Shooterready CD

[Ian M]

Anyone interested in a basic tutorial on the use of Mil-dots should get the shooterready CD from www.shooterready.com. The CD is more than a Mil-dot course as it graphically explains ballistics, wind, moving targets and other essential topics. After you read and do the interactive training portion there are 10 realistic shooting ranges with 10 targets to Mil and shoot at a wide variety of distances and winds. They throw in varied elevations and stuff like that to make the challenges tougher

Then there is a group of ten moving targets that must be Mil-ed, doped and lead. The apparent size of the target changes when you switch from seeing them with your naked eyes to looking through a ten power scope, as does the apparent movement.

All elevation and windage adjustments are put on just like a tactical scope. The trajectory of a match .308 round is utilized in the program with very real results.

The graphics and audio are really great, this CD makes learning and refreshing your Mil-estimating fun.

The only negative point I can make is that the Mil formula suggested is not one that I was taught or prefer to use (prefer the size of the object in inches times 27.77 divided by the Mil reading). Better yet is to use your handy-dandy Mildot Master, but someone else can review that little gem.

 

[brogers]

Ian; I wonder where the 27.77 comes from you mentioned? I noticed (and others have reported) that they constantly underestimate the range with the programs on Shooterready.
Although I tend to do that in the real world with Mil-dots it's not nearly so much as the program. Anyway I too recommend the program for any shooter whether or not he uses Mil Dots. It teaches and although my style of shooting doesn't allow exactly the same procedures on movers it still teaches the physics and that's what is important. Most scopes can be used for Mil Dot measurements by manipulation of the power ring and reticle so these methods can be used by anyone, mil dot scope or not.
Everyone should investigate at shooterready.com. It's a great progm.
Someone correct me if this isn't the place for commment on the reviews.

 

[karin]

I am the creator of the Long Range Shooting Simulation CD. I want to thank Ian for his unsolicited review of the CD. I am puzzled by the second comment concerning the low estimate for the ranging. Since the focus of the simulation is mil dot ranging I spent countless hours calculating and perfecting the size of the targets. They are within a tenth of a percent of accuracy in size which is probably not even discernable on a computer. The whole thing would be of no value if the mil dot ranging estimates were incorrect.

Since the CD came out a year ago it has gone through hundreds of reviews and except for a few minor corrections that were made last summer I haven't had any comments that the range estimations were consistently low. I receive a dozen emails a week with interesting ideas and comments that are usually positive. I read and answer them all. Until yesterday I have not received any comment about consistently low ranging estimates.

There are several possibilites for this if it is happening. The demos on the web may be affected by browser settings, although I would expect it to be proportional. The range card value for the elevation are rounded off to the nearest quarter minute. This isn't stated on the demo version and may be confusing some people. Otherwise, I cannot explain why some people would have this problem.

The simulation has received a huge amount of support from the President of Black Hills Ammunition (Jeff Hoffman) who has gone through it with a fine tooth comb and did not get the result of low ranging. In fact, he found it to be exactly right on.

If this comment is applied to the CD, be sure to look at the atmospheric conditions for each level. Except for Range 1 (the demo range) the ranges have an extreme of at least one atmospheric condition. This will affect the final point of impact.

I welcome emails with details if you are finding a consistent reading so I can try to see what might be happening and solve it.

Sincerely,
Karin Christensen www.shooterready.com ShooterReady.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.shooterready.comShooterReady.com</A>

 

[Ian M]

Yotebait,
The 27.77 mentioned is a constant that is applied when you use the formula for Mil-dots that is:

SIZE OF OBJECT IN INCHES X 27.77
__________________________________ = distance
size of object in Mils

This is for yards, there is a different constant - 25.4 for meters. Some classes use 27.8 instead of 27.77 as the yardage constant, probably doesn't make a big difference.

The Mil-dots can be useful in hunting if your laser poops out on you, but only if you have invested the time to understand how to make them work reliably.

If you are wondering where the 27.77 comes from - damned if I know. I hate math, numbers, formulas, and VCR's so I can't explain the origin but I am sure that it lies in mathematical mumbo-jumbo that would make it clear as mud - to me anyhow.

I will contact Bruce Robinson, the inventor of the Mil-dot Master and ask him to clarify the 27.77 puzzle. Personally I don't care as the formula works, but why not find out where 27.77 comes from? Plus I have become dependant on Bruce's little slide-rule and don't need the formular.
ian

 

[Bruce N. Robinson]

27.77 is the result of 1000 divided by 36.

Mil relation formula numerator is Target size in Yards times 1000. Divide 1000 by 36 (inches in a yard) and you get 27.77.

Karin's CD is superb. She also provided me with a "Virtual Mildot Master" for my website. Try it out at www.mildot.com.

Feel free to contact me throgh this site.

Best Regards,
Bruce