How many DOPE cards are needed?

[Jayjay1]

Hey guys,
pretty much new to the scene I´m trying to complete my knowledge and equipment step-by-step.
So, as kind of a back up, I want to get me some DOPE cards for my rifle book.

Now I´m asking myself, if everything (rifle, ammo, scope) is set, how many DOPE cards do I need?

Maybe I´m overdoing it, but I´m thinking about temperature, densitiy, altitude, ......

How many DOPE cards would one need to cover all the variants?
How many DOPE cards do you use and why?

Any info appreciated.


Best wishes,
Jay

 

[Dthomas3523]

Hey guys,
pretty much new to the scene I´m trying to complete my knowledge and equipment step-by-step.
So, as kind of a back up, I want to get me some DOPE cards for my rifle book.

Now I´m asking myself, if everything (rifle, ammo, scope) is set, how many DOPE cards do I need?

Maybe I´m overdoing it, but I´m thinking about temperature, densitiy, altitude, ......

How many DOPE cards would one need to cover all the variants?
How many DOPE cards do you use and why?

Any info appreciated.


Best wishes,
Jay

Every 2,000ft of density altitude you expect you may have to shoot in.

 

[Jayjay1]

Alright, and temperature?

 

[Dthomas3523]

Alright, and temperature?

Density altitude figures all that in.

Unless you have large swings in your MV due to temperature, you’ll be fine.

 

[moaorbust]

You need one DOPE book per rifle. Each book will include printouts specific to the rifle and reference materials for all environments. I think impact and snipers hide has a group buy going on if you want a prefab one. At least until you know what you need.

 

[Jayjay1]

I think impact and snipers hide has a group buy going on if you want a prefab one. At least until you know what you need.

Can you show me where I can find this group buy please?

 

[Jayjay1]

Density altitude figures all that in.
...

That made me thinking.

I´ve read some books and am around in the forums since a while, and there are alway discussions about this and that, but I never realized someone writing about that so clear.
Maybe I wasn´t reading it right or I´m just dumb, but that took me by surprise now.

Regarding your info, temperature, altitude and humidity come down to only one reference: density or let´s say "air pressure".
Thought about your statement since I´ve read it yesterday, and therefor that all that datas above influence the density, it makes sense to me.

So, omitting the wind and the corner:
The bullet´s V0, the BC and the air density is all one needs to get his bullet drop.

Please confirm this for me if it is correct.

Cheers,
Jay

 

[308pirate]

That made me thinking.

I´ve read some books and am around in the forums since a while, and there are alway discussions about this and that, but I never realized someone writing about that so clear.
Maybe I wasn´t reading it right or I´m just dumb, but that took me by surprise now.

Regarding your info, temperature, altitude and humidity come down to only one reference: density or let´s say "air pressure".
Thought about your statement since I´ve read it yesterday, and therefor that all that datas above influence the density, it makes sense to me.

So, omitting the wind and the corner:
The bullet´s V0, the BC and the air density is all one needs to get his bullet drop.

Please confirm this for me if it is correct.

Cheers,
Jay

Air density (barometric pressure) is not the same thing as density altitude.

 

[AIAW]

An example; look at all of the inputs that a ballistic calculator request. There a lot of variables mixed with static constants that comprise an accurate trajectory.

The main difference is that ballistic calculators do not provide DOPE. “DOPE” is data that you have collected AND verified at an exact environmental condition, with a particular rifle configuration, with a particular bullet. Most will start with the calculator, and make hand notes to denote any differences. You then have DOPE.

A well-tuned ballistic software can be extremely accurate... You have two choices there - build cards off of that data after verifying it every 100 yards or so, or trust the software to do what you expect it to for the task at hand.

I suggest you play around with a ballistics program of your choice, both at home and in the field. You’ll learn more than you realize fiddling with the variables.

 

[shoobe01]

If I may tangent, this brings up an interesting point: I have ONE paper dope card. It includes the environmental conditions so in theory I could finagle adjustments for extreme changes, but only one (okay, two: same one, abbreviated, is on the gun). As a backup or snap-shooting solution. Because I use a computer when there is any time at all to plan ahead, to have precise range calculations instead of increments, etc.

If I'll be far from home or the shooting is important, I bring a backup... computer. An old phone with the ballistics app on it also. And always spare batteries, a solar charger, etc.

SO: How many people still have and maintain a whole dope book per gun?
Why?

 

[AIAW]

If I may tangent, this brings up an interesting point: I have ONE paper dope card. It includes the environmental conditions so in theory I could finagle adjustments for extreme changes, but only one (okay, two: same one, abbreviated, is on the gun). As a backup or snap-shooting solution. Because I use a computer when there is any time at all to plan ahead, to have precise range calculations instead of increments, etc.

If I'll be far from home or the shooting is important, I bring a backup... computer. An old phone with the ballistics app on it also. And always spare batteries, a solar charger, etc.

SO: How many people still have and maintain a whole dope book per gun?
Why?

I personally do not any more, not in the traditional sense. I use Field Firing Solutions heavily tuned for pretty much everything. Once I perfect the solutions beyond doubt, I create an export of that data for any print materials I want to create.

It’s more of a quick backup sort of versus primary use. Not that I wouldn’t or couldn’t. I have all load data and such noted separately. Of course I keep FFS backups also.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

DA accounts for the changes in atmosphere, to include ambient temperature. It DOES NOT account for differences in powder burn rate at those temps. If you rely on DA alone, you will likely be wrong. DOPE is actual shooting data. You will need to gather some.

I have cards with adjustment factors for absolute pressure in 4,000 ft increments. I use 2,000 ft as my baseline. I do the same for temperature in 40 degree increments using 60 degrees as my baseline. Using these adjustment factors written down, I can come within 0.1mils of the calculator most times out to 1,000 yards.

 

[Jack Master]

Hey guys,
pretty much new to the scene I´m trying to complete my knowledge and equipment step-by-step.
So, as kind of a back up, I want to get me some DOPE cards for my rifle book.

Now I´m asking myself, if everything (rifle, ammo, scope) is set, how many DOPE cards do I need?

Maybe I´m overdoing it, but I´m thinking about temperature, densitiy, altitude, ......

How many DOPE cards would one need to cover all the variants?
How many DOPE cards do you use and why?

Any info appreciated.


Best wishes,
Jay

Jay. Here is the dope card I use to get all the density altitudes on one sheet

How do you have a paper chart for Density Altitude (DA) changes in your dope? Do any of you have a DA sheet in your Data Book?

I have read and been told to have drop charts for every 2000DA change. My home range is usually around 2000DA. This means I need a drop chart for -2000ft, 0ft, 2000ft, 4000ft, 6000ft, 8000ft, 10,000ft. That's 7 pages in a dope book for one rifle. I don't really want to have that many pages for one rifle (yes, I want ONE data Book for all my rifles). With 3 rifles is 21 pages to sift through. So... below is the chart I made for changing DA. Now I have 2 pages, my Home range dope chart with the wind information on the back and a DA dope chart.

Things to Note

1. Data recorded - at the top of the chart is how I got the DA numbers. This way I can reference how temperature might change the DA as well as the station pressure. (note the comment in the margin about how temp change = DA change)
2. All of these are at 50% humidity. To keep this simple I had to eliminate a variable, humidity was it. While I think it will effect things more after 1000yds I don't think it has enough variance inside 1000 to worry about.
3. Wind - The wind row has 2 numbers in it. The 2 numbers are the wind speeds that are equivalent to the wind hold for 2000DA. Example - if I'm shooting at 6000DA, 800 yards - a 7mph hold is 0.9 mils (6mph from 2000DA) and a 12mph hold is 1.6mil (10mph hold for 2000DA) this allowed the chart to re-use 2 columns of information for each DA change and for me to know what my Rifle MPH is at each DA.
4. After doing this I think the chart will work out to 1000 or 1100 yards. After that a more refined DA chart may be warranted. At 1100 yards jumping 2000DA is a 0.4 mil jump, that's about 16" of change. For an accurate shot I recommend consulting your Ballistic program on the longer shots with changing DA, but these values will at least give you a starting point if you don't have any other information. of you'll need to pin down your true DA and guess between numbers if needed.
5. I presented this chart in 2 ways. 1st - straight data. 2nd is the plus or minus from the home range value. Doing the 2nd version can help us understand how much DA can really effect our dope. The 2nd if more for informational used and not necessarily something I would have in my data book.

Let me know what you think.

1st chart Raw DA values
View attachment 7172626

2nd chart - Difference in DA from my home range.
View attachment 7172627

data-book-and-charts-dope-wind-rose-weaponized-math-moa-to-mil

 

[Jayjay1]

Hey Jack,
that´s EXACTLY what I was looking for!

Seven DOPE cards in one, wth!

Thank you, I highly appreciate this!