Which Ballistic Calculator?

[Topwater]

I had been using JBM but it appears that their process has changed a bit. My range results vary from their calculations. I’d appreciate suggestions for other programs. Thanks.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Curious as to what you see as changed in JBM ? Just the data not matching your results ?

 

[R.Morehouse]

Any Love For....ATRAG....? I have it here and honestly have not used it in some years. But when I did, it seemed pretty straightforward and easy to use...Oh Yeah....and it worked....

Regards
Rick

 

[FeMan]

I had been using JBM but it appears that their process has changed a bit. My range results vary from their calculations. I’d appreciate suggestions for other programs. Thanks.

What issue did you find with it? IME, there are programs a bit easier to use but none better than JBM. I wonder if you have an input/data error?

I use JBM a lot. This weekend, I used it to calculate BC on several rifles/bullets and it was spot on.

 

[Beiruty]

Hornady 4DOF
JBM
Strelok Pro (not available anymore via Apple/Google)
AB (you pay for it, best with Keesrtol, or LRF)
Trasol

 

[STOMP442]

Applied ballistics is by far the best app I have ever used for ballistic solutions. I used to be the guy that would say all an app is good for is to get you close but with AB I am very confident with the solutions it gives me to be spot on most of the time.

 

[dmoran]

GeoBallistics is my primary ballistic app that I use.
geoballistics.com
It's "Map Mode" that utilizes Google Maps, sets it apart from any other ballistic app I've ever used.
Also have a WeatherFlow brand "WEATHERMeter" paired to it, that links live atmospherics & density altitude to the app (it will also link to Kestrel weather meters and/or local weather stations).


Strelok Pro is the secondary ballistic app that I use from time to time..
www.strelokpro.online

On Windows PC's / LapTops, I use Pejsa based ballistic programs and at times JBM Online.

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[Topwater]

What issue did you find with it? IME, there are programs a bit easier to use but none better than JBM. I wonder if you have an input/data error?

I use JBM a lot. This weekend, I used it to calculate BC on several rifles/bullets and it was spot on.

I entered my velocity of 2942 FPS. When the calculation was done, the muzzle velocity appeared as 2762 FPS. I tried re-entering my MV and the calculation came back again as 2762 FPS. If I remember correctly, there used to be more information required such as twist rate and barrel length. I saw nowhere to plug those values into the program. The differences that I found were roughly .5 moa @ 300 yds. & a full moa @ 500 yds. I had much closer calculations the last time I used the JBM program .

 

[Lone Hunter]

I like Shooter, Strelok Pro, JBM and not necessarily in that order. StrelokPro is not available now in the App Store but I really like it.. Have heard good about Applied Ballistics and thinking about trying it ( I like gadgets) but JBM has never given me problems either. Could be the Russians or Chinese are messing with (StrelokPro) it? lol

 

[Shooter13]

I used Strelok Pro this weekend for going to 500 yards, correct speed, bullet, G7, scope, all. 1.3 MOA too much. Called for 8.3 and ended up being 7

 

[Dgd6mm]

I ran a plinking load on Quickload for my .223 and 77 RDF . No chronograph numbers. I took Quickload projected speed and plugged it into JBM. At the range after a 100 yard zero my dope was off by 1/10 th mil out to distance which I shot out to 850 yards.

 

[Laguna Freak]

I entered my velocity of 2942 FPS. When the calculation was done, the muzzle velocity appeared as 2762 FPS. I tried re-entering my MV and the calculation came back again as 2762 FPS. If I remember correctly, there used to be more information required such as twist rate and barrel length. I saw nowhere to plug those values into the program. The differences that I found were roughly .5 moa @ 300 yds. & a full moa @ 500 yds. I had much closer calculations the last time I used the JBM program .

The barrel twist, twist direction, bullet length, etc is in the JBM Trajectory—Drift calculator.

 

[Jennb]

Applied Ballistics

 

[FeMan]

I entered my velocity of 2942 FPS. When the calculation was done, the muzzle velocity appeared as 2762 FPS. I tried re-entering my MV and the calculation came back again as 2762 FPS. If I remember correctly, there used to be more information required such as twist rate and barrel length. I saw nowhere to plug those values into the program. The differences that I found were roughly .5 moa @ 300 yds. & a full moa @ 500 yds. I had much closer calculations the last time I used the JBM program .

Which of the calculators are you using? I do not believe JBM asks for barrel length. If you are using the "drift" calculator it does ask for twist rate, but I think that is the only one that does.

MV is an input and not a calculation. Could you have been looking at the velocity at 100 yards in the output table? I would try the "Trajectory - Simplified" calculator and try to get the results and predictions to line up. Check to make sure that you have the minimum range as 0 yards in the input table.

 

[FeMan]

I used Strelok Pro this weekend for going to 500 yards, correct speed, bullet, G7, scope, all. 1.3 MOA too much. Called for 8.3 and ended up being 7

That's strange. I also use Strelok as a backup to my Kestrel and it is within 1/10th. That is a LOT so I suspect one or more of the primary data entries is wrong, and by a considerable amount.

Check to make sure your zero input is the same as your rifle (i.e. one isn't at 100 and the other at 200). Also make sure your atmospheric pressure and temp were set to the shooting condition, along with the correct MV, BC, etc. I always use the internal barometer but you need to click on it to update it every shooting session or it uses the last entry.

 

[dcali]

If you care about the models under the hood, keep reading. if not, skip to the end for some recommendations.

The almost universally use the same physics - the Point Mass method, which is the standard method you'll see engineers using for this sort of thing. It's just F=MA. There are a couple exceptions. Hornady uses a slight tweak to the standard PM, which is slightly useful at long range (but you rely on them for the data which is doppler based and also calculated). Applied Ballistics uses PM, but uses doppler drag data which is a big deal for ELR. AB gets at the same stuff that Hornady does, but with a slightly different method that's a good enough and requries less data.

Patagonia claims to use a proprietary "aeroballistics model" based on Pejsa and Kallman filters (which does not make any sense at all). The obsolete Pejsa method is a simplification of the PM method that is less computationally demanding at the cost of accuracy. Modern computers eliminate the need for that. Kallman filters are totally unrelated to to ballistics, and are a way to make estimates based on multiple data sources of varying uncertainty. They don't explain this at all. This strikes me as marketing BS, but that doesn't' mean it doesn't work. I wouldn't know because it's insane to pay for it.

Trasol doesn't tell you what they are doing - if memory serves, it was also Pejsa, but they may have changed it. I haven't really kept up. Looks like it has a nice UI. They also chose to go with the "proprietary" marketing BS, which annoys me.

This stuff is just basic physics that was figured out many decades ago - there is no "proprietary".

Practically speaking, the results you get should all be basically the same out to 1000 yards. Pick based on bells and whistles and what you're willing to spend.Personally, I would either use a free PM calculator, or if you're shooting ELR, the AB calculator (because of the data).

Shameless plug: I use mine - a free, online standard Point Mass calculator.

Exterior Ballistics Calculator

A free ballistics calculator for long range shooting.

bisonballistics.com

 

[SKWERLZ]

I use AB on a kestrel.

 

[6Creed73]

I love Strelok. I use it so much it's become a crutch.