Patagonia Ballistics - Features & Integration
 
 
 
 
FEATURES & INTEGRATION - DESKTOP & MOBILE & PHONE

Overview

All editions are designed as a set of tools, herein called Modules, in order to conform a specific-purpose software suite, where feature-based integration is the key design concept.

A comprehensive, accurate and practical software solution for the reloading and ballistics enthusiast. With just one focus : to cover in a single package all the necessary tools that a challenging user is looking for.

Its main purpose is to help the centerfire metallic cartridge Reloader / Shooter / Hunter with the most common tasks often involved in shooting which implies to be able to predict accurate exterior ballistics, developing a load or analyzing and storing field data, as well as searching for tested loads.

The user’s experience, as a critical factor, is at the center of the software's architecture.

Easiness, a practical sense of use, and the notion of sharing a common paradigm of operation, were considered factors of paramount importance and so incorporated in every feature of this software.
  
This is a professional-grade software, for demanding users, who only want the best and take great efforts to master the Art of Accurate Marksmanship.

It was conceived from the ground up as a set of practical, smart tools for the shooter to make the most out of his rifle/ammo and to maximize the probability of a first-shot impact on target at range.

However it's important to consider that there are no miracles or mathematical models that can deal with inappropriate data input and lack of effort in collecting the most exact possible values of both the environmental conditions as well as the gun parameters.

Its scope is broad, as well as its audience, being a valuable toolbox for competitive shooters, hunters, forensic experts, in short, anyone interested in this fascinating subject.

Here the user will find a set of functionally-based modules to assist in almost every conceivable shooting/hunting scenario, including the special challenges ever present in Long Range Shooting.

All the hard-to-find parameters needed to analyze and compare different loads are available at the user’s fingertips complemented with Reports, Graphs and Filtering features, as well as packed with many other utilities, closing the circle in the development cycle of reloading, gun testing and field shooting.

Finally, we can attest for sure, that this software was conceived to serve as a one-stop Ballistics/Reloading solution.


Main Features
  1. It is made up of 8 (eight) Modules (depending on edition), designed and programmed to be fully compliant with the guidelines of a Microsoft® Windows-based application.

  2. ColdBore© Desktop edition allows the user to generate Reports ( Print / Preview ) or Export to MS Excel most of the generated output , according to each Module function. (Desktop edition only)

  3. Several and intermixable unit’s system. Choose between metric or English, or mix them, no problem!

  4. Installation & User's Manual in PDF format for easy access.

  5. Share your data with others using our XPS and PDF-based reports or Excel outputs. Just print or send any created report by email using your browser built-in capability.
     
  6. Data synch with Mobile & Phone device


Brief Descriptions by Module
   
a comprehensive loads and components database, containing megabytes of useful information, featuring selected loads for more than 300 cartridges accounting in excess of 25000 loads from major sources.

Loads are merged from many sources, on a cartridge basis, independent of source, although with source identified along with all the significant parameters and sort options by any parameter.

Offering complete load tables, comparative capabilities, including specs for thousand of bullets (more than 40 manufacturers), cartridges specs (more than 1300), powders, primers, and many other useful technical charts and tables and more important...it's updated several times per year.

  1. More than 25000 loads from major sources

  2. More than 3000 bullets from almost every manufacturer

  3. More than 1300 cartridges specifications

  4. Tables for common rifling twists, for both rifles and handguns

  5. Table for common cartridge’s designations (more than 4400 entries)

  6. While not intended as a replacement, it's scope is much more broader than a reloading manual.


 Logbook

a full featured module designed to manage and perform analysis on all data collected from a shooting session or when testing a new load. Its electronic format will keep load data, target data and velocity data, coherently organized into a neat and easy to use tool.

  • Data synch with Mobile & Phone device

It’s intended to help users to store, search for and retrieve all data from a reloading and/or shooting session, without any hassle, in order to keep an "electronic log", plus a powerful array of options manage the data so necessary for any reloader.

  1. All data stored in a relational database.

  2. A single, consistent interface, for storing, updating, searching and sorting records. Multiple selectors for choosing

  3. Easy and immediate, velocity statistics.

  4. A complete graphical interface to store target’s data, with 20 grid styles to choose from, plus the option to store an actual target's image.

In short, a neat way to store information about your loads, and field or range results. Take into account that only from past records a handloader can gain insight about his gun/loads performance.


 Ballistics

a professional Exterior ballistics module. Its primary purpose is to compute a bullet's downrange data for up to 6 tracks (concurrently), and up to 3000 yards/meters.

Data synch with Mobile & Phone device

Specifically designed to perform ballistics analysis, unleashing the inner aspects of gun/cartridge performance, and to "play" with multiple parameters in order to obtain valid conclusions, perform sensitivity analysis by modifying variables, etc. all of this using an advanced ballistics engine that is state of the art.

Multiple independent tracks makes easy to ask "what if" or "what happens" questions, allowing the analysis of different shooting scenarios.

ColdBore© Desktop edition six independent tracks let you see all the results at the same time either in tabular format ( as numerical values ) or as graphical plots.

Of course, all data could be stored and later recalled, in the program’s database.

You can specify one set of atmospheric conditions for sight-in, and another set for a different range or hunting location and then compute how the original trajectory will change at the new location.

Its comprehensive functionality allows the user to calculate all the elements of a bullet's trajectory, and for any set of firing conditions.

These firing conditions include muzzle velocity of the bullet, elevation ( or depression ) angle of the gun barrel, altitude of the firing point, wind conditions at that location, and environmental ( meteorological ) conditions.

  1. Advanced, state of the art ballistics engine, for up to 6 ( six ) tracks and Multiple Units Systems.

  2. The calculated trajectory parameters includes downrange velocity, energy, momentum, drop relative to the extended bore line of the gun, bullet path height relative to the line of sight of the shooter, wind deflection of the bullet, and time of flight of the bullet, lead for a running target, etc.

  3. The program generates a listing of all these ballistics results and provides graphs, which the user can select, of velocity, energy, momentum, drop, bullet path height, crosswind drift plus target lead and various tabular formats are used to present the results in very convenient ways.

  4. Also included is the PBR ( Point Blank Range ), Danger Space and Hit Threshold calculations, including the information for making "zero" adjustments in MOA, MRAD and CLICKS, and for ANY SLOPE.

From that data the module will create, at the same time, a valuable set of seven ready-to-use Field Charts especially devised to deal with the stringent challenges posed by shooting at long range.

Create field charts for Slope, Reticle Holdover (40 different designs), Mil-Dot distance and a Mil-Dot complete firing solution. All of them are customizable and ready to go!

Effects that are accounted for:
  • Spin Drift
  • Coriolis
  • Canting
  • Environment for Sight-In and Field Conditions
  • Differentiates betwenn Uphill & Downhill shooting
  • Multiple Wind Zones (3)
  • Wind-induced Drag (from every direction and force)

 Conversions

this module facilitates the user to perform the most common unit conversions often needed in Shooting/Reloading.

  1. Categories, such as Length, Volume, Area, Mass and more.

  2. Since it uses significant figures, conversions are never inaccurate, and they are in full compliance with U.S. standards.

Unit Conversion can be a complex problem. Whether you're trying to handle multiple units systems or simply converting a single value from imperial to metric units ( International System of Units ) this module has the solution.

Measurement conversion affects all areas of our sport and with this tool the user will handle measurement conversion in a consistent and flexible manner.


 Analyzer

designed as a set of calculators, ranging from Interior Ballistics calculations to other related phenomena, like computing a barrel’s optimum twist, a bullet’s stability factor, BC from two velocities, BC conversions between different Drag functions and to calculate the Drag Coefficient as it’s needed by the ballistics engine.

Its value as a module is central to this program, which is projected to perform side-calculations that while not routinely done, are of great importance for the precision shooter.

  1. Powley Calculator : an updated implementation of the method devised by the late Homer S. Powley to predict load charges and pressure when data for a particular cartridge is not easy to find. A nice complement for the extensive loads’ database provided by ColdBore 1.0© providing to the experienced handloader a fast, accurate predictor.

  2. Twist & Stability : an enhanced tool to compute a barrel’s optimum twist and the resultant stability factor for a given bullet. Two methods are used at the same time. A modern one, considered a breakthrough in modern ballistics, based on the work of Don Miller ( 2005 ) which has been proven very accurate. This method considers the effects of both velocity and air density. The second one was derived from the work of Sir Alfred Greenhill ( 1879 ), however the current algorithm was enhanced to deal with new bullet styles and high velocities. It does not use a constant value across the range of the different variables.

  3. Chronograph Vel Correction : its purpose is to correct the instrumental velocity (chronographs figures ) accounting for the BC of the bullet, its velocity and the distance between the muzzle and the sky-screens.

  4. BC from velocity : The BC gives the ratio of ballistic efficiency compared to the standard G1 projectile as used by the bullet’s makers. This module will accurately compute any bullet’s BC given its velocity loss measurement as indicated by two chronographs.

  5. BC Conversions : since there are many drag functions that were developed to have a better fit for same bullet styles, this tool will allow the user to easily convert one function’s value to another very easily. A must for those interested in pursuing very accurate trajectory predictions for the modern, streamlined bullets.

  6. Drag Coefficient : this module was specifically added to assist the shooter to determine the correct value of a critical constant used to calculate the changes to the drag function over the supersonic velocity range.  In other words, this program ballistics' engine uses a drag coefficient (DC) that affects the calculated rate of bullet deceleration. Applying this DC, the resultant trajectory calculations are very accurate for that particular bullet because the drag function has effectively been tailored for that particular bullet.

  7. Recoil Calc : here the user will access a recoil calculator for up to two firearms, projected to perform accurate and meaningful comparisons, in both tabular and graphical layout, featuring an straightforward interpretation of this central effect.


 Error Budget
 Analysis
this module is a tool designed to evaluate the performance of small arms under the light of several analytical tests, like:

  • *  Hit Probability
  • *  Unit Differential Effects
  • *  Ballistics Dispersion
  • *  Circular Error Probable
  • *  Graphs

The key concept here is to rely on model-based predictions in lieu of physical experiments.

The proper use of this tool will assist in identifying the primary sources of delivery error for direct-fire ballistic projectiles. The term “delivery error,” also referred to as “shooter error”, is a general term referring to the error in delivering a projectile upon a target.

The underlying core provides two distinct methods to carry out the simulation, which are based on sound statistical principles specifically applied to this kind of computer-simulation. The central goal is to mathematically quantify the different metrics, in order to represent the sensitivity of probabilistic statements on data.

To assess a weapon system's accuracy, building an Error Budget is the most technical approach.

An Error Budget can be defined as a systematic description of the sources of error in a system. For this analysis, the system is comprised of the rifle, load, sight and environment, as characterized by its ballistics and performance parameters, while the error is accounted by the bullets dispersion at the target.

An Error Budget is then used to simulate the accuracy of a system, and most significantly to identify the most critical error sources that contribute to the overall dispersion. Three steps are required to design an Error Budget:

  • *  Estimate the magnitude and statistical distribution of the error sources
  • *  Model the mechanism that converts the error source into system error
  • *  Merge errors from a range of error sources.

Hit Probability

In simple terms, the Hit Probability P (h) is a statistical value indicating the number of hits being made on a target out of a given number of projectiles directed at the target of a specific size at a determined range. It’s expressed as a percentage ratio of shots taken and hits.

Two modes are offered to run the simulation:

*  The SINGLE VOLLEY – STATIC PATTERN MODEL is essentially designed around the errors caused by round-to-round variations and is suitable for most analysis.

It’s also the faster to process and is less sensitive to the total shots count, despite the fact that the larger the number, the better.

*  On the other hand, the MULTIPLE VOLLEYS – CYCLIC PATTERN MODEL is designed to deal with both, the round-to-round variations and the occasion-to-occasion variations.


Patagonia Ballistics ©since 2007