Ballistics Calculator Apps?

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

SOME REALLY IGNORANT QUESTIONS COMIN' RIGHT UP, FOLKS!!  

I need to start learning about ballistics calculations. I literally have had no time to study up (and I've been shooting at the same distance and just zero'd my scope at that distance, so it really didn't matter).

I see there's a math formula for each caliber based on distance. I think I might actually use that initially. That might sound strange... but I'm thinking it will give me a better appreciation for how it all works - and if I ever lost battery power on my phone, I wouldn't be in a panic because a phone app was unreachable. That said, I'll also be looking to download a ballistics calculator phone app as well, so I can start playing around with that, too. (I mean, it's a modern convenience - doing all that math in the background for me - so, why wouldn't I, right?)

Here are my questions regarding the phone apps: 

• Should I just be selecting something from the Google Play store (for my android phone)? Or rather, should I be going to the website of the company that makes the brass, for instance, that I'm using, and see if they have their own app? In other words, does any of this need to be dialed in to the "product" I'm using - whether it be the brass, the powder, the scope?
• In fact, is there much variation at all between these ballistic calc apps? If you're inputting all the same factors, are they all spitting out pretty much the same recommendations/results? 
• Also, do most (or all) ballistics calculator apps only calculate bullet drop? OR, do they also allow you to input estimated wind speed and direction (or is there another type of app you need to use to calculate "windage"?)  (As you can probably tell by now, I've never used - or even seen - ANY of these apps before, so please forgive the rudimentary questions. I'll be starting my "deep dive" tonight on YouTube - but figured I'd throw the questions out here at the same time - do a little "crowd-sourcing" of info as it were).
• The ballistics calculators I'm seeing in the Google Play store (in ranked order) are:

1. Ballistics Calculator 2023 - 4.5 stars (of 2000 reviews) - downloaded 50K+ times.
2. Hornaday - 4.3 stars (of 3000 reviews) - downloaded 100K+ times
3. GeoBallistics - 4.0 stars (of 277 reviews) - downloaded 50K+ times.

Do any of you use/recommend any of those 3 products? 

Thank you!! 

[Grapeshot 301]

Hornaday allows you to enter both wind speed and direction. 

 

[Mr.Stu 1,922]

How deep into the weeds do you want to go?

Bullets have a ballistic coefficient, which is an approximation of how they fly through the air and the rate at which they decelerate. It is only an approximation as the bullet will behave differently at depending on speed, air pressure, temperature, trajectory, rotation, humidity, and a bunch of other things. The generic apps will get you close, but if you really want to know what your load is going to do in your gun, you need to test it and build your DOPE chart.

I'm no expert - I just have an idea of how little I know about it. Hey, I'm a handgun guy! I don't have to think about complicated things.

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

23 minutes ago, Grapeshot said:

Hornaday allows you to enter both wind speed and direction. 

 

Thanks! That's good to know. I'll look up the others and see if they also do that. Hornaday is at least a big, known brand. I would think their app would be decent!

14 minutes ago, Mr.Stu said:

The generic apps will get you close, but if you really want to know what your load is going to do in your gun, you need to test it and build your DOPE chart.

Yeah, I've been surprised to find out (from the handful I've spoken to anyway) that people shooting F-Class don't seem to keep DOPE books...? I'm thinking that's maybe because they're shooting at only a few known, consistent distances AND you get a bunch of sighting shots as well. Soooo... perhaps people just memorize the basic # of clicks they need to adjust the scope for those few distances, and then they just use the sighters to adapt to that day's conditions...? Still not sure... but that's what I'm sensing anyway. Personally? I bought a simple notebook... and I'm starting to keep all kinds of notes, just to enhance my own learning curve. So, I'll probably end up building a DOPE chart anyway.

Besides, we ALL know how this works... you find something you LIKE, and you're immediately thinking, "Hmmm... yes, this is FUN, but if and when I get good at this, what will I want to buy/do NEXT?" Soooo, I guess my thinking is... I'm already eyeballing long-range (as opposed to just mid-range), so the more I learn now, the less I'll have to learn later. Besides, anytime a person is learning... it's a good thing. Keeps those neurotransmitters in your noggin firing away efficiently, lol. So, I probably want to dive in a little deeper than I'll actually need to for the current pursuit.

[brucin 923]

I was lucky enough to have been invited to attend a long range shooting seminar held by a gentleman who was employed by Griffin & Howe. He was a former sniper in Afghanistan and was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He recommended this https://www.sigsauer.com/kilo5k.html but did advise the attendees not to purchase it at his employer as they will overcharge. 

It's still quite expensive but it does a lot of the work for you. He also recommended that you learn how to do the calculations without the tools so you appreciate the craft.

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

6 minutes ago, brucin said:

He recommended this https://www.sigsauer.com/kilo5k.html but did advise the attendees not to purchase it at his employer as they will overcharge. 

That's a range finder. That's a gadget I think I wouldn't need unless I was actually shooting long distance at unknown distances, correct? That said, I'll jot this model in my notebook for future notice! Thx!

[brucin 923]

4 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said:

That's a range finder. That's a gadget I think I wouldn't need unless I was actually shooting long distance at unknown distances, correct? That said, I'll jot this model in my notebook for future notice! Thx!

I believe it works in conjunction with a phone app. You enter your caliber bullet weight etc and it tells you how to dial in your scope.

[Malice4you 627]

A lot of apps need to know specifics about your ammo, and especially with your long barrel, you may be getting significantly different fps than what boxed ammo or your handloads say you should be.

You'll want at least a chrono if you want some more accurate info in an app. I know rimfire is a different beast, but at 200 yards, all the app(s) I use have been off by multiple mils between calculations and real world experience.  Part is me using box FPS numbers, part is no one seems to know the correct BC for .22s, and part is probably that the places I've zeroed are not a true 50 or 100 yards (Clinton being 53yd for the 50 berm)

I know a lot of (rimfire) people use a Kestrel, but I honestly am not sure what functions it has, if it is a chrono, wind speed guage, etc. I believe it links to an app, possibly their own.

 

As for apps, you are unfortunately too late for easily getting Strelok (Pro), which is one of the best ones I know of. It is a Russian developer, so it isn't available in the play store unless you already had it, apparently. The free version had fewer options, but was still very useful.

I have used Shooting Solution for years, which apparently is also delisted now. Not sure why.

Lapua Ballistics is still available and I have used that. But with .22s, even their own app and shooting Lapua ammo does not show the expected results.  That said, it gives you lots of options for data entry on your cartridge and is worth a download. I expect it is perfectly adequate for centerfire.

 

Each app has a nice feature the others are missing, so youll probably want multiple apps anyway.

 

I forget what scope model you have, but I think I saw a Vortex app in the list. May be worth looking into if that has anything useful in it

[124gr9mm 859]

I've been using this one for years. 

https://shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php

You can change variables, print charts and graphs, and get any info you need. 

[45Doll 5,877]

Women? Doing long range shooting? With DOPE books? And ballistic calculators? And maybe with chronographs to boot?

Oh... The Horror!

Remind me to stay well out of her range.