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Ballistic calculators
Mark Ripley compares high-end Kestrel wind meters to budget phone apps. He advises that while Kestrels are superior for shots over 500 yards due to environmental adjustments, apps like Strelok paired with a basic meter are sufficient for shorter ranges.
Q: What ballistic calculator do you use to work out your drops and wind drifts? Are the Kestrel wind meters worth the money?
A: Mark Ripley replies: The Kestrel wind meters are very good and extremely accurate if the correct data is entered in the first place. The basic models are simply wind meters, but several more expensive models are available with ballistic software built in that will also automatically factor in all your current environmental conditions such as temperature, altitude, air density and spin drift to give very accurate shot predictions.
This really comes into its own over the 500yd mark. Below that some of these variables have little effect on your shot and you will probably find that phone apps such as Strelok or Bullet Flight will give very similar predictions at a fraction of the cost, although you will still need a basic wind meter. You can get a reasonable one for as little as £30.
I currently use a rather dated model – the 4500NV with the Horus software. It has been brilliant but I’m considering upgrading to the more recent Elite model.
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