Thread: Ballistic data for hunting applications

All jokes aside we had a 1000meter gong 2225 was available in the kilos primers by the 10s of thousands and 162amaxs by the thousands I was using the bog standard Strelok for android and my mate used jdm? It was online and he’d print his chart we’d regularly hit that gong time and time again if it was windy we’d hold more wind after all it was only a bit of fun on a piece of steel so we didn’t require the precision of other units such as the kestrel we did shoot some animals out that far maybe we got lucky. I haven’t shot long range in a long time especially hunting their is some really long (1400mtr) ranges available here that I haven’t bothered with yet it’d be shooting and hoping and Im to thin on components to be doing that with a hunting rifle I learn well if taught if I was to go buy a kestrel I’d probably get frustrated and put it in a draw after half pie learning it so I am looking forward to some tag alongs when people have such units Who can use them competently

No matter how you do it you're going to have to put your data into a ballistic calculator at some point, how much data and how accurate it is will determine how good your output is.

The most accurate but slowest way is to input the exact values just before you shoot. For the environmental data you can get all sorts of devices to measure it.

Another option:
Put some average conditions for your hunting area into a ballistic calculator. You can then print out a drop chart and carry it (tapped to the stock works well). When hunting just range the animal then use turrets or reticle to adjust accordingly. This works pretty well out to 500-600m, you just need to be aware of how different conditions affect your shot and how drastic any changes are compared to the average used to create your chart.

There are some devices and systems out there which will do these things for you automatically and allow you to be quicker. For example Custom turrets are really just a drop chart, it's just printed on the turret. Sig Sauer BDX (and others) will allow you to connect via Bluetooth a rangefinder, phone (ballistics calculator) and kerstel to automatically measure and input environmental conditions before giving a solution.

HI Southunter,
so help us out here, what's long range for you?
For me it either 300 or 500 mtrs depending upon what rifle I'm carrying.
And for deer etc I only need to be within 6" so I'm more than happy with a bit of plastic covered paper tapped to the stock with No click's and inch of drop in 25mtr increment starting at 225mtr (200) mtr zero.
So for you that may be enough but if you want to start busting wallabies at 700mtr then thats a whole next level kettle of fish as noted above.

Things have come a long way from a drop chart with a protractor and paper clip. As Andy said 500 yds you need to be on your game. Anything last that you need to know your shit to be ethnically shooting animals

Hitting a deer at 1000y in the vitals is like a 1/2moa target ... you'd need to be reloading like a pro (checking every component), shooting flawlessly and calling the wind exactly. If your zeroing day matched your gong session day you could be on and make good hits, but the proof of a good ballistics program is in what happens when the pressure drops or is extremely high. AB is definitely the reigning king of long range but i reckon SL is an excellant hunting program out to extended ranges. Quite practical

Originally Posted by T.FOYE

Hitting a deer at 1000y in the vitals is like a 1/2moa target ... you'd need to be reloading like a pro (checking every component), shooting flawlessly and calling the wind exactly. If your zeroing day matched your gong session day you could be on and make good hits, but the proof of a good ballistics program is in what happens when the pressure drops or is extremely high. AB is definitely the reigning king of long range but i reckon SL is an excellant hunting program out to extended ranges. Quite practical

AB is the ultimate as it has the ability to use litz custom drag curves and also its Bc's are from litz doplar lab so are correct and will give you the correct outcomes if you input the right info.
To be fair you you really only need Cdm's if shooting into subsonic.
And as Tfoye says there are very few people I know that have the consistent ability to shoot 1/2 moa at 1000m and hit their target in the right place on different days.
By the way I'm not one of them!
The guys that can, their main tool is a kestrel and a zeroed validated 30cal and bigger chamberd rifle with a shit ton of practice.i have been in an elr comp where the winner took it out with a 308.
A few humble 338 owners that day!
Yep Sl works fine as well but limited with some information

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