Free Exterior Ballistic Software

[40-82 hiker]

Can someone please recommend a free exterior ballistic software application that is highly respected? I was shooting my Trapdoor today and came away from the range with a desire to play around with such. However, after a lengthy search on the I'net, I am frustrated with one I tried, and the few others I read about but don't want to BUY.

I also did a search on this site which did not answer this question.

I want to run this on Win7.

Thanks.
Bob

[Scharfschuetze]

While not on a laptop or PC and definitely not Freeware, I use the Ballistic AE program on my iPhone right at the range. It's pretty accurate in its predictions and it is infinitely adjustable for range, velocity and wind. The author continually updates it and you can print out the graphs that it produces. It also has a heads up type display for those using it right on their rifle. As I recall, it cost me about $20 USD and I've used it enough over the last several years to consider it more than paid for. In relative terms, it's less than the cost of a box of factory centerfire bullets and will last infinitely longer!

Here's a link to its web site:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ballistic-advanced-edition/id303254296?mt=8

Here's a You Tube video on programming it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKa37jxUe8M

[ku4hx]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/balcomp/ No installation required.

[olaf455]

Or if you use Android, Strelok works quite well and it only cost about 10 bucks.

[Love Life]

shooterscalculator.com has always gotten me where I need to be. It is only as good as the information you feed it...

[fouronesix]

The free web-based calculator I use is JBM. Yep, like all calculators....
Junk in=junk out. Easy to save or print "screen shot".

http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj_simp-5.1.cgi

[BCRider]

Hornady has a nice one online. Click from basic to advanced features and it becomes very comprehensive of the various factors. You can't download it since it's likely a Java application but if you're anywhere that has an internet connection of some form you're good to go. It also lets you print out the results chart easily and neatly.

[40-82 hiker]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/balcomp/ No installation required.

Thank you for this link, but I am supposed to enter the "drag coefficient" in this application. How do I determine the drag coefficient for a given bullet?

[Norbrat]

Thank you for this link, but I am supposed to enter the "drag coefficient" in this application. How do I determine the drag coefficient for a given bullet?

You can work out a good approximation here http://tmtpages.com/calcbc/calcbc.htm

[ku4hx]

Ballistic Coefficients are published in many places. Lyman even gives them for their boolits as does Sierra, Hornady and etc. If any calculator you use doesn't require this number, it's worthless. If a calculator requires you to enter a specific maker's boolit/bullet by name and number, the BC is embedded in that data. In the end, you may have to use a similar boolit's BC but small differences will have little practical effect in the real world.

[40-82 hiker]

Ballistic Coefficients are published in many places. Lyman even gives them for their boolits as does Sierra, Hornady and etc. If any calculator you use doesn't require this number, it's worthless. If a calculator requires you to enter a specific maker's boolit/bullet by name and number, the BC is embedded in that data. In the end, you may have to use a similar boolit's BC but small differences will have little practical effect in the real world.

Thanks for the answer to this question. I am showing a great deal of ignorance here, as the application in question was asking for a "Drag Coefficient", which I did not know was the same thing as the BC. The BC for the bullet in I was entering is known (0.299), as I got that from this site. However, not know that DC was the same thing as BC I was bumping around in the dark.

Thanks to all.

[leadman]

Berger Bullets also has a free calculator on their website.