Best ballistic program?

[bwcweld]

Im thinking about investing in a ballistic program and was wondering which one to get and where to get it?

There was a great comparison done in AO magazine a few months ago.....you should try and find it....definitely worth the read.

[bwcweld]

Ya I cant get my hands on that article....Guess I should subscribe

Originally Posted by bwcweld

Ya I cant get my hands on that article....Guess I should subscribe

Betting they'd sell you a back issue ........

[bwcweld]

anyone else have some thoughts

[209x50]

RSI Shooting Lab, Ballistic Explorer, Exbal and Sierra 6 in that order!

[LongDraw]

Originally Posted by 209x50

RSI Shooting Lab, Ballistic Explorer, Exbal and Sierra 6 in that order!

Any experience with isnipe?

[209x50]

Originally Posted by LongDraw

Any experience with isnipe?

Nope, I had one and the name escapes me at the moment that only ran off a PDA. The theory being that you could work a shooting solution on the fly in the field. It wasn't a good fit for me.

[Andrzej]

isnipe on iPhone $ 6.99 app.
It is very good as I have all my fave loads on it for all calibers that I am loading for and it lists thousands of factory loads for most calibers.
You don't need cell service to access data as it is downloaded to your phone and you can set your load data and POI at 100 y and it will calculate the rest for you.
You can place IPhone on the barrel and it will calculate angle trajectory in the mountains up, down.
I like it a lot as my phone is with me all the time those days...
Andrew

[bwcweld]

well i dont have an i phone. I was just looking for something to work on my vista laptop

[Rockymtnx]

After having a couple talks with 209, I picked up RSI Shooting Lab.
No regrets at all. It is well worth the money.

[ecellitti]

Have any of you tried the ballistic calculator on Hornadys web site? I dont know just how accurate it is but I am willing to say that its pretty darn close.

[bwcweld]

i downloaded the free trial version from rsi and it works great. will likely be buying the full version from them

[elkhunter11]

I just use the online JBM calculators to estimate trajectories,then head to the range to shoot my guns,and find the actual trajectories for specific loads.

[bwcweld]

Well in my case I need a range that goes out to 500 or 600 yds

[elkhunter11]

Well in my case I need a range that goes out to 500 or 600 yds

Our local range has targets to 550 yards,and we have recently cleared a shooting lane that adds enough to shoot out to 1000 yards or so.It is time consuming to walk 700 or 800 yards to check a target,but I trust the results gained from actual shooting over any computer program.Next spring,I will likely do as some other people are doing,and take my quad along to the range for checking targets way out there.It not only saves walking,it reduces the time that the range is closed while people are downrange.

[6.5x47 lapua]

there is nothing wrong with rcbs load either.elk is right,you still have to go to the range with the info and shoot to confirm.

[6.5x47 lapua]

we were thinking when we put the 1000m in at rocky range we would hang 1 moa steel and .5 moa steel past 700m and try and eliminate the target scenario.

[bwcweld]

where are these ranges at? Ive only got a 100yd range at home. I agree with you guys confirming bullet drop at the rang is the best way to go. I've heard that these ballistic programs are dead on though.

[elkhunter11]

I've heard that these ballistic programs are dead on though.

In theory they are dead on.However,they can only be as accurate as the information that you enter into the calculation.If any of the information is not correct,the calculation could have errors.How sure are you of the velocity,actual B.C. of the bullet,atmospheric pressure,exact zero,sight height etc,are you?Using actual chronographed velocities,manufacturers listed B.C.,and pressure and climate conditions from the weather service,I have seen errors of inches at 500 yards.As the distance increases,the error usually increases as well.

Ammunition manufacturers trajectory charts are often much more in error,because they are assuming velocities,which can easily vary by well over 100fps.

Then again,even once you have built your own trajectory chart,by actually shooting the load,if you change lot#s of powder or loaded ammunition,you need to chronograph the load again to see if the velocity has changed.

[bwcweld]

ya i chronyd all my different loads and i use noslers coefficient

[elkhunter11]

ya i chronyd all my different loads and i use noslers coefficient

The manufacturers B.C.s are not always correct,and they do vary with velocity.As well,velocity can change with temperature due to the effect of temperature on the burning rate of the powder.I have seen differences of almost 100fps between +30 degrees 0 degrees.I couldn't test velocities below 0 degrees,because my chronograph stops working in freezing temperatures,but I assume that the velocity drops even more as it gets even colder.I have also seen up to 120fps difference in velocity,just by changing lot #s of powder.As a result,I generally work up my loads in warmer weather,test the trajectory in that warmer weather,then retest again in colder weather.Out to 300 yards the differences are small,but by 500 yards,they can become significant.

[bwcweld]

Ya regardless of the steps you take if one variable is off that bullet is still going to hit where it hits. One big variable is definately the guy pulling the trigger. I just want a better idea of where its going to hit. All my serious hunting is done within 250yds anyway. I just want to get better at reaching out with the 22-250 and smacking gophers and coyotes.