I've seen shooters become more and more dependent on gadgets--particularly, smart phone programs that do everything for you except spin the turret and pull the trigger. At our long range matches, it's kinda funny to see guys laboring over their "smart phones" when you change the range of the target at the last minute. 
I think what the calculator has done to the math skills of our children over the years, these ballistic calculators on smart phones is doing to our riflemen: we're becoming too gadget dependent.
In my view, it's fine to use the gadgetry to help you learn certain skills (wind meters give us an idea of how to discern wind speed... rangefinders help us with estimating range... angle cosign indicators help us estimate angles...) but we need to learn to do this stuff "on the fly." Because we may find ourselves at times, and in certain days and ages without such electronic amenities.
I use a chronograph not for load development, but to get a *general* idea of the MV so I can get a *general* idea of the load's trajectory. Then you must actually shoot the ranges, and record the actual drops and wind drifts and such. And write that data down, and put it into a laminated card and fix it to your rifle in some way as you'll have it as a ready reference when you need it. You won't have to wait for a smart phone to load a program, and then end up perhaps making the wrong dial because you pulled up the wrong chart from Strelok. (c'mon, don't say you haven't done it)...
Learn to discern what is going to happen to your load's trajectory in the current conditions--if you don't, and your smart phone fails to get the weather conditions right away--you'll be at a distinct disadvantage.
As riflemen, we need to intuitively know what happens to our loads when temperatures change, or when humidity rises or falls... we need to get used to computing the angle of the shot well enough in our heads... we need to know what the wind speed likely is, to within a mile or two per hour, without the Kestral to tell us.
All that said... since we're often shooting at game at very long ranges, I think we should check things out with whatever equipment is available to us at the time. Just know that your smart phone app can be subject to operator error... and gadgets do fail. And when a gadget fails, and spits out some bogus information--you'll be better able to catch the mistake if you have some intuitive knowledge of what to expect.
Dan
I think what the calculator has done to the math skills of our children over the years, these ballistic calculators on smart phones is doing to our riflemen: we're becoming too gadget dependent.
In my view, it's fine to use the gadgetry to help you learn certain skills (wind meters give us an idea of how to discern wind speed... rangefinders help us with estimating range... angle cosign indicators help us estimate angles...) but we need to learn to do this stuff "on the fly." Because we may find ourselves at times, and in certain days and ages without such electronic amenities.
I use a chronograph not for load development, but to get a *general* idea of the MV so I can get a *general* idea of the load's trajectory. Then you must actually shoot the ranges, and record the actual drops and wind drifts and such. And write that data down, and put it into a laminated card and fix it to your rifle in some way as you'll have it as a ready reference when you need it. You won't have to wait for a smart phone to load a program, and then end up perhaps making the wrong dial because you pulled up the wrong chart from Strelok.
(c'mon, don't say you haven't done it)...Learn to discern what is going to happen to your load's trajectory in the current conditions--if you don't, and your smart phone fails to get the weather conditions right away--you'll be at a distinct disadvantage.
As riflemen, we need to intuitively know what happens to our loads when temperatures change, or when humidity rises or falls... we need to get used to computing the angle of the shot well enough in our heads... we need to know what the wind speed likely is, to within a mile or two per hour, without the Kestral to tell us.
All that said... since we're often shooting at game at very long ranges, I think we should check things out with whatever equipment is available to us at the time. Just know that your smart phone app can be subject to operator error... and gadgets do fail. And when a gadget fails, and spits out some bogus information--you'll be better able to catch the mistake if you have some intuitive knowledge of what to expect.
Dan
