Len Waldron – an outdoor and adventure writer – is now using his Suunto to help calibrate and shoot targets from over a mile away.
Len says altitude, temperature, barometric pressure and wind all play a role. Here is his description:
Basically, in a shooter/spotter team the primary consideration is calculating the distance to the target (elevation) and the strength and direction of the wind (windage). Elevation is "up or down", windage is "left or right".
However, to be precise over long distances, shooters have to account for atmospheric changes such as temperature, barometric pressure and altitude. This is where I use the Suunto wristop computer. I collect the atmospheric info and plug the data into a program that is part of my iPod. The spotter estimates the range and wind, and that data (along with the atmospheric data) goes into a "shooting solution" that outputs a scope adjustment based upon pre-collected ballistics data (how the bullet flies based upon its mass and powder charge). The shooter adjusts the scope, takes the shot, and the spotter watches the target and suggests adjustments if necessary.
Might be more than you needed to know about precision shooting, but the accuracy is amazing. Len was out at Arco Pass, Idaho recently with some Chey Tac rifles hitting target over a mile away in sub-zero temperatures. Len says while his other devices failed, his Suunto Core had no problems and gave perfectly accurate readings for altitude, barometric pressure and temperature. Check out more of Len’s stuff here: http://www.waldronpond.com/.
Wow, excellent review. I was looking for this kind of shooting solution for distance Elk from a blind...now I just need to find a Suunto watch to match up for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of shooting programme are you using and what type of rifle? Will this work over shorter, yet still 'sniper distance' targets?
Len has a really cool program put into his iPod that helps him hit the tragets. I reccomend checking out the Suunto Core to help you from the Elk blind.
ReplyDeleteSuunto Core watch for the environmentals. The ballistics program is Bulletflight by Knight Armament, you can buy it on iTunes. The rifle in the photo is the Chey Tac M200 Intervention that fires a .408 caliber 419 grain round. They also produce a civilian rifle in chambered for the same round called the Defender.
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