Applied ballistics has one of the most premium cell phone applications on the market today. We have been using this for years and it keeps getting better and better. With more updates and bullet profiles ready for download, Applied Ballistics streamlines how we acquire data for shooting. This is a Applied Ballistics HOW TO. This application if used correctly can be used for competition use and trusted to yield an accurate firing solution. This is not exclusive to any weapon systems. Minimal data points inserted by the user is all that is needed. Lets start with the Basics… First the Applied Ballistics can run on Android or Apple products. The Applied ballistics app is $30 and is our #1 recommendation for new shooters, all the way up to heavy competition use. Once you download the cell phone app, the picture above is going to be the home screen once you open it up on a Iphone. For this write up, it will be done using the Iphone which is somewhat different from an Android but very similar. Also, this screenshot shows 3 profiles created for myself. This will explain how to do all of this and what the different icons mean or how they function. First lets start with setting up your preferences. Up at the top bar, you will see the words, “APPLIED BALLISTICS” with a “+” sign, and the little box with an arrow. The “+” sign is the “BUILD NEW PROFILE” tab, and the square with the arrow is the tab for setting up preferences. Start by selecting the box with the arrow. this should pull up menu options including “SIGN IN, WEB SYNC, PREFERENCES, and RESTORE PURCHASES.”
Select “PREFERENCES.” This where were going to setup the whole application to suit your needs for long range shooting. Pay close attention to the menu options because you can miss a few key points that need to be included to utilize this app correctly.At the top of the menu options under “EDIT PREFERENCES” select “OPERATION MODE” and set this function to ADVANCED. Next select the “COLOR SCHEME” and set this to “DARK.” The two color schemes do nothing other than save battery. The Operation mode being set to Advanced just allows for more data points to refine you bullet flight path and atmospherics. Next under “PROFILES,” you can just leave these alone because they serve no function of manipulating data for shooting. This just serves as a way to organize weapon profiles and ammo profiles. You will see “ENABLE SAVE TARGETS,” again, just leave this function unchecked because it is unnecessary for what were trying to accomplish.As you scroll down on the “EDIT Preferences,” the next portion you will see DISTANCE UNIT, ATMOSPHERE UNIT, OTHER UNIT, ENABLE AUTOMATIC UNITS, WIND ANGLE UNIT, and LEAD ANGLE UNIT. Under “DISTANCE UNIT” set this to desired units either yards or meters. For this, I’m going to select YARDS. Next under “ATMOSPHERE UNITS” select IMPERIAL FOR BOTH ATMOSPERE AND OTHER UNITS. Disregard, “ENABLE AUTOMATIC UNITS,” for we are not going to be using this function. Next select “WIND ANGLE UNITS,” and choose either clock direction for those of you that don’t rapidly speak degrees in favor of clock direction. Do the same for “LEAD ANGLE UNIT.”Next under “ENVIRONMENT SCREEN” Select “USE DENSITY ALTITUDE.” Leave AUTOMATIC LATITUDE. AUTOMATIC ATMOSPHERE, AND DISABLE WIND POPULATION unmarked for we are not going to use these functions. Next Select “SAVE LAST ENVIRONMENT, AND ALWAYS ENABLE SPIN DRIFT.” For “ALWAYS ENABLE CORIOLIS EFFECT,” leave this alone for we are NOT going to use this function either. Most of the functions we are NOT using can be useful but you need to have cell phone service. We will not be using them specifically for this reason. The cell phone service needed to run this application 24/7 is NOT something that we want to rely on. So it is for this reason, all the “AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS” will be left off. You can use different metrics for altitude or atmospherics but we prefer DENSITY ALTITUDE because it is only one number you will need vs. Altitude and Temperature or station pressure. Density altitude is a combination of temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity all rolled into one number. We will be using DA to calibrate our firing solutions. SPIN DRIFT is left ON because it is a quantifiable force that affects all projectiles being fired from a rifled barrel and thus need to be included for long distance shots. As far as Coriolis effect, we will not be using this because were not digging into extreme long range. We are leaving the “SAVE LAST ENVIRONMENT” ON so you do not need to keep checking to see if you environmental factors have been “zeroed out.” It will save the last input of atmospherics so your data does not change until you input a new value.Next you will see as you scroll down, “SHOT SOLUTIONS.” Leave this function unmarked for we will NOT be using it. For “HUD DISTANCE STEP SIZE,” you can leave this alone unless you want to use the HUD function that displays your reticle and you bullet path. Next you will see “TRAJECTORY TABLE.” Leave “HIDE LINEAR PATH/DRIFT” OFF. Next you will see “RANGE STEP SIZE.” This is the increments on your range card you will see. You will have the options of 1,5,10,25,50,75, and 100 yards. Choose whatever distance you want you range card to increase by. The smaller the increments, the more accurate the numerical value for bullet drop is going to be. For this, I will be setting mine to “10.” Next you will see “SORTING ORDER,” which is how your range card will be displayed either, “ASCENDING, DESCENDING.” This is how your data card will begin. When you open up the range card, either starting from maximum range to closest or vice versa. I will set mine to ASCENDING. Next you will see, “DISTANCE AT SUBTENSION,” Leave this unmarked for we will NOT be using the HUD. Finally the version number for update on the application. NOW SELECT “BACK” SINCE WE HAVE ALL THE PREFERENCES SET THAT WE WILL BE NEEDING.Once you return to the first screen, in the top right corner there is a “+” sign. select the “+” and this screen will appear. This is how we build your WEAPON PROFILE. This screen is pretty self explanatory. The only functions we are not using is “ELEVATION CORRECTION FACTOR 1, AND WIND CORRECTION FACTOR 1” Everything else fill in with whatever you weapons parameters are and optics parameters. Make sure you have MILS OR MOA coinciding with whatever you personal optic functions are. Do not mix MOA OR MIL for you will have a range card in the wrong measurements. If you need to edit your weapon profile, SWIPE LEFT FOR EDIT OR DELETE FUNCTION.Once you complete your rifle profile, select the rifle and this screen will appear, “AMMUNITION LIST.” As you can see I have 3 profiles built for handloaded ammo that I use in my match rifle. Disregard those profiles and bring your attention to the top. At the top you will see “BACK” and a “+” sign. Select the “+” and “MANUALLY AND FROM BULLET LIBRARY” will appear. If you are building a custom profile, insert all your metrics accordingly. For this We will be using the “FROM BULLET LIBRARY” FUNCTION.Next you will be on the “SELECT CALIBER” screen. You will notice that under the caliber that there is a number followed by the word “BULLETS.” This is how many particular bullets are already tested and have data pre-filled out to streamline this process. Select your caliber, and move on to the library of bullets to find your specified bullet. For this, we will be using our favorite bullet the .243 caliber, 6MM 109GR LRHT.Now you will see the menu option at the top that brings you back to the previous screen labelled “CALIBER.” Select the manufacturer of your bullet. For this example we are selecting “BERGER.”Now I am selecting the BERGER LRHT 109GR. Now you are on the home stretch. This is the easiest part. All you need to do is select “MUZZLE VELOCITY” and insert the muzzle velocity confirmed by a chronograph. You have the ability to change the “MV TEMP STABILITY, POWDER TEMP. Do not touch these. Leave them on ZERO. Now for ATMOSPHERICS, leave this on ICAO, and whatever Drag model you have a preference for. I would recommend CDM for it is pretty spot on. The G7 works really well if you true your BC. Below, you will see “ZERO-RANGE.’ Make sure that is set to whatever distance you want to zero at. I would recommend “100” Yards. Down at the bottom you will see a few menu options. “ZERO RANGE, ZERO HEIGHT, ZERO OFFSET, ENABLE ZERO ATMOSPHERE, AND PRESSURE IS ABSOLUTE.” The only one you should change is “PRESSURE IS ABSOLUTE.” Do not use any other function. Now scroll back to the top, select “DONE.” Now this will take you back to the AMMUNITION LIST screen. Select the profile you just built.Now select BERGER LRHT which is the profile we just made. For the next screen “ENVIRONMENT,” you will have the sub categories of “TARGET, ATMOSPHERE, SPIN DRIFT, AND CORIOLIS EFFECT.” First start by selecting DISTANCE. Input a distance that is well past your farthest target just so you don’t need to go back and change anything. For me I am putting 2000YD which I rarely ever shoot out to. LEAVE LOOK ANGLE AT ZERO, MOVE SPEED ZERO, AND MOVE ANGLE ZERO. We will not be using these functions. Now under Atmosphere, using a kestrel, input your Density altitude value, and the Temperature. Zero out the wind for you will not be using that for a general range card. When building a range card, you don’t want wind included into your firing solution. You only want bullet drop and the most current atmospherics. MAKE SURE SPIN DRIFT IS ON. Leave the CORIOLIS EFFECT OFF. Now back at the top, you will see the “BACK” Button, and what looks like a little bullseye, and an arc with a little arrow. The bullseye is for your heads up display, and the ARC is the range card.Here is the HUD screen. You can input a single target here. I set this for a 980YD target with a 10MPH wind at 90*. The firing solution is below. 6.7 MILS, AND RIGHT 1.6 MILS for wind. This is a screenshot of the RETICLE with the 980 yard firing solution using an H59 reticle.If you Select the ARC tab in the top right corner of the previous screen it will bring you to the range card. You can scroll down to desired range to find you bullet drop, energy on target, velocity, and even time of flight. PATH IN MILS is your bullet drop that you would use your scope to dial or hold-over elevation for. If you select the “+” sign in the top right corner this menu option opens up. You can select Ballistic calibration to input a data point for your DOPE to adjust the algorithm. As you can see, I’m now on the BALLISTIC CALIBRATION page. This functions as a way to adjust your dope based off a known distance target and your data point you input to adjust velocity. The velocity I had used for the bullet profile was 3000FPS. If I didn’t have a chrono, but was zeroed correctly at 100yards and hit this 650yard target at 3.5MILs, it would mean that your muzzle velocity actually is a little slower around 2956. If you select the “APPLY CALIBRATION” YOUR WHOLE RANGE CARD WILL NOW BE ADJUSTED OFF THIS DATA POINT OR DATA POINTS (PLURAL) THAT YOU INPUT ON THIS SCREEN. YOU MUST RETURN TO THIS SCREEN AND DISABLE THE CALIBRATION OR THE VELOCITY WITH BE LOCKED ON THE PREVIOUS SCREEN UNDER “AMMO.” I hope this was helpful. I know this is a long class but it is an extremely useful tool. ENJOY! APPLIEDBALLISTICSLLC.COMHOW TO MAKE DENSITY ALTITUDE DATA CARDS
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