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The Kestrel Killer?

I was looking at the kestrel like may others, but now I'll wait to see how this plays out. Looks killer and hopefully it'll performs as well as it looks
 
My only concern about running something like this in a match is that unless there's a way to limit what's on the screen there could be too much info to sift through and get lost in while on a time hack. I do really like the idea and I can see this being something very applicable to hunts where you are static for a good while.
 
Photo range cards would be pretty cool, especially for hunting. Hop in the stand, take a panorama shot, and range/link key feature data right there on the picture.
 
Looks interesting. I wouldn't say it's a Kestrel killer though if you just want atmospherics. Definitely a competitor no doubt.

You know the last time I put batteries in one of my two Kestrels? I think it was 2017...

Exactly. I think in 4 years I've replaced my batteries twice. I think.
 
It's midyear and the Revic silence is deafening. I've been holding off on buying a Kestrel pending news on their new product and I would expect a bunch of other folks are in the same boat.

How about some feedback or a glimmer of hope from Reximus? I think a number of us are anxious for an effective alternative to the Kestrel.
 
It's midyear and the Revic silence is deafening. I've been holding off on buying a Kestrel pending news on their new product and I would expect a bunch of other folks are in the same boat.

How about some feedback or a glimmer of hope from Reximus? I think a number of us are anxious for an effective alternative to the Kestrel.
Buy the kestrel and start banging steel. I doubt you will have any buyers remorse. If you hate the thing, they sell like hot cakes anywhere that has PRS matches in a 200mi radius.
 
^I'm almost there myself. Only thing keeping me from making that decision is, I really like strelok pro and well as 4dof.
 
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[QUOTE="Bravo6niner, post: 78369
^I'm almost there myself. Only thing keeping me from making that decision is, I really like strelok pro and well as 4dof[/QUOTE]

I have a 5700 and link it to Strelok Pro. Strelok seems to give me better data than the Kestral. Basically, I have very expensive weather station
 
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arty063s.jpg



[QUOTE="Bravo6niner, post: 78369
^I'm almost there myself. Only thing keeping me from making that decision is, I really like strelok pro and well as 4dof

I have a 5700 and link it to Strelok Pro. Strelok seems to give me better data than the Kestral. Basically, I have very expensive weather station
[/QUOTE]
Yea, I've never linked it. Just input the enviros manually from my 5700. I would like an All-in-one with strelok if possible. Thata why I'm waiting. I'll give it some more time but not forever. 4dof is my backup or 2nd go-to.
 
I got a Garmin 701 to simply not rely on my phone out at the range... this feels a little backwards.
 
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I got a Garmin 701 to simply not rely on my phone out at the range... this feels a little backwards.
I bought the Garmin shortly after they were available. I gave my Kestrel to my shooting partner. Love Garmin products, have used their products in aircraft for over 20 years. Very intuitive and they work well.
 
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I’m curious as well.

1. I haven’t bought anything over $500 in two weeks (WTF? I’m going through withdrawals). ???

2. I now have a Revic, and want to see how this might interface.
I’m with you. Come on Revic... not sure how this would work with the scope though, it already does everything except range, dial and press the trigger. ? I guess it would be a good backup if the scope electronics went south though. How ya doin?
 
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I bought the Garmin shortly after they were available. I gave my Kestrel to my shooting partner. Love Garmin products, have used their products in aircraft for over 20 years. Very intuitive and they work well.

Yep I quite like mine, decided to get it over the Kestrel, haven't regretted it.
 
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Here's a twist. And this may already be a known thing and I'm the last to be let in on the joke...

I just read on the square the distance wind calculation. Pretty interesting. For those who might not know what it is, it goes like this:

Get your data on 100yds for wind drift. The data for distance is going to be the square of the distance times your base. For example:

175gr 30cal .500 BC is .7" drift for 10mph wind at 100yds. our base is .7"

The standard "square the distance" does this (and then I modify it later to improve it...that's my contribution!)

200 yds is 2 x 2 = 4. 4 x (base) 0.7 = 2.8. The drift (per Hornady's site) is 2.8"
500 yds 25 x 0.7 = 17.5" Actual 19.6" That's under 1/2 minute of error.
800 yds 64 x 0.7 = 44.8" Actual 56.3" 1.5 minutes error
1000 ...70 ... 94.5 ... 2.5 minutes of error.

So at first it looks great but then the error is too much. What I did was say at 600+, add 1. So the first part of the chart to 500 is the same (I'm okay with 1/2 min error as a base).

In my modified version,

800 = 9x9 =81 x 0.7 = 56.7, or dead on basically
1000 = 11x11 = 121 x 0.7 = 84.7 or about 1 minute of error.

It was even better for 147gr ELDM w BC of .697.

Now, since you KNOW your error is one way or the other (under or over), you can make a kentucky windage correction. Favor left, favor right of the calculated hold based on which side of "perfect" you are.

The variables in reading the wind always come into play. The Kestral only tells you at your station. If you get a shot at 100yds, it'll give you the wind in inches rather than MPH. The table is derived from that. No wind meter. No BDC or table or computer.

I haven't tested this extensively but I bet in almost every normal situations (not a 9mm .160 BC or whatever) this works:

Shoot 1 shot (or 3 shots) at 100. If your wind is 0.5" (as the book says for the 147ELDM w 10mph) at 100, then... favor less than (600 = 7x7 = 49 x 0.5 = 24.5") at 600. Favor more than (1000 = 11x11 = 121 x 0.5 = 60.5") at 1000.

Want another challenge or to test this? Take your favorite load and your favorite BC bullet and check the 100yd wind at any speed. Then do this math or algorithm and see if it's acceptable at whatever distance you're considering. Remember, if you also add the favor light or strong, I think the error drops to under 1/2 minute at 1200yds.

Naturally with wind zones and swirls and whatever, that matters. But comparing Kestral data at the shooters position and calculators and charts and whatever vs a one shot "all you need to know"...I found it very interesting. And you can probably do all the math in your head.

On topic, however, I do have a Kestral and I'm going to put it in my truck to just practice reading wind wherever I'm at and have a chance.
 
Too much math for my simple brain.
I like the known wind at 1K method. (MIL)

At 1k, my 140 Hybrid wind for 1 MIL is 6MPH.

So...
1500 = 1.5
1400 =1.4
..
..
900 = .9
800 = .8
..
..
500 = .5

3 MPH wind is 1/2 that, and 12 MPH is twice that.
 
Too much math for my simple brain.
I like the known wind at 1K method. (MIL)

At 1k, my 140 Hybrid wind for 1 MIL is 6MPH.

So...
1500 = 1.5
1400 =1.4
..
That's surely easier...if you know the wind. Maybe the point of the original article I read on "square the distance" was if you either don't know the wind or can't judge it? Not sure. I think he did mention something like shots don't lie. So no matter what you think the wind is doing, shoot the 100 and it tells you for sure (again, wind zones, blah blah etc). I THINK you can reverse engineer it also to do this:

I shot at 500 yds. Dead hold. Turns out I hit 12" to the left. Must have been some wind I didn't account for. Therefore (5x5 = 25...12"/25 = .5 roughly...my 100 yd baseline is .5 ...and now I can build my whole chart out to 1200yds based on that original algorithm I mentioned. I speculate my next shot at 1000 yds would be (121 x .5 = 60 inches of hold...and favor a hair more)

I guess really either way it's all requiring data. Yours is "pre shot...guess the wind". Mine requires a shot but then you know the wind. After you shoot your first one with the wind guess, you'll make corrections too about your wind assumption. Mine requires a hit to calculate the wind hold and then assumes you're good. Either way: guess, hope, and correct as needed.

BTW, for your method, is that the process for most rounds or is that just sheer coincidence for your load? In other words, if I'm shooting 147s or maybe 175 30s or whatever, and I have .9 MIL at 6MPH, is it just .1 up and down still? My instinct tells me it's not. Or do you find what the wind has to be to get to 1MIL at 1000 so it's .1 up and down and then use fractional wind based on your 6 or 8 or 10MPH 1mil wind? I haven't looked into that method.

Also, I plugged in .607 G1 (Berger 140 Hybrid), figured 3000fps to get to 1mil at 1000, 6mph. The chart on the Hornady site is showing .5mil (.1 error) for 600 and 1.8mil (.3 error) for 1500. Maybe if you're normal engagements are 700-1100 I guess that's precise enough and super quick to calculate. My method starts to introduce more than 1/2 MOA errors past 1200 also. In the end, whatever works, works! I might crunch some numbers on your method. Sounds intriguing. Esp if you know the limitations or how it applies to your particular load...which is always a qualifier.
 
The BC method Frank has been teaching is by far my favorite and simple.

Take your G1 BC. The first number is your guns MPH.

So like my 7mm mag, BC = .683

That's 6mph

At 6mph (full value)
100y = .1
200y = .2
300y = .3
Etc.

It changes slightly (add .1) at 800 but it's super easy..

If the wind doubles then your hold doubles, if it's a 10mph wind then you add another 3/4 of your 6mph call.
Very fast and nearly no memorizing.
 
The BC method Frank has been teaching is by far my favorite and simple.
Nice. Looks very easy. I'm fairly new to most of this so I'm in "sponge mode". Shooting 6.5 140 or 147 so a 646 or 697 BC. So 6.5mph and 7mph ...within an acceptable margin of error. I just switched from MOA to Mil reticles. Good timing if I'm going to employ this system.

Now, like everybody, just gotta figure out how to read the wind. I saw Litz' analysis of the effect of error in wind calls. Seems like many people (myself included) spend way too much time trying to get a 1/2" group to 1/4" when the real work should be done on wind.
 
Uh, guys? WTF does wind calls have to do with the new Revic BC device?

Thread hijack much?
Ya, sorry about that. Read on Revic vs Kestral ("Kestral Killer") which got to general wind, and "wind meter killer" concept of doing math in your head...and next thing you know we're in BFE, way off topic I guess.
 
We may not be able to do everything people are asking for. But gosh darn it we’ll try! We’ve got some super smart dudes working hard behind the scenes getting this thing ready.

As a shooter myself, I was just so excited. I had to post the teaser!!

Post back to us out here any pictures from the 2020 shot show on this unit or any updates would be nice
 
Also interested in new info on this
 
I started reading this thread from the very beginning (not noticing the OP time stamp), and was super fucking excited. And then I got to the third page. Its like Igor eeyore from winnie the pooh got raped and his psychologist couldn't help him recover.

So sad.
 
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Not try to get people hopes up
I ran into this video
I don't know if this is Rivic or not but if you watch the video starting a the 4 min Mark he playing with a device that's an odd shape. Just trying to figure it out. See what you think. Never seen a phone cases that shape or size. Could it be the White Whale we been looking for Lol
 
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