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Accessories Applied Ballistics Data Book Question

USMC22

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I’ve got a kestrel I’m using and have my gun profiles written down in my current data book on a notes page. Is this unicorn worth ordering? Haven’t heard any chatter on it.
 
As you know I am a data book queer.

I just checked out the website for it and I am intrigued.

I see Kestrel has an update for it OS and I will soon have to download it.

Last time I did this I didnt back up my rifle profiles and had to recreate them.

Seems like this book may be formatted to have a paper copy of profiles should you need them and not be able to access the on line app.

In and watching as info develops.
 
So I’m going to update with my limited research...

The Data Book is broken down into the following tabbed sections:

1. Gun Profiles
2. Data
3. References
4. AB Programs
5. Ballistics
6. Notes

Digging into the Applied Ballistics website this is the most detail description of “whats inside”:

The AB PDB contains over 150 printed Rite-In-The-Rain pages to record or reference ballistics information:



- Gun Profile & Ammunition Data

- Muzzle Velocity & Drop Scale Factor Ballistics Calibration

- Scope Calibration

- Practical Data Summary Tables & Zero Impact Shifts

- Cold & Clean Bore

- Static & Moving Targets

- Multi Target Sketch & Target Cards.

- ICAO Stand Atmosphere

- Velocity Decay Compensation

- Tall Target Test Reference Information

- Wind Deflection Estimation

- High Angle Shooting

- Moving Target Engagements

- Range Estimation

- Scope Adjustment & Unit Conversion

- AB Ballistics Solver Information

- AB Device Screen Reference Guides

- External Ballistics Summary

- AB Device Notes

- Target Dimension Log

- Notes

- Weapon Round Count Log



AB PDB device information section supports all Applied Ballistics ® engines, Kestrel® 5700 Elite with Applied Ballistics®, Garmin Foretrex® 701 Ballistics Edition and Sig KILO2400ABS™ devices.



A highly ruggedized and durable, water proof AB PDB is available on special order. Contact Applied Ballistics for more product details and pricing.

My concerns:

1. I’ve already got a Data Book and the information from my gun profiles written down.
2. I question the need for a “AB Programs” given the training Kestrel does for free (which is excellent and well worth the time.
3. It seems like an Impact Databook in a different format and given the index pages Impact Databooks provides with their modular book I’m wondering how much more / better information is out there without building up redundancy...
 
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Thinking all it will offer over IDB is that the pages are configured to store AB/Electronic device of choice specific data.

I love IDBs and they have become my go to over anything else and @USMC22 is familiar with the anything else options.

The format tends to be a bit big but it provides the room so that you can actually read what you put in it.

Truth be told a Rite in the Rain field book is probably the way to go but my IDBs allow a bit more organization to return to information I want to reference faster.

Probably a lot of the reference pages would be unnecessary and pulled out to focus on my electronic device of choice.

Thing is I dont see anywhere that ordering page refills is available.

Cover from Triad should be standard Triad awesomeness.

Im interested to know what the "ruggedized waterproof" option is not that I would ever need it probably.

Cost of the book combo is up there approaching $120.

Add to that cost the necessary order from Rite in the Rain for a red mechanical pencil, a black mechanical pencil, a field pen, a set of Lumicolor overlay markers, 6 inch rule, and a couple of sharpies......gots to have the accessories.

Maybe @DocUSMCRetired has some good info for us?
 
I must be an idiot (well, actually that’s well established) but I have no idea what to do with all those diff pages in this book or almost any other.

1. I start a shooting session in the note pages writing down what I am doing that date and what my intentions are. I generally put the weather station info here.

2. Next I fill out a cold bore shot column and record my cold bore shot info.

3. I will have filled out a target page that represents the target I am using that day. It will have redundant info of date and weather info. I will record my days shots, usually twenty. I find the blank circle targets and some version of an NRA center bull to be most useful to me.

4. On the target page I will record individual shots and any changes in elevation/windage. I suck at calling shots so usually I will record the actual impact point of that shot on the call plot because I am such an awesome shooter the individual shots overlap and become unreadable on the target image. If I fuck up a shot I note it in the margins of the target image.

5. At the end of the session I record ending data on the target page. I go back to the note page and do an afteraction summary "Good Day, end dope X/X", "Sun was in west behind target board too much scope glare could not get good sight through glass, end data X/X"

6. I record round count on round count page.

7. If I had any function or maintenance issues I record it on the maintenance page...."Blown primer - bolt face scored", " Rear sight loosed during shoot, retightened and rezeroed", "Accuracy opening up need to clean bore". In the latter instance the the next maintenance entry is going to be "250 rounds since last cleaning, Decopper bore, grease bolt, check action torque, Serviceable"

You dont need a lot more than that to give you a good starting point on your next shoot by referencing your last shoot recording.
 
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I have one. It sits unused because impact data books are just too good. But, what I do like about the AB data book is the instruction pages for all the devices in the AB eco system. So I took those out and put them in my impact.
 
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I have one. It sits unused because impact data books are just too good. But, what I do like about the AB data book is the instruction pages for all the devices in the AB eco system. So I took those out and put them in my impact.


I also love my IDBs but would consider adding those Kestrel Reference pages as a good addition.
 
I have one. It sits unused because impact data books are just too good. But, what I do like about the AB data book is the instruction pages for all the devices in the AB eco system. So I took those out and put them in my impact.
That’s my concern. I don’t need more gear. If it’s going to help me continue to learn or track USEFUL data I’m all in... too bad they don’t sell just the sections of it like you can get with impact databooks...
 
The Kestrel Page is LD-KDS... the other page I’ve found useful if the chrono ones
 

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As you know I am a data book queer.

I just checked out the website for it and I am intrigued.

I see Kestrel has an update for it OS and I will soon have to download it.

Last time I did this I didnt back up my rifle profiles and had to recreate them.

Seems like this book may be formatted to have a paper copy of profiles should you need them and not be able to access the on line app.

In and watching as info develops.
you can download the free profile editor from AB and do all your kestrel profile work from there. its very simple to move profiles from computer to kestrel