Range Finder Binos that do ballistic drop in inches

[Tmac]

Alright then…I guess I’ll have to consider just basic RF binos or a great handheld. Any suggestions?

I have never tried to holdover for a 400 yd shot before. I zero at 200 yards with my 7 rem mag at the gun range and practice at that distance.

According to ballistic data, supposedly about 6 inch drop at 300 yards, then 18 inch drop at 400 yards with 150 gr Remington Scirocco ammo.

For hunting to 350 & possibly to 400, you are fine with your sight in and hold over plans, as long as you know the size of your target in inches. For that plan bigger targets are more forgiving, smaller targets shorten the range it will reliably work. For example, I’ve used an 18” avg. chest size for mule deer for a long time and mentally divide the chest depth into 1/3’s.

With your guesstimate ballistic info, at 300 you hold at the top of the middle third, 350 at the top of the deer or slightly over. Dead deer result as it’s adequate precision for the task at hand most of the time. I do practice to 600 and don’t dial unless it's past 350 or 400 depending on the quarry. It works well for me.

You do need to actually shoot at 300, 350, & 400 to verify your dope. But odds are the ballistic data you have is close. You probably won’t win any challenges shooting at steel and using inches for hold overs vs these guys. Is what these guys are saying a more precise method, yes. But with practice it’s not necessary to consistently kill big game to 350 and maybe 400.

Many of these guys shoot to 500, 600, 800, or more. Their advice to zero at 100 is good for what they do because you need not worry about density altitude to any degree for shooting at 100. Zero at 100, dial what ever the calc says based on the environmentals and dead deer result. I’ll know my 100 zero, but I do dial it up for a 200-225 zero to hunt with. I don’t dial until past 350 or 400, but do know my marks to 600, which is as far as I can easily practise. If you have to check zero while hunting knowing the 100 zero is money.

Regardless of what you decide to do, practice is the key.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

I just came down off the mountain to see this mountain of text lol.

I’ve probably shot more rounds using “inches of holdover” on targets, varmints, animals, etc than nearly all of Rokslide combined. It’s how we used to shoot and hunt because it’s all we really had.

Again, when put to the test with real shooters (hundreds of them over the last decade plus) of all different skill levels, there isn’t a single shooter who has been able to reliably and consistently “hold this many inches” over animal silhouette targets. Even with round targets where they know the exact size of the gong, there is so much error introduced between the “hold” and the shooter/rifle system combined that its nowhere near something that should be used reliably on big game animals. Yet all the bullet manufactures still print exaggerated velocities with 200 yard zeroes and inches of drop right on the box. Crazy that they still do this and people actually believe it and use it as any sort of “data” for field shooting.

Does that mean nobody can kill shit using inches of holdover? No.

Does that mean we should we be recommending that shooters to use inches of holdover to kill big game animals at 400 yards? Also, no.

Well, first, maybe before you go up the mountain you don’t fire off such posts? Joke, relax, second, glad you still took the time to skim it, and 3rd...so much I agree with, not sure who would trust the box data as more than a comic book, but you’re likely right that many would, the state of our world and the people in it, not all their fault but a whole nuther conversation. We are almost entirely speaking the same language in that you have to verify and utilize yourself and learn how to drive the car if you wanna be good at driving the car. But our difference is in you saying in conclusion it’s not a thing...as in for everyone period, but already confirm before conclusion that it is.

And it is, just pointing it out. That simply a few ways to skin the cat for those inclined to learn how to skin....a facking cat. Each generation brings about far less people that are even willing to try, more training wheels required...back to that other discussion that goes well beyond this forum, I digress.

Would it be so bad if ballistic rangefinders offered ‘inches’ as the 3rd unit of measure option for those that can, or wish to, run a tape at the terminal end of the scene???

That is where I’m going, as in assisting the OP question, as well as me bring this same point up awhile back. What are the drawbacks to just making a few clicks in the program to give the 3rd option for compensation??? I see none. I see only positives to adding this as there’s lots of good cat skinners out there that don’t need to only play in the 3% of shot distances on game. And future cat skinners that may see value in this option for whatever they want to get good at or cover everything they have in the safe.

We cool? I’m not trying to fire you up, you giver and give back lots. Just sayin...why not offer that unit option as well. Let the skinners figure out what tape works best for their needs? As I said, what are downsides? Are we not all about the individual and freedom of choice and all that jazz? ‘Murica’? We don’t all have the same needs or wants as the 3% er’s. Heck my own safe would be happy for that 3rd unit and i could use all 3 lol.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

@Tmac

Well said. There’s a window where a certain level of precision required switches over to another level of precision required. No need to get into fps and wind vs the boolits we shoot and speeds we shoot em but generally all here understand where things start to fall off the face of the earth, and blow off the side of the earth, for the usual suspects, and until then the precision required for landing in kill zones can be done very quickly and easily as Occam’d...back in the day, or as put...there wasn’t really any other way lol. Does that mean now it doesn’t work, or has no place, can’t be one man’s treasure?

Just put the unit in the rangefinder options and see what happens to sales. Who cares which unit you choose. I have a safe that would use all 3. And to 400 all of them would be able to use it. It’s hardly a big deal. No need to get defensive about it, just logic it out. It may even help push people along to want to move into the 3% ranges and utilize the higher precision systems etc. Just seems no brainer to include it. We are wired for it and have to train for it otherwise. It cannot hurt anything and would only add options to everyone. Makes perfect sense to have tape options for both ends of the scene covered. It’s readily available in the apps and programs but not in the rangefinders...why the fack not? Makes no sense. We were born in inches.

Just because you wouldn’t use it or use it well? How little faith haha

 

[Stinky Coyote]

And now we wait.

Who will be the first ballistic rangefinder to add the unit?

Could be fun to see if anyone listens, maths it out, and agrees.

And when I say maths it out I mean think about guides alone. The fudds. The guys who know tapes from a life with them. Many applications. 0-400. A guide could have his own set up for the guys who show up with 100 zeroes and 200 zeroes and throw the general profile in for just in case he needs to tell a client where to hold on an animal when time of essence like usual. Much like I do by instinct with my kids or friends. So many applications this unit could come in handy.

Would take me awhile to train my kids basic ballistics first then mil or moa in relation to los, the two zeroes, the arc trajectory, let alone how moa or mil applies to that, then apply that via dial or reticle vs a simple verbal hold spot in relation to the animal in their scope. Seems obvious to me but maybe I’m special? Like short bus special? Maybe savant special? Have at’er, I’m here for your amusement. Especially for when you just get off the mountain.

 

[Speaks]

Most I would possibly be comfortable doing this way would be something like

1. 200 yard zero
2. No more than 8 inches of drop between 200 and 300
3. 300 hold on top of their back

To do that you dont need ballistics in binos and anything further you are much better off dialing. $3k is a lot for AB binos to give fudd info.