I just got my Kestrel Sportsman finally. I am trying to tune the device to my dope. I can get the dope to align (using G7) until I get to 700yds and beyond. I've tried adjusting the MV but as the numbers get closer outside of 700yds, the shorter ranges start to deviate. Is there a particular variable that will affect the distant end of the curve more than the near end? I'm shooting a Tikka Tac A1 in 6.5 CM and using Hornady Factory ammo 147 ELD-M. Thanks in advance
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Kestrel Meters Ballistics Official Thread
- Thread starter Kestrel Ballistics
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First, did you link the Sportsman with the Kestrel Ballistic App to upgrade the firmware and then build the profile in the app and transfer it to the Kestrel.
If yes, then did you use the Calc MV function in the MV menu to make the adjustment?
If yes, and your gun profile is without error, you are seeing the difference between a G7 drag model and a Custom Curve. G7 is not as accurate and may require workarounds.
Workarounds include fine adjustments to MV to try to better match the true bullet results or create two profiles - one for 700 yds and in and second for 700 yds and out using different MV to match performance. The best workaround is to upgrade the Kestrel to an Elite and use radar tested custom curves from Applied Ballistics.
How far off are the holds? The 6.5 CM with 140 or 147 is usually pretty consistent through supersonic distances.
If yes, then did you use the Calc MV function in the MV menu to make the adjustment?
If yes, and your gun profile is without error, you are seeing the difference between a G7 drag model and a Custom Curve. G7 is not as accurate and may require workarounds.
Workarounds include fine adjustments to MV to try to better match the true bullet results or create two profiles - one for 700 yds and in and second for 700 yds and out using different MV to match performance. The best workaround is to upgrade the Kestrel to an Elite and use radar tested custom curves from Applied Ballistics.
How far off are the holds? The 6.5 CM with 140 or 147 is usually pretty consistent through supersonic distances.
Thank you for this post.
Any place to look for a list of LRF that Link with Kestrel?
1000 yards and as little frustration as possible is what I seek.
Here is our current list: https://kestrelinstruments.com/kestrel-3rd-party-software-and-applications
Generally speaking when using G1/g7, MV has a larger effect <600 and BC has a larger effect for >600.
So, if I have a ballistic CAL on my phone, whats the benefit to buying a 5700x?
I dont have a Kestrel yet and looking to get one. I just want to know if a basic Kestrel wind meter with my phone will be good or if the 5700x holds some serious weight with the price.
I dont have a Kestrel yet and looking to get one. I just want to know if a basic Kestrel wind meter with my phone will be good or if the 5700x holds some serious weight with the price.
Calculator/weather station all in one. Less time getting environment sndnplugging
Still works perfect in rain and such (phone touch screen gets almost useless when wet)
Wont overheat and shutdown like some phones in summer
If you do lose or break it, it’s not a $1500 phone
Phone can be distraction. You plan I’m just using ballistic solver and end up dicking around on phone half the stage
etc etc
It provides an all in one unit for you. Kestrel data, and Ballistics. Or for 250 bucks or so, you go the slow route and buy a bluetooth Kestrel, link with AB on your phone and use a range finder.. boom in business. I tried the 5700 for hunting and could never get the flight paths tried compared to my AB app, so I returned it! Yes I checked ever input about 10 times etc... it wouldn't match up...
That's my opinion, the all in one is nice, but expensive
Looking to upgrade my 5700 with link to elite. I see the sportsman upgrade is $190 and the other models are $300 on the website. I just want to make sure I am reading correctly that it is $300 to upgrade . It seems like I would be better off to just sell my 5700 and buy the elite new.
Well I had an issue getting my phone to read my new sportsman but I did something and Now it works.
The upgrade is the just difference in price paid initially. The Sportsman was originally higher priced so that is why it is cheaper than just the 5700. Although there is also the need to purchase a connection accessory (Bluetooth dongle or USB Cable) to connect to a computer to do the upgrade.
First off, thanks for a quick reply. And in the same breath, sorry I’ve taken so long to reply. Been gone with work.
”First, did you link the Sportsman with the Kestrel Ballistic App to upgrade the firmware and then build the profile in the app and transfer it to the Kestrel?”
I did when I read this. Something I noticed was that the G7 BC the app pulls up (.315) is way different than Hornady’s advertised BC of .351. I was using Hornady’s number. I later switched to the G1 BC of .615. So far, this BC with a modified MV of 2633 FPS has come closest to my dope.
After speaking to another buddy he indicated that my numbers are pretty close. I think I was expecting to be able to get an exact match. That said, I’m not entirely confident in the longer range dope so I’m not too worried at this point. We were not able to see where on the steel we were hitting, just flashers.
Thoughts on what you see in these numbers? Looking to learn.
Thanks
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I found .315 a lot closer than Hornandy’s numbers with the 147’s out to 1500.
The BC I used to to true up at 1791 yards was .308.
Does the dongle have to be the Kestrel one? Or can a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle be used if it supports BLE?
Looking to upgrade my Sportsman
I resisted for a long time.
I’ve used it 3 times since I got it on Thursday and I gotta say It’s a better solution to dicking around with my phone apps.
It also seems easier to true.
Scrolling is a lot faster once you learn it a bit and if you pair it with a phone you can transfer profiles and plug in distances really quickly.
What unit is for 250? I’m totally new to this and read the first 4 pages of this and it seems like the most god damned confusing piece of equipment I’ve ever heard of. I’d rather try what you stated above app on phone.
Look up posts by @gr8fuldoug
He works for Cameraland and they are having a sale on the Sportsman model for $250.
Good to 800 yards, holds 3 rifles, easily upgradeable to 5700 elite.
If you buy it and it suits your needs as is great deal.
If you buy it and upgrade to 5700elite you save about $50 and get some accessories. Still a great deal.
That's what I paid a fee years ago. I just looked up their website and it looks like they have raised their prices and have "link" versions... not sure if that is Bluetooth or not, I'd assume. Try Ebay. I paid 200 bucks and have it hooked to my phone... when i hunt I just pull 3 temps and have DOPE cards printed or written out. It has worked for me so far
Not sure about the 800 yard part.
I trued my 260 and .7mm on Friday near the recommended distances it provided and got good comeups for the 260 at 1365 and out to 1930 yards with the 7mm and on Saturday which had entirely different conditions those same distances got good numbers.
I think the 800 yard part is the limit using link to see the firing solution in a BT enabled range finder. I'm not 100% as I haven't received mine yet, should be here by Friday. Just been reading up and watching videos. Sam at Panhandle Precision has some very good videos.
I have an ancient 5700 Sportman with version 1.03 on it. I was wondering if the upgrade + the USB cable to hook into my computer will update to newest version, with a huge leap in versions?
I have just purchased a 5700 Sportsman/LiNK and when I turn the kestrel on the screen says FW 1.39. Is this the latest firmware ver.? I have tried to download the LiNK app onto my windows 10 laptop and it loaded but when I open it all the options are for some sort of "Rowing" sports. A program named "Speedcoach" and "Oarlock". I have ordered the NK Dongle but I am not sure if it is something I really need???
I want to download the bullet/drag curve library. I have Googled and search the web for instructions but "no cigar"!
Am I trying to do something impossible? If not,can someone point me in the right direction
I want to download the bullet/drag curve library. I have Googled and search the web for instructions but "no cigar"!
Am I trying to do something impossible? If not,can someone point me in the right direction
1.39 is the current firmware. You will need to upgrade to the Elite version for Custom Drag Curves. While the Sportsman does have ballistic software, it is not Applied Ballistics which is required for the CDMs.
Info on that:
To upgrade your Sportsman to an Elite by paying the difference from the $699 Elite Price.
You can do this from you own computer, but not directly from the app.
You have 3 options:
Info on that:
- Through a purchased firmware upgrade, the Kestrel Sportsman can be converted to the full Kestrel Elite with its more advanced extreme long range feature set. However you can NOT add LiNK (bluetooth).
- While the Sportsman only holds 3 gun / ammo combinations at once, using your smart phone Kestrel LiNK Ballistics app makes it really easy to switch in or out.
To upgrade your Sportsman to an Elite by paying the difference from the $699 Elite Price.
You can do this from you own computer, but not directly from the app.
You have 3 options:
- If you have LiNK, you can purchase a Dongle for $30, then purchase the Downloadable firmware
- You can purchase the cable for $59, then purchase the downloadable firmware
- You can send it in to NK... turnaround time can take up to 10 days after it's delivered.
The Windows program that you will need to transfer profiles is AB Profile Loader: https://kestrelinstruments.com/applied-ballistics-profile-loader
Unfortunately this program does not work with the Bluetooth dongle, it needs the USB Cable: https://kestrelinstruments.com/category-accessories/usb-data-transfer-cable-kestrel-5-series
So I would suggest returning the dongle for the cradle. Otherwise you can do everything you want with our Kestrel LINK Ballistics mobile apps (iOS and Android) without any additional accessories.
clicks are in both mil and moa so you can use either depending on the scope you have, mil or moa. Do you really want to count each click or use the whole number value in mil or moa. Most mil scopes are 10 clicks per mil and most moa are 4 clicks per moa. If you have a hold of 7 mil do you just want to turn the turret to #7 or count 70 clicks?
Well, you have to click all the numbers anyway and it is not about counting clicks.
In my opinion it is more how about you think of it I guess.
I see the numbers as tenth and for me it is not 15.7, it is 157.
But I get your argument and will think over that if I want to change.
In my opinion it is more how about you think of it I guess.
I see the numbers as tenth and for me it is not 15.7, it is 157.
But I get your argument and will think over that if I want to change.
Do you mind if I ask just trying understand how you operate? So if your solution was 15.7 mils you would actually take the time to count 157 clicks instead of just dialing to 15.7? I mean I realize your getting to the same place just in a different way.
No not doing, it´s just the way I see / interpret the scales.
For me - in my mind - it is not 15.7, it is 157, because I´ve been growing up in the metric system.
So 15.7 MILs are 157cm on 100m (or 1.57m if you want), but there is no 15.7 anything.
Of course I´m dialing directly to 157 (for me), because I see it as 157.
Oh my goodness.
MIL is based on the metric system.
It is an angle unit.
It is 1mm of height on 1m (= 1,000mm) of lenght, or 1m of height on 1km (= 1,000m).
Mil stands for thousand (from the romans).
For us shooters there is 1 Mil = 10cm on 100m, and 0.1 Mil=1cm on 100m.
That´s why I´m used more to 0.1 Mil steps.
That´s why 157 clicks in my thinking makes more sence to me, because I know directly it is 157cm on 100m, 314cm on 200m, and so on.
But I don´t click 157 times counting.
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Question about building MV-TEMP TABLE.
let's assume I have trued my MV in some temperature and I entered it into the device ( GUN DATA app)
if I want to build MV TABLE, do I have to truing MV at any temperature?
Is enough speed taken from the chronograph (but for each temperature in the table ), because only the differences in speeds matter at this section?
let's assume I have trued my MV in some temperature and I entered it into the device ( GUN DATA app)
if I want to build MV TABLE, do I have to truing MV at any temperature?
Is enough speed taken from the chronograph (but for each temperature in the table ), because only the differences in speeds matter at this section?
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Your method would work. As long as you are going to chrono different temps, you could also average out the FPS difference in degree of temp and use the MV Temp Slope feature in the Temp Table submenu. Either way would improve the response to temp changes.
Question:
Reference the Kestrel new firmware for 1.39 and bullet library of Jan 2020... is there a release date for the performance data(G1/G7/CC) for the new Berger bullets: 6.5 144g Long Range Hybrid Target and .30 cal 220g Long Range Hybrid Target ?
Thank you.
Reference the Kestrel new firmware for 1.39 and bullet library of Jan 2020... is there a release date for the performance data(G1/G7/CC) for the new Berger bullets: 6.5 144g Long Range Hybrid Target and .30 cal 220g Long Range Hybrid Target ?
Thank you.
Watching one of the kestrel love Zoom videos, learned that double clicking the light button takes you to the wind reading screen no matter where you are, double clicking again takes you back to where you were.
I didn't know this, huge value for me. I have been leaving my wind 1 at 0 to negate AJ, and wind 2 at 6mph which is the mph for my rifle. I don't capture wind speeds for dope but used to menu click into weather mode the see live wind to calibrate what i feel and see vs measured.
Great time saver.
I didn't know this, huge value for me. I have been leaving my wind 1 at 0 to negate AJ, and wind 2 at 6mph which is the mph for my rifle. I don't capture wind speeds for dope but used to menu click into weather mode the see live wind to calibrate what i feel and see vs measured.
Great time saver.
Exactly, this is the menu I stay in so that is what it toggles from. @ScottDWallace is correct, toggles weather and ballistic wherever you are in each.
