Best ballistic App

[hogpatrol]

It's been a few years since I downloaded a ballistic app and ready to upgrade. I saw a young PRS fellow at the range yesterday and he showed me one that allowed you to edit the dope table to the actual drops. Been using Applied Ballistics and Strelok Pro, neither one allows this the same way.
TIA for an suggestions.

 

[Delfuego]

Applied Ballistics will let you do this, Shooter will too. Shooter adjusts the velocity, they call it "Velocity Calibration" and it's available from the "Table" screen. AB also does this from the "Table" screen, but they call it "Ballistic Calibration" and it will allegedly build you a custom curve (bc & velocity.

I would advise you use your chronograph/actual velocity rather than mess with the velocity because errors may popup. Use the chronograph velocity and then tweak the BC of the bullet to match what is happening downrange. I had to do this for my ELR rifle. I dropped the BC of the 180 Hybrid down to .335 and it started to match what I had observed and recorded.

In Shooter, you can use "Banded/Stepped BC". This allows you to use a different BC as the velocity drops, just like Sierra's listed BC's.


AB Screenshot:

Shooter App:

 

[hogpatrol]

A

Applied Ballistics will let you do this, Shooter will too. Shooter adjusts the velocity, they call it "Velocity Calibration" and it's available from the "Table" screen. AB also does this from the "Table" screen, but they call it "Ballistic Calibration" and it will allegedly build you a custom curve (bc & velocity.

I would advise you use your chronograph/actual velocity rather than mess with the velocity because errors may popup. Use the chronograph velocity and then tweak the BC of the bullet to match what is happening downrange. I had to do this for my ELR rifle. I dropped the BC of the 180 Hybrid down to .335 and it started to match what I had observed and recorded.

In Shooter, you can use "Banded/Stepped BC". This allows you to use a different BC as the velocity drops, just like Sierra's listed BC's.


AB Screenshot:

Shooter App:

Want to get away from AB app which is about five years behind the times. No backup capability and who has 2000 yards to shoot so the ballistic calibration is useless for all but .001% of shooters. I will check out Shooter.

 

[Geno C]

I’ve been using TRASOL with pretty good results. Before that all I ever used was jbm and didn’t have much problems with it

 

[Delfuego]

Want to get away from AB app which is about five years behind the times. No backup capability and who has 2000 yards to shoot so the ballistic calibration is useless for all but .001% of shooters. I will check out Shooter.

I have been using Shooter for years and am very happy. I only got AB for an ELR shoot and Shooter wasn't working for me past 1400y. Ballistic Arc is another option. A few guys I know use it and like it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I like the Applied Ballistics app. Nothing about it is "behind the times" as far as calculations go. Look angles, weather feeds, scope correction factors, extensive bullet library, target heading and wind direction, G7 form factors, etc...

I have the 'Kestrel D3 Drop' that feeds all the real time weather data at my location into the AB app.

I also recently downloaded the "BallisticsARC" app (by GeoBallistics). Has a lot of good features. It will also receive weather data from my Kestrel Drop. Havent fully messed around with the app yet but it looks pretty cool with the Google Earth map layout at your location. Easy to follow and understand. Definitely looks to be a good step up from the AB app.

 

[hogpatrol]

Ledd, the only thing a Kestrel does is give you the wind where you are standing. Without it, AB will pull in the closest station weather, usually from an airport with AWOS. In states where airports can be quite far away from your location, this may not work but my usual range is three miles from an airport with weather reporting.
AB has no facility for backup is why I give it a behind the times rating. I had ten rifles and load data on one phone and when it went TU, I was stuck with reloading everything manually on my new phone. Thirty years ago that would have been unacceptable with a database program, let alone now.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Ledd, the only thing a Kestrel does is give you the wind where you are standing. Without it, AB will pull in the closest station weather, usually from an airport with AWOS. In states where airports can be quite far away from your location, this may not work but my usual range is three miles from an airport with weather reporting.
AB has no facility for backup is why I give it a behind the times rating. I had ten rifles and load data on one phone and when it went TU, I was stuck with reloading everything manually on my new phone. Thirty years ago that would have been unacceptable with a database program, let alone now.

Ok, I see what you mean. Cant save the files to another device. Wasnt sure what you meant by backup.

My Kestrel D3 Drop doesnt measure wind at all. I have a wind meter, but I agree that it doesnt do much good when shooting long range. Wind flags or vegetation downrange that can give a wind indication are much more useful.

Back to the Kestrel D3...Its an atmospheric weather transmitter that loads all the details of the weather right where I'm at. Very small, about the size of a vehicle key fob. Runs continuously on a 2032 battery for up to 1 year. Gives me all kinds of relevant data for bullet trajectory. It can link up via bluetooth with the AB or BallisticsARC apps and provide all the data for the firing solutions. Can change refresh and logging rates to as fast as every 2 seconds. Backlogs all data on the device since it was powered on and can be exported to a computer. Logs min/max/average and plots it out on a graph too. Waterproof, shock resistant, etc...
Only cost around $120. Really nice when you are out of cell service and cant load data from a weather station. Even nicer that it's all the data from your exact location.

Heres some pics from my Kestrel D3 Ballistics Drop and the 'Kestrel Link' app readings. As stated before, all this data is constantly being loaded in the ballistics app's to update firing solutions.











I was messing with the BallisticsARC app some more and I think I'm gon a like it a lot more than AB. You register an account with Geo Ballistics to back up all your data on the app. Like a "cloud". All data can be saved and exported on different devices. All rifle data on your cloud can be accessed by whatever device you have the app installed. Heres a pic of the data from my Kestrel feeding into the Ballistics ARC app. Of course you can pull from nearby weather stations as well.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Heres a link to the Geo Ballistics website. To get the full features, it does cost $14.99. I think AB and Shooter apps cost me $10. So it's a little more, but had more features too. I really like the Google Earth satellite map with GPS rangefinding

https://geoballistics.com/

 

[hogpatrol]

Thanks for the link. I think you got it covered. Wasn't aware of the D3 but it looks like a good addition to have, especially out of cell range.

 

[Milo 2.0]

Applied Ballistics will let you do this, Shooter will too. Shooter adjusts the velocity, they call it "Velocity Calibration" and it's available from the "Table" screen. AB also does this from the "Table" screen, but they call it "Ballistic Calibration" and it will allegedly build you a custom curve (bc & velocity.

I would advise you use your chronograph/actual velocity rather than mess with the velocity because errors may popup. Use the chronograph velocity and then tweak the BC of the bullet to match what is happening downrange. I had to do this for my ELR rifle. I dropped the BC of the 180 Hybrid down to .335 and it started to match what I had observed and recorded.

In Shooter, you can use "Banded/Stepped BC". This allows you to use a different BC as the velocity drops, just like Sierra's listed BC's.


AB Screenshot:



Shooter App:

You are one of a few that say to just tweak the BC. Most mess with speed to 500, then tweak BC after. In 8 yrs of shooting a 180 hybrid, I have never had to drop the BC, always up it. I shot to 2k Thur evening practicing with guys heading to the Q, with exact velocity and a BC of .350, I was spot on to 2000 yards, maybe 1/4 moa low at 1850 and 2k.

 

[hogpatrol]

You are one of a few that say to just tweak the BC. Most mess with speed to 500, then tweak BC after. In 8 yrs of shooting a 180 hybrid, I have never had to drop the BC, always up it. I shot to 2k Thur evening practicing with guys heading to the Q, with exact velocity and a BC of .350, I was spot on to 2000 yards, maybe 1/4 moa low at 1850 and 2k.

What app are you using?

 

[Milo 2.0]

I like AB, even though I do not feel it gets updated enough today with all the other programs they support. But I shoot off a Kestrel 5700 with AB, blue toofs and link, just a sweet, but expensive tool.
I hear some good things about geo ballistics and one out of Utah, think it is Trasol, not sure. Being I have something that works, I am not on the hunt for new so no research.
I do think Shooter will do most all AB will, but AB was easier in android form for me when I had both.

 

[Milo 2.0]

What app are you using?

Hog, there was a post on SH, asking just what things have made shooting easier for you, or helped make a one a better shot. Of coarse practice is prob the only thing will make you better, but I answered the Kestrel. Take it out of the range bag, turn it on, spin it a few times to acclimate it, find the gun profile, hit range card, scroll to the yardage you want to shoot, it updates by the minute. If the parameters are entered correctly, from ballistic data to wind speed, wind and target directions, it is on you if you believe you are smarter than it. The only time you want to try 2nd guess it, is if you know your bullet will go through an updraft close to the target, or a serious push downward on it that it cannot calculate, none can though.

 

[hogpatrol]

I rarely had a problem with AB or Strelok but the lack of backup with AB is a deal breaker for me so hence the search for an updated app with that ability. That and I can get weather over the cell network so no need for the Kestrel.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I rarely had a problem with AB or Strelok but the lack of backup with AB is a deal breaker for me so hence the search for an updated app with that ability. That and I can get weather over the cell network so no need for the Kestrel.

I agree, 100%, not inputting data each outing, or updating throughout the day seals the deal for me with the Kestrel. I have pissed away way stupider coin.

 

[hogpatrol]

I agree, 100%, not inputting data each outing, or updating throughout the day seals the deal for me with the Kestrel. I have pissed away way stupider coin.

That little D3 Kestrel rig looks to be the ticket when out of cell coverage. Where I'm shooting we're peppered with airports with weather stations and solid cell service but may have to look in to buying one. Like you say, frittered a lot more cash on throwaway stuff.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I will use the weather stations to verify my Kestrel readings when in cell reception. I like how the Geo Ballistics app allows me to connect to my Kestrel, then pull up the weather station data but it wont use the weather station data unless I tell it to do so. The Kestrel is always very accurate so far.

I bought the Kestrel D3 because theres a lot of places I lose cell reception while hunting or shooting in the Rocky Mountains. Nice to have current weather info always ready for use in the app. If I had cell reception everywhere I traveled in the mountains, I probably wouldnt need the Kestrel.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

A

Want to get away from AB app which is about five years behind the times. No backup capability and who has 2000 yards to shoot so the ballistic calibration is useless for all but .001% of shooters. I will check out Shooter.

You don't "have" to shoot 2000 yards. The reason behind it suggesting that is because the error resolution is so large that in some cases the spread could be equal to 100fps MV or more.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Also, a BC is only true at a specific velocity. We publish the averaged BCs for each bullet. But if you want a true drag model for that bullet the use of CDMs will improve accuracy: http://appliedballisticsllc.com/ballistics-educational-resources/custom-drag-curves/