Accuracy of a Ballistics Calculator?

[Bowhunter57]

I entered the info into the Hornady Ballistics calculator for my .22-250 with the 3500 fps loads that I'm using for a 150 yard zero.

How reliable is this information?
Should I shoot the yardages that I intend to hunt to check it?
Also, is it possible to sight in at .4" high at 100 yards (like the calculator states) and consider it having the 150 yard zero?

Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[Canhunter35]

At that range yes.
A ballistic calculator is only as good as the info you enter. Meaning exact velocity, environmental conditions, ballistic Coefficient, etc.
All dope should be verified before hunting but 1/2" an high at 100 should give you a 150yd zero

If memory serves a 200yd zero on 50gr vmax is like 6" at 300 and 16" at 400

 

[ShtrRdy]

It would be good to verify, but basically if you enter the correct parameters then the result should be correct.

 

[kindabigdeal]

Search some other threads on here, some good info available.
A ballistic calculator works off math, like a calculator should. But dont believe for a minute it is exact, there is something in every gun that makes it shoot different from the exact gun next to it. Use the calculator as a guide but verify and adjust your calculator to your gun. My best example is my huskemaw on a tikka in 7mm. We did all the data collection,You can punch the data in and out comes the chart. We used two calculators, huskemaws and i-snipe. They give the same answers. But when the gun is shot it shoots high. Zero at 200 was a couple inches high at 400, about 4 high at 600 according to the chart i mean. Seems the further we went the worse it got. Had to adjust the bc to create the proper chart, did that by measuring distance and counting clicks. We ended up on a bc of .741 to create the calculator that matches the clicks perfectly

 

[BallisticsGuy]

garbage in, garbage out. I publish my own and it's always right but I know exactly what I'm doing using it and the others I have copies of. They're all doing the same thing with the same math but a lot of dynamic things happen after the bullet leaves that you really can't effectively model and some stuff just isn't worth the effort so there's a little slop possible. In general if your numbers are right, it should be right. Be aware that G1 BC's are variable and change with velocity so the range of intended use distance and velocities matter. A varmint bullet isn't going to have an advertised BC meant for 1000yrd work and a VLD isn't usually going to have an advertised G1 BC for 300yrd work.