Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us What ballistics calculators are yall using or what am I doing wrong? | Outdoor Board
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What ballistics calculators are yall using or what am I doing wrong?

Posted on 8/18/24 at 6:45 am
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 6:45 am
I'm trying the Hornady app and the dope it's spitting out is off pretty significantly. I figure I'm plugging a variable in wrong but I've played around with them and other than dropping the FPS it's not making any real impact. I'm going to measure the scope height when I get home and make sure I was correct on that.

.50 cal Traditions Vortek
2025 FPS. Fury bullet, with poly wad, 285 gr, 0.26 BC. 82 grs of Blackhorn 209

App told me to dial 2.7 MRAD for 300 yards. Shot was 0.9 MRAD low. Hit dead on when I dialed 3.6 MRAD.

400 yards - app said 5.3 MRAD. Actual was 6.3.

I dropped the FPS in the app to 1900 and it was closer to correct. It told me to dial 2.6 MRAD at 200 yards and that was dead on.


Used a Garmin Zero to get the velocity. Pretty impressed with how consistent the gun is. Shooting same hole at 100 yards. I was hoping to get 200 yards out of it and it did way better than that. 3.5" grouping at 300 yards. Not planning on shooting deer that far but it was fun to play around with on the range.

When trying to find a node the 82 gr load FPS for three shots was 2027, 2025, 2029.

Velocity increased a bit as the gun warmed up but was still within 20 FPS.


This post was edited on 8/18/24 at 6:46 am
Posted by saintsfan1977
Arkansas, from Cajun country
Member since Jun 2010
10182 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 7:24 am to
Federal ballistics says - 1.4mils at 200yds and - 3.3 mils at 300yds. Could just be the app. 5.8mils at 400yds. Using your numbers and 2025 fps.
This post was edited on 8/18/24 at 7:26 am
Posted by tke_swamprat
Houma, LA
Member since Aug 2004
10966 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 7:26 am to
Is your dope correct in the app? May need to get some digital calipers and measure from center bolt to middle of scope ring.
Posted by kengel2
Team Gun
Member since Mar 2004
33649 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 7:34 am to
quote:

What ballistics calculators are yall using or what am I doing wrong?


Arr you using a weather meter?
Posted by Shexter
Prairieville
Member since Feb 2014
19732 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 7:42 am to

200% sounds like scope height. Center of bore to center of scope, not bottom of scope. (you probably already knew that though)
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 8:06 am to
quote:


200% sounds like scope height. Center of bore to center of scope, not bottom of scope. (you probably already knew that though



I didn't, I'm new to this. I'll check it when I get home. Thanks
Posted by civiltiger07
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2011
15036 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 8:44 am to
quote:

What ballistics calculators are yall using or what am I doing wrong?


I use StrelokPro but unless you already have it on your phone you can’t download it.

quote:

I figure I'm plugging a variable in wrong but I've played around with them and other than dropping the FPS it's not making any real impact.


You can adjust the BC to true up your dope as well.
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
4094 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 9:15 am to
I use hornady and it’s very accurate.
Double check all your variables (altitude,sight height)
Make sure your zero distance is correct and if it’s somewhat high as in .5in then enter it to see how the app responds.
I have read of manufacturers fibbing on BC I doubt they would with a turd of a muzzleloader bullet but maybe cheat that input some just to see what it does.
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 6:26 pm to
I played around with it a bit and can get it to where the 300 and 400 match up pretty close. The 200 yard reading is still a mil off of what I actually shot, though
Posted by ruger35
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2009
1675 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 6:28 pm to
I like Applied Ballistics. Maybe I'm just used to it now, but much more user-friendly than 4DOF imo.
Posted by Junky
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2005
9157 posts
Posted on 8/18/24 at 8:49 pm to
Shooter (Ballistic Calculator) by Kennedy Development Center is great. You have to give it a lot of info on you rifle and rounds with various profiles for both. But you can dial in distance and it provides dope. You can sync up kestrels to it as well.
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 9:46 am to
Here is what I have vs a calculator. I'm able to get the further ranges pretty close but the ranges I'll actually be shooting deer at are significantly off. I would just go shoot more but I'm almost out of Blackhorn 209 and can't find any in stock.





I set the FPS of my bullet in the app to 1900 FPS. I played around with the BC and didn't get anything significant. I also changed up the calculation method (g1,g7, etc) with no luck. I was hoping to be able to shoot 250-275 yards with the gun but unless I can feel confident in ballistics I won't. If I can get some more blackhorn I'll get the actual numbers. That 200 yard number has me worried. I'm wondering if I goofed when typing what I dialed in to my phone. My friend's muzzleloader with the same bullets and powder drops about 9" at 200. He's loading a little hotter.

am I screwing up how I'm calculating Mrads?
This post was edited on 8/19/24 at 10:17 am
Posted by civiltiger07
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2011
15036 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:29 am to
this may be chalked up to the ballistic calculator not being developed to model the flight of short fat muzzle loader bullets vs long slender modern day rifle bullets.

If you are just planning on shooting at deer within 200yds why don't you just develop you own dope and not worry about the ballistic calculator not matching you actual dope at 200+yds?
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:39 am to
quote:

If you are just planning on shooting at deer within 200yds why don't you just develop you own dope and not worry about the ballistic calculator not matching you actual dope at 200+yds?


I'm running low on propellent

I have enough info to shoot to 200 currently but I want the calculator to make sense of what my bullet did. I don't NEED it but it's aggravating me that I can't make sense of it. I'm also worried I recorded what I dialed wrong at 200, doesn't make sense that the bullet would drop 19" between 100-200 and 19" between 200 and 300.
This post was edited on 8/19/24 at 10:45 am
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
4094 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:47 am to
quote:

That 200 yard number has me worried. I'm wondering if I goofed when typing what I dialed in to my phone. My friend's

Yeah you fat fingered it and it’s supposed to be 10.4?!?
I plugged your numbers in a different app
“Bullet drop” it has less variables than hornady but it was dead on with my 300wm out to 1000yd verified. And it’s shows close to what you were showing in your calcs.
Posted by civiltiger07
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2011
15036 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:52 am to
So your column labeled "actual drop" is that from you actually shooting and calculating the bullet drop?
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:52 am to
quote:

Yeah you fat fingered it and it’s supposed to be 10.4?!?
I plugged your numbers in a different app



That's what I'm thinking. Everything I'm reading about other 50 cal loads with similar velocity have the bullet dropping about 10" from 100 to 200. If I did fat finger it then the calculator is correct. I'm going to have to shoot again I reckon.

I hate typing in numbers because I'm prone to fat fingering. I'd left my notebook at the truck and all my paper was being shot at.
This post was edited on 8/19/24 at 10:54 am
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
16114 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:55 am to
quote:

So your column labeled "actual drop" is that from you actually shooting and calculating the bullet drop?


I converted the mrads to inches, I'm wondering if I did that wrong. When I shot I measured how low the shot was with my retical then dialed it on to target.
Posted by civiltiger07
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2011
15036 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 10:59 am to
quote:

I converted the mrads to inches, I'm wondering if I did that wrong. When I shot I measured how low the shot was with my retical then dialed it on to target.


2.7 mils = 19.44 inches @ 200yds

1.7 mils = 12.24 inches @ 200yds

Could you have accidently wrote the incorrect dope?
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
4094 posts
Posted on 8/19/24 at 11:00 am to
quote:

similar velocity have the bullet dropping about 10" from 100 to 200. If I did fat finger it then the calculator is correct

That’s what bullet drop shows with your load actually shows 11in of drop.
I would reshoot at 200 tweak the calculator to match the 100-200-300-400 data that’s valid.
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