Watch for a shooting enthusiast...suggestions?

[boisepaw]

My Suunto Core watch seems to be giving up the ghost.

I'm not even sure what the features might be for a watch suited for shooting enthusiasts. I shoot a little bit of everything...handgun, shotgun, rifle. I'm guessing that a watch that helped with long range precision shooting might be a possibility. Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions and rationale for a watch that might be a tool to be used by a shooting enthusiast?

 

[ma smith]

Common range electronics like timers, gps, kestrel, possibly chrono's...etc are typically candidates for integration. I can see it making sense for reducing pack clutter (especially if you travel alot and have your systems dialed in). Also, If you have endless money, its nice just as a low-profile backup device. There are definitely downsides to putting everything in a watch form factor, but that wasn't your question. So will leave that to other commenters to address.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Don't waste the money. Most of us that shoot alot of LR see no value in a garmin with ab. If you need one...it would be issued.

Buy a good shooting timer instead like the new kestrel one.

 

[chevy_man]

Garmin has the only one I've seen worth buying.

 

[Cat pitch]

I'll go Seiko. Luminox is fine but feel too mall ninja-ish....G-Shock is a good choice. Shooting day I always wear G-Shock 5600.

 

[357Max]

The Garmin with AB is completely asinine.

I've paid for full AB elite license in both a 5700 elite & Sig 8K.
So now if I want an AB Garmin watch I'll have to pay for a 3rd AB elite license, but wait it gets worse.

To me it's insulting to triple pay for AB especially when integration is a fucking dumpster fire.

One of the reasons I ponied up for the 8K is that it auto applies inclination + compass azimuth to the AB firing solution. Has onboard weather sensors.
The 8K is better suited for UKD NRL hunter type matches where blind stages with only azimuth given to target.

Kestral 5700 elite is great, but requires an extra step if using ranging bino's or RF.

When you pair the 8K to the Kestral, you have a choice as to which AB engine is active, 8K or Kestral. If you run the Kestral then wind direction & speed in kestrel are used, but inclination & azimuth are not.
If you use 8K than it's reversed where as 8K doesn't know wind speed or direction.

Garmin Watch + AB sounds good, but if paired to 8K it will populate a target card from the sig, but you're stuck with watch AB engine i.e. No inclination, direction, wind speed/direction, & less optimum weather sensors.

Essentially with the watch you get the most convenient platform with the most hamstrung AB engine.

They need to have a AB light option for the Garmin. I don't need the full bullet library x 3 etc. Let the Sig or Kestral handle rifle profiles, bullets, & weather etc. Just send range and solution to the watch. I would buy that.

 

[Long Range 338]

The Garmin with AB is completely asinine.

I've paid for full AB elite license in both a 5700 elite & Sig 8K.
So now if I want an AB Garmin watch I'll have to pay for a 3rd AB elite license, but wait it gets worse.

To me it's insulting to triple pay for AB especially when integration is a fucking dumpster fire.

One of the reasons I ponied up for the 8K is that it auto applies inclination + compass azimuth to the AB firing solution. Has onboard weather sensors.
The 8K is better suited for UKD NRL hunter type matches where blind stages with only azimuth given to target.

Kestral 5700 elite is great, but requires an extra step if using ranging bino's or RF.

When you pair the 8K to the Kestral, you have a choice as to which AB engine is active, 8K or Kestral. If you run the Kestral then wind direction & speed in kestrel are used, but inclination & azimuth are not.
If you use 8K than it's reversed where as 8K doesn't know wind speed or direction.

Garmin Watch + AB sounds good, but if paired to 8K it will populate a target card from the sig, but you're stuck with watch AB engine i.e. No inclination, direction, wind speed/direction, & less optimum weather sensors.

Essentially with the watch you get the most convenient platform with the most hamstrung AB engine.

They need to have a AB light option for the Garmin. I don't need the full bullet library x 3 etc. Let the Sig or Kestral handle rifle profiles, bullets, & weather etc. Just send range and solution to the watch. I would buy that.

I agree with much of this and disagree with some other things. If you think the Garmin is a total replacement for the Kestrel, you are going to be disappointed. More so if you were trying to use it in a match setting, it would just be too cumbersome for multiple targets and stages. Now linked with a rangefinder for each individual target for a different type of match could work.

I'm running the Instinct 2X and the damned thing does so many different things so well, its a really impressive piece of equipment. Add on the AB capability and even more so.... But it does have its limitations. I can't tell you how many times I run off to the range and inevitably leave something behind. 9 out of 10 times is the Kestrel. So its nice to have it as a backup. AND if I take care to set up the Garmin the same way I set up the Kestrel, they give me identical data.

Integrations are a PITA but its the same whether the Kestrel of the Garmin. No doubt AB is making an absolute killing on the licensing but it works and now with the mobile lab and CDMs its a breeze. Honestly the Sig LRF is probably the most important link in making it all work because you need a reliable distance and inclination, after that you could use 4DOF, Shooter, or whatever ballistic calculator you want. AB just happens to run in more devices.

 

[357Max]

I agree with much of this and disagree with some other things. If you think the Garmin is a total replacement for the Kestrel, you are going to be disappointed. More so if you were trying to use it in a match setting, it would just be too cumbersome for multiple targets and stages. Now linked with a rangefinder for each individual target for a different type of match could work.

I'm running the Instinct 2X and the damned thing does so many different things so well, its a really impressive piece of equipment. Add on the AB capability and even more so.... But it does have its limitations. I can't tell you how many times I run off to the range and inevitably leave something behind. 9 out of 10 times is the Kestrel. So its nice to have it as a backup. AND if I take care to set up the Garmin the same way I set up the Kestrel, they give me identical data.

Integrations are a PITA but its the same whether the Kestrel of the Garmin. No doubt AB is making an absolute killing on the licensing but it works and now with the mobile lab and CDMs its a breeze. Honestly the Sig LRF is probably the most important link in making it all work because you need a reliable distance and inclination, after that you could use 4DOF, Shooter, or whatever ballistic calculator you want. AB just happens to run in more devices.

Yeah I probably was a little overly cranky.
I definitely do not think it's a total replacement for a Kestral or the 8K and that's my frustration. It should play well with them, meaning let the more precise AB engine take precedent or at least give you that option. It's way way better than nothing if it's all you have, but when paired to a Kestral that has wind speed/direction, disabling that is just dumb.

I've forgotten my Kestral a few times, but Strelok pro or 4dof on the phone has gotten me by.

Just disappointed cause I really wanted to get a Garmin Tactix 7 Pro + AB. Been running with the wifey & it'd be great for that, but I really wanted something that would play well with the Sig for UKD type matches. I certainly don't need triple access to the CDM's etc, but if it would accomplish what I wanted, I'd pay the penalty.

When I dug into integration & found out the Garmin will not allow the AB engine from the Sig to be used for the firing solution. That's were I got but hurt. Why pay for a 3rd license & then I'm stuck with the least capable AB version for the final solution.

I'll probably still get the Tactix 7 pro, but without AB.
Looks like a Kestral Hud will let the 8K populate a target card + solution.
Then if AB/Garmin ever refines integration, I can always activate it later.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Rolex to flex on the poors.

 

[Long Range 338]

Yeah I probably was a little overly cranky.
I definitely do not think it's a total replacement for a Kestral or the 8K and that's my frustration. It should play well with them, meaning let the more precise AB engine take precedent or at least give you that option. It's way way better than nothing if it's all you have, but when paired to a Kestral that has wind speed/direction, disabling that is just dumb.

I've forgotten my Kestral a few times, but Strelok pro or 4dof on the phone has gotten me by.

Just disappointed cause I really wanted to get a Garmin Tactix 7 Pro + AB. Been running with the wifey & it'd be great for that, but I really wanted something that would play well with the Sig for UKD type matches. I certainly don't need triple access to the CDM's etc, but if it would accomplish what I wanted, I'd pay the penalty.

When I dug into integration & found out the Garmin will not allow the AB engine from the Sig to be used for the firing solution. That's were I got but hurt. Why pay for a 3rd license & then I'm stuck with the least capable AB version for the final solution.

I'll probably still get the Tactix 7 pro, but without AB.
Looks like a Kestral Hud will let the 8K populate a target card + solution.
Then if AB/Garmin ever refines integration, I can always activate it later.

It’s an amazing watch for sure. If you ever thought scrolling thru the Kestrel was clumsy or difficult, the Garmin is x4 worse. And the damn thing does so much other stuff it takes a month to learn half of it…

But still, I do enjoy it. So there is that.