hope I have good cell service.

 

[Tweedycarcass23jonb]

So did anyone’s kestrel 5700 basic ballistics model come with a bullet profile already stored ? Just got a new one off amazon and 6.5 creedmoor ballistics were already setup including scope to bore height? That seemed odd. Looks brand new otherwise.

Also how responsive is your guys temperature readings. This one seems to be 10 deg off. I wasn’t outside very long either maybe 5 minutes. It was reading 70 came down to 60 deg started climbing back up. Actual temp outside was 50 deg. Spun it around a few revolutions too.
I’ll confess I’ve played with it more than I read the instructions. Plan on digging into those on my next day off. Thanks all.