What's best for me ?

[WeiserBucks]

Been using the Berger online calculator at the range out to 1100 with great success. I currently don't have any means of measuring environmental conditions, just estimating.

All of my range time is dedicated to load development, validation and practice for hunting. At the range, misses are inconsequential to me . In the field, poor shots equal missed opportunities at best and wounded game at the worst .

I've come to the realization that I need a calculator and accurate environmental data . Recommendations welcome, I just need something that's durable in the field and pretty idiot proof .

 

[Long Range 338]

If you have your smart phone with you, you have the weather conditions available from the closest weather station. Of course there are any number of apps you can use or go with a kestrel. Just pick your priority whether its ease of use, needs to do lots of guns/loads, or just one device that does the environmentals and ballistics in one. I think we all end up with several solutions (pieces of equipment) before long!

 

[WeiserBucks]

I'm considering getting a quality weather meter to use along with the AB app . There is no cell service in the area I need to use the calculator or weather meter . Is this a good direction for 1 rifle/load ?

 

[Long Range 338]

AB is definitely one of the favorites here. There are many different apps to choose from so look around before you buy. Many of the bullet manufacturers have them for free so that is a good option as well - the Hornady app has been proving better and better and will integrate with a couple of different weather meters. Any of the apps will let you enter the data by hand so they all work from that perspective. If you have a specific weather station or app you want to use you just need to verify they work together. TONS of info here in this section so if you search thru some of the other postings here you can educate yourself in a short while.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I've been doing a pile of searching and I think that manually entering the data from a meter into a calculator is the route for me . I don't know shit about linking different devices , just one more thing for me to screw up .

 

[Long Range 338]

Then any app should do. I would try a couple of the free ones, see what features you like or don't and then you are a little more educated to purchase one (says the guy who has 5 or 6)!

 

[WeiserBucks]

Thanks for the help , now I just need dive in and figure it out. I'm sure I'll be upside down and backwards for awhile, but everyone started somewhere I guess .

 

[Long Range 338]

I'm sure you'll sort it out with a little time. Most of the apps have instructional videos that are very helpful for us that learn by seeing. Good luck.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Still researching like crazy, at this point I'm leaning towards a Kestrel with AB to eliminate the phone from the process. I hate phones and they hate me !

 

[LawnMM]

How far out are you engaging what you're hunting?

 

[kthomas]

For hunting, it would be hard to beat the Sig Kilo 2400, which has Applied Ballistics integrated.

In one click of a button, your target is ranged, the environmentals are collected and a data solution is outputted, and you know exactly what your elevation should be.

Rather than going back and forth between a LRF, a device that gathers environmentals, and ballistic solver, it's all done at once.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I'm can't put a hard number on the ranges I'll be shooting game. At this point I have total confidence in my ability to 600 or so , as long as conditions aren't extreme. At the shooting range, I've made and missed about an equal number of cold bore shots at 1100 . I'm looking for an effective way to increase my range in the field and decrease my misses at the range , tired of guessing the environmentals .

 

[LawnMM]

Yeah, well...the environmentals are going to eat your lunch at those distances. You have to get better at wind calls.

The solver can do it for you but it's a lot of clicking and aligning DOF and by the time you're done... it'll change. You need to be able to do the corrections on the fly, not after 13 button presses on an electronic crutch.

Come up with your call, shoot and see, of you're wrong, ask the solver... just don't rely on it.

 

[WeiserBucks]

That's part of my issue, I've been doing my own wind calls and hold offs without being able to measure wind or know what the hold off "should" be . A simple wind meter would be a step up at this point.

 

[CharlieNC]

All phones I know of have a built in barometric pressure probe. Ballistic apps can reference this for accurate BP, you only need to provide temperature.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

This might help you get started: http://appliedballisticsllc.com/ballistics-educational-resources/articles/

1) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ABDOC130_CDM.pdf

2) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ABDOC102_HowBallisticsProgramsWork.pdf

3) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/BallisticCalibration.pdf

4) http://appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/Firing Solution Check List.pdf

5) http://appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/NVDOC1403-Wind.pdf

6) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ABDOC104_EpiciclicSwerve.pdf

7) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ABDOC108_GyroscopicAndCoriolis.pdf

8) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ChronographChapter.pdf

9) http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com...ransonic Effects on Bullet Stability & BC.pdf

10) http://appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/Why you cannot trust the MV on the Box.pdf

We have many more as well, but these will help early on.