Favorite iPad app for long distance shooting

[_Andrew]

So I received an iPad for Christmas, and I wanted to buy an app to compute my firing solutions. I would trust my fellow Calgunnners opinion more than the ones on the app store. So let's hear it, what are you favorites? Also, I will be reloading so something that serves double duty might be interesting. That is, if it exists.

[kcstott]

I use Ballistics AE. It's probably the single best and worst on the market.

Best because it has tons of features and setting that can be dialed in.
Worst for the same reason. It take some playing with to know how to use it and to trust it.

It does have a hard time plotting drops at extreme ranges though.

We did a mile shot and I used the wrong ballistics profile and got slightly incorrect info. then I used what the sierra recommends for the Match king and got grossly incorrect data. Had to use G5 as native and used profile to get data that was near correct.

I still don't fully trust it yet.

[_Andrew]

I use Ballistics AE. It's probably the single best and worst on the market.

Best because it has tons of features and setting that can be dialed in.
Worst for the same reason. It take some playing with to know how to use it and to trust it.

It does have a hard time plotting drops at extreme ranges though.

We did a mile shot and I used the wrong ballistics profile and got slightly incorrect info. then I used what the sierra recommends for the Match king and got grossly incorrect data. Had to use G5 as native and used profile to get data that was near correct.

I still don't fully trust it yet.

Playing with it now, you're right a lot of settings, but I think it's the ticket. Thank you!

[kcstott]

Playing with it now, you're right a lot of settings, but I think it's the ticket. Thank you!

It's a good app just can be overwhelming at first to get use to it.

[dskit]

I first bought Ballistic AE about 3 years ago, before a lot of features were added. I'll take a look around and wonder what all that extra stuff does.

That said, I primarily use my Kestrel for ballistics, and really only use the Iphone ap when I am trying to get a feel for the changing wind speed and direction as it is very easy to change those variables in the HUD section.

[Rbutler]

I use shooter alot, also if you dont have a nice range finder, the range card app works well. you setup your target and mark it on the map and then it ranges it for you to as accurate as your GPS is.

[RandyD]

I second Kcstott's recommendation of Ballistics AE. I have it on my iphone. I primarily use a hand drafted drop table based on my actual shooting results. I only use the app in the following circumstances; when switching bullets; when shooting at a range not on my drop table; running hypothetical scenarios; wind adjustment recommendations.

I have been a competitive shooter since the mid 70's, and I learned that using the same rifle and load at the same range on different days will result in different zeros, so no app is going to be 100% correct, 100% of the time. Use the app as an educated estimate.

[kcstott]

I have been a competitive shooter since the mid 70's, and I learned that using the same rifle and load at the same range on different days will result in different zeros, so no app is going to be 100% correct, 100% of the time. Use the app as an educated estimate.

if I could teach that to more people the world of shooting would be a better place.

For some reason people expect that bullet to fly out of the barrel they exact same speed and drop the exact same distance each and every time.

Let alone then dp the same thing with ammo lots as well.

Your rifles Zero is an ever changing variable and needs to be reference regularly for confirmation. This is my point on data books and one guy said they are a waste of time in a competition. Well I'm not using my data book for competition. I use it to record how my rifle reacts to changing conditions. Trend analysis if you will.

[CNC_Apps_Guy]

Ballistic AE here. It is one of the hardest pieces of software I've put my hands on. Extremely powerful though. It's my mission after the 1st of the year to get a full handle on it. Wish me luck.

[RDStott]

if I could teach that to more people the world of shooting would be a better place.

For some reason people expect that bullet to fly out of the barrel they exact same speed and drop the exact same distance each and every time.

Let alone then dp the same thing with ammo lots as well.

Your rifles Zero is an ever changing variable and needs to be reference regularly for confirmation. This is my point on data books and one guy said they are a waste of time in a competition. Well I'm not using my data book for competition. I use it to record how my rifle reacts to changing conditions. Trend analysis if you will.

AGREED !!!!

[RandyD]

if I could teach that to more people the world of shooting would be a better place.

For some reason people expect that bullet to fly out of the barrel they exact same speed and drop the exact same distance each and every time.

Let alone then dp the same thing with ammo lots as well.

Your rifles Zero is an ever changing variable and needs to be reference regularly for confirmation. This is my point on data books and one guy said they are a waste of time in a competition. Well I'm not using my data book for competition. I use it to record how my rifle reacts to changing conditions. Trend analysis if you will.

Well said. A rifle does not perform like a laser. One of my favorite forms of competition is smallbore, in that sport, if you change the pressure of your cheek on the stock or grip, it will result in a change of impact. The air pressure, and wind direction are always changing and the bullet can travel through multiple areas where these factors are different and changing, so a computer app cannot tell you precisely where your bullet will impact with 100% certainty.

I use a data book for highpower competitions. In my data books, I plot two factors; where my sights were when the shot broke, and where the bullet impacted the target. This data shows how well I am doing and how consistent my ammo is performing.

[jmatt511]

It may be simplistic when compared with Ballistic AE, but I've had fairly good results with iStrelok. Simple and relatively intuitive to use.

[fuenstock]

Anyone try the Ballistic basic version vs the AE version?

[brando]

I've been using Ballistic AE on an iPad Mini for a few years and it's been adequate. The one major hangup I ran into was the last time I was back in CA during the summer - it was so hot that everyone's iOS-based computers were failing at the FFP.

Since then I've been running the Rianov Eagle Gen II, which also uses JBM ballistics but is rifle mounted and about the size of my thumb. It has some nice features like auto-computing cant and incline, atmospheric values, etc. But in my opinion it still has some maturing to do.

[milotrain]

This is my point on data books and one guy said they are a waste of time in a competition. Well I'm not using my data book for competition. I use it to record how my rifle reacts to changing conditions. Trend analysis if you will.

A lot of the old long range competitors don't use data books because they have so much time spent on the range that they have internalized all the information they need. Zeros absolutely change but there are major variables that effect those changes and minor variables. You generally don't need to worry about the minor variables in most formalized competition, and if you aren't shooting around the country then you will have experience on the twenty or so ranges that you do shoot and you'll know how your drop changes on those ranges.

I keep a book because I don't have that much experience and the book's ability to track changes with correlating weather and light conditions can get me closer than my current SWAG.