Who uses a kestrel?

[Taylorbok]

Would the Sig work by itself for you? You use the sig just for yardage? For hunting would you still use kestral? What about a cheap windmeter and using sig for firing solution?

There's no reason you couldn't run the Sig alone. My Sig 10k's actually came with a tempest weather flow wind meter if you wanted to go that route you don't even have to buy one separately.

Personally I'll still carry the Kestrel since it's not big or heavy but you do bring up a good point that the main use for me is multiple target engagements and use the Sig to push yardage info to the Kestrel mainly for time savings.

 

[Greyfox]

I have used the 5700 Elite/Link/AB extensively with good success for PRS as well as some hunting to 1000+ yards.

 

[ChrisInKY]

Ok thanks just double checking before I drop the hammer just having buyers panic

I hope you went with the less costly / upgradeable version. That's the way I went. Mine does everything I could ask of it. And, I've yet to need the plussed-up version with more than three profiles.

 

[COBrad]

I run the 5700 elite w/LINK and AB I do shoot PRS, NRL, blah blah blah. I am a hunter as well. I can link it to my Terrapin or my phone. Its very versatile in every situation and I don't run out of features, bullet profiles or anything like that. My buddy has one that isn't the elite but has link (pardon me I forget which model he has exactly) and he sometimes wishes he could get the bullets and data that are on the elite. BUT theres always a but... he does well in comps and works harder on how his bullet actually performs. So if you put a little extra effort into the less expensive models, you can run them just as efficiently as the elite. Just my $0.02.

Does it link reliably to the terrapin? I have a Leica 3500.com but it won't link.

 

[Taylorbok]

Does it link reliably to the terrapin? I have a Leica 3500.com but it won't link.

My Kestrel Elite X has the adjustable bluetooth first time I ever used it paired to binos was at a match and was having connectivity issues. I had to bump the setting up to 5 (it was preset at 3) I've never had an issue again. I'm not sure how those numbers compare to what the Elite output is

 

[Longtine88]

I don't go anywhere without it. Even the toilet!

 

[SSG Graybush]

Totally agree Graybush, and more people need to be saying this. I have a gong at 910 (and farther) and my CO place, which is in the mountains. Normally, I can hit within 5" of my aiming point if my wind hold is 2 MOA or less, but once in a while, a zero wind call (perfectly calm at my location) is not correct and I hit 1 MOA left or right. I often shoot a second time (often with a different rifle since my gun room is next to my shooting site) and invariably find out it wasn't me or the rifle - it was wind I didn't see. And at that range, it doesn't take much.

Just do the math on bullet drift at 1200 yards. Your call needs to be within 1/2 mph (remember, half your bullets will hit to the left of your aiming point, half to the right, depending on your ability to hold and the accuracy of the rifle). Even if you can do this, it can change during the TOF.

There is a reason Trijicon quietly dropped their Ventus device (it measured wind out to 500) - I suspect a major reason was the wind changed in the time it took to measure and shoot.

And at 1200 yards, even with a decent load ES of 15 fps there's vertical dispersion of 4.6 inches. That's with a .284 180 gr vld-h @2912 and 2927 fps at 7500 ft alt, 50% RH, 50°. Lower altitudes, lower bc bullets, would be worse. And most hunting bullets bc and factory ammo ES is not that good.
A prime example relating to what you said, is a 6.5 Grendel at 1000 yards. 2505 fps .510 g1 bc bullet. A 5 to 10 mph variable FV wind on a 18x30 silhouette plate. Even if you spilt the difference and hold for a 7.5 mph wind you will not hit every shot. The target is .5 mils wide, 5 mph is a 1.6 mil hold, 10 mph is a 3.1 mil hold. 7.5 mph is 2.3 mils. You can't cover the variance. But a 6.5 cm could. Knowing your limitations is key.
Load/rifle accuracy (vertical dispersion/moa), wind, distance, and their ability are all factors a hunter should consider on a given day before they pull the trigger.

 

[GonzoK34]

Cuz you lucked out and hit 3027 once doesn't mean much. Back in the day we had to read wind and distance by observing, but a rangefinder and Kestrel are way more precise, and consistently right. You still need the ability to read a mirage.
And a 1244 yard shot on a elk is sketchy even with a zero value wind. Seen guys on internet bragging about their 1200+ yard kills, and pics show most are multiple shots. One had 5 shots, with a 6.5 cm. That's unacceptable imo. Just because you've done it, doesn't make it right. Or ethical. You need to be able to make a moa shot at 1244 yards at worst, consistently. And without an exact wind call, you can't. So your just taking pop shots.

 

[GonzoK34]

Agree with your observation 100%. 5 years in the Marine Corps with several tours in Vietnam as a Grunt and Recon. I learned by experience and from Korean War Veterans that just cuz you think you can, doesn't mean you should disclose your position. Animals don't shoot back. Time spent in a war isn't recommended however it taught me and my team members that any scoped weapon needs to be maintained and everything is working. Develop your come ups and verify it in the field too "Your max range with effective first rd hits"! BEFORE you go looking for Bad Guys! well this applies to hunting. Everyone on this site has spent their hard earned money to buy the best equipment they can afford. Hunting Cost Allot: license, tags, ammo, rifles, scopes, camping gear, vehicle, fuel, lodging. Last year my deer hunt in Utah wasn't cheap. I arrived 4 days before the opener and hunted to the very last day. My party of four harvested our deer. It was hard work. We glassed, put our backpacks on and went after our prey. Buck 1-540yds, Buck 2-670yds, Buck 3- 458yds and my buck #4 located at 1400 yds, humped 1100yds to close the distance and shot at 300yds. Took my 77yr old carcass 4 hours to close the distance. Make the shot and then hike to it. Took me 6 hours to pack it out to my truck. All game taken with one shot kills. My 3 Sons spent hundreds of hours verifying their dope. Do everything possible to do your best! SEMPER FIDELIS

 

[LRNut]

A prime example relating to what you said, is a 6.5 Grendel at 1000 yards. 2505 fps .510 g1 bc bullet. A 5 to 10 mph variable FV wind on a 18x30 silhouette plate. Even if you spilt the difference and hold for a 7.5 mph wind you will not hit every shot. The target is .5 mils wide, 5 mph is a 1.6 mil hold, 10 mph is a 3.1 mil hold. 7.5 mph is 2.3 mils. You can't cover the variance. But a 6.5 cm could. Knowing your limitations is key.

I would add another component: your rifle's accuracy. Let's say it can shoot 5" groups at 1000 yards (1/2 MOA). In order to hit that 18" wide target 100% of the time, your allowable wind drift is only 6.5" on either side, which is about .18 mils. Since your drift is about .3 mils/mph of wind, you need to nail the wind call to within .6 mph to guarantee a hit. Now take your Kestrel and hold it up in the air - it will change .6 mph every second generally. Oh, and don't forget, 18" is bigger than any vital area with the exception of a moose.

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

I do not use a wind meter but I do understand that they are beneficial up to a point. Anyone who has used wind flags knows the wind can vary in speed and direction even at 200yds. A lot of variables can be happening for sure out to a thousand. Unfortunately Wind meters cannot read all of those conditions out to long distances. That being said if the terrain allows it you can use trees, bushes ect. With good optics to help read some of those variables. Probably why partially I personally don't use one.

 

[Chas1]

Bought Kestrel 3500 about 8-9 years ago and by the second year it wouldn't register wind speed, a bit pricey for that to happen.

 

[Taylorbok]

Bought Kestrel 3500 about 8-9 years ago and by the second year it wouldn't register wind speed, a bit pricey for that to happen.

they have a 5 year warranty so you should have said something about it when it happened.

 

[406ANGLER]

Why not binos with ab elite built in. ?

Exacty

I imagine most are like me, I already had binoculars and a decent rangefinder when I bought the kestrel.

Personally I don't get that much use out of binoculars these days, but I hunt in central Montana. I carry the smaller viper spotting scope, which I greatly prefer over carrying one of the huge ones around all day, and binos are kind of redundant at this point. My scope is either 4-16 or 6-24, my spotter is 11-33, heck my range finder is 10x, binoculars are nice but if I were to leave them at home I wouldn't miss them much. The all-in-one binoculars are probably nice but not something I am interested in.