AB Kestrals vs. DA Cards

[leeb10]

Wanted to throw a question out there that has occupied myself and likely others for sometime. The long and short is this: is there an appreciable difference in obtaining a firing solution in terms of speed/accuracy/flexibility from an Kestrel with Applied Ballistic software versus simply taking a cheaper Kestrel that can measure density altitude (DA) and running DA cards for my rifle/load every 1000ft?

Does the value of an AB Kestral differ if it was for target shooting, hunting or a PRS match?

Wanted to hear your guy's thoughts.

-Brian

 

[LawnMM]

In theory they're as accurate at the same moment in time, the advantage of the Kestrel is it's a live firing solution. If you haven't noticed a change in DA, it will, and adjust the solution accordingly.

All electronics can fail, I bring DA cards as backup

 

[IanHusaberg]

I can't answer your specific question. I witnessed first hand a 1st/2nd round hit @1200 yards, shot cold bore with the 4500 AB unit and a Sako TRG-42 338 lapua. Same friend did it with a Ruger RPR 6.5 with the newer 5700 elite w/AB. It usually takes 3-4 minutes to wake up the kestrel and calibrate the compass and align the firing direction and make sure a few perimeters are correct before taking shots. Same friend has shot deer a 1000+ yards, Antelope at 1331y successfully with the Kestrel and Vectonix to his aid.

 

[Blowby]

Last match a week ago I had back up DA cards and the Kestrel 5700 AB which I used at all 10 stages. One of the shooters in my squad has always used DA cards and has shot this location many years. So this was my first time at this location and I was having difficulty with wind through the canyons but all my impacts were right on for elevation. After the match I looked at my DA cards and compared them to my Kestrel AB elevation data and they did not match in every stage. So if I had used the DA cards my score would be lower for sure. If the other shooter had my Kestrel I'm almost positive his score would have been higher. The values were only off by .1-.2 max but 1 moa targets at distance can kill your success. I now will always use the AB Kestrel because of that day. Calibrate compass, DOF and wind. Some say to not use any wind to eliminate aerodynamic jump but my results in elevation were perfect using wind.

 

[Sheldon N]

We had a competition stage this weekend where the ranges were given in advance but you had to look up the firing solution on the clock, three different targets all at 1k plus, 12 round stage. Huge advantage to having a dope card on your wrist coach rather than needing to go to your electronics. Most guys running electronics (kestrel or phone app) for their firing solution were timing out before firing all rounds.

 

[morganlamprecht]

both, DA cards are fine if theyre set up right and trued...the experience of 1000s of rounds and my DA cards are how i noticed when my kestrel was giving me bad DOPE

like sheldon said, DA cards are way faster...i use them on my hunting rifles

 

[BWB]

A Kestrel with AB will make elevation changes for wind, it will make DA changes on the fly without your input. The elevation changes for wind are something I haven't seen with anything other than the Kestrel with AB. As stated about it's usually around .1 to .3 but that's a miss at certain distances. Past 1000 yards is where you really start seeing the differences. 9 o'clock wind pushes a bullet down and 3 oclock wind will lift the bullet (if running right hand twist barrel). Nothing else I have found will account for that. Kestrel for the win but never a bad idea to have back up dope charts on paper for different DA's

 

[bab029]

The kestrel is the easy button by a mile, but there is a lot to be said for knowing your dope through truing of DA cards with field fire. That will be faster than a kestrel any day.