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Is there a ballistic program that will tell you where a bullet will hit at different elevations once its already sighted in at lower elevation? I'm dead on at 200 yards and 1400 ft of elevation, where will it hit at 9000 ft elevation. Would like to have the rifle sighted in at home (1400 ft elevation) so it hits dead on at 200 yards when I get to 9000 ft of elevation. .20" low at 200 yards at home??

JBM ballistics will let you make the comparison. You'll likely find the difference insignificant at 200. Another story as you stretch it out there...

John

yesterday I found a ballistic calculator that let me put in 2 different elevations, like 2 different loads and compare them side by side. Like a dumb a*# i didn't book mark or save it. I can't seem to find it in the history either. Can anyone help out??

Just google "ballistic calculator." Lots of them available online. I've been using the Berger one: http://www.bergerbullets.com/mb/

Why not just shoot it at 9000ft when you arrive? Confirm zero and confirm nothing shifted during transport.

I have thought of that. But its going to be a couple days before rifle opener of mule deer, thats what I'm hunting and bow season for elk is on. So just trying not to disturb anybody or any critters. I would hate to be sighting in just when someone over the ridge that I don't know is there is making a move and its messed up because of me.

I can understand that but how would you feel if something shifted during your drive out and you ended up wounding an animal or missing the buck of a lifetime. 2-3 shots and you will be good to go and more than likely not disturb anything. Good luck.

You always shoot to confirm zero after a long trip.

I ran the figures for a 162 Amax (.625 BC) at 3000 fps at sea level , and at 9000 feet.

With a 200 yd zero the differences are .4 inch at 300 yds; 1.1 inch at 400 yds; 2.7" at 500 yds; and 5.3" at 600 yds.

In other words the differences are lost in the noise of a MOA rifle and load,and even at 600 yards, insignificant even assuming a dead nuts perfect hold and flawless execution of the shot by a skilled rifleman with no buck fever....

In other words unless you are so skilled that shots at 500+ yards are a possibility, don't worry going from 1400 ft to 9000 ft.

For the OP, Applied Ballistics is an app. you can load on your smart phone and it will handle different altitudes. If you have GPS coverage it'll determine your altitude and input it automatically too.



The OP didn't specify his bullet or how far he'd be shooting and this is the Long Range Forum so maybe 500 or 600 yards is a possibility. And running the numbers with a .625 BC will minimize POI shifts and may or may not be similar to what he's shooting. I ran the numbers with a 7 mm 120 Ballistic Tip at 3050 MV because that's my 7-08 load and already programmed in.

With a 200 yard zero the difference in POI between 1400 ft elevation and 9000 ft at 400 yards is two inches, at 500 yards it's five inches and at 600 it jumps to 10 inches.

Nothing to sneeze at.

Just went back and re-read the OP, it appears you just want to be dead-on at 200? If so I'd agree with Bob, not enough difference to worry about. And confirm your zero when you get there.

I agree with smoke pole. Sight in at 9000ft and run your ballistics chart or app for the elevation your hunting at. The difference in point of impact shifts at longer ranges can be significant enough to equal a hit or miss on a deer. What caliber and bullet are you shooting? Velocity?

Not good.... You zero for 9000 feet? How do you know you'll shoot him at 9000 feet? What happens at 5000, 6000, or 10000 feet?

Why would you abandon a zero you've worked with for a solid year when the difference is so insignificant,and the shooter likely can't hold that tight anyway under field conditions.

You can cover enough distance in a single day out west to hunt from 6000-10,000 feet.....and a big mule deer could provide an opportunity at any distance at any of those elevations.

Any mule deer buck worth pulling a trigger on likely won't stand still long enough for you to break out the old iPhone and read the adjustments for elevation changes.

He'd be long gone by the time you unraveled it all LOL! Either that or the mule deer I've hunted for over 40 years out west have know grown so stupid they stand around waiting to be shot....

Way too much fiddling....way too much over thinking.

I know where I'll be hunting the highest area is 10,000 feet, most of the good deer area is between 8500 and 9500. I shoot a 7MM remington mag. I shoot a lot at the range and thats out to 600 yards. Do I want to shoot a deer that far away, no. Will I do it if conditions are perfect, yes. Am I capable of doing it, not a doubt in my mind. I shoot a Barnes TTSX 150 grain bullet @ 3030 feet per second. I am however hoping for a shot at 300 or closer. The reason for a 200 zero??? I use Nikon scope with the BDC reticle, got used to it and it works for me. So will use the spot on program and print out and tape to the rifle what it says for 9000 ft and find a spot to shoot at 200 for the zero and use the charts accordingly

Bob

Zeroing at 9000ft and shooting a buck at 6000ft your drops will be closer than zeroing at 1400ft. I understand you might not have time to pull out your iPad and readjust whatever altitude your at but with a drop chart printed off and laminated on your stock it only takes a few seconds. I do understand the change in drop is only a little different but what about at 600 yards? A buck feeding in a basin that you have time to setup on? Wouldn't you want your drops to be as close to perfect as they can be? A 5" change could be a hit or miss depending on where the shooter is aiming and how well they shoot.
Also I was recommending at least shooting a shot or 2 just to make sure everything stayed put on the journey out. The OP didn't state if he was driving or flying and I've seen first hand how "gentle" the airlines are with luggage.

Tom,
Where are you hunting? I'm just assuming but I'm gonna guess WY high country! Did you draw a tag this year?

Exactly. And if the buck is far enough away that you have to check the drops with a 7 mag and a 200-yard zero, chances are good that you may have a few seconds. Although I prefer the card in my shirt pocket....

805, yes drew a Wyoming tag and next year will get a elk tag in the same general area. So looking for a nice buck and keeping my eyes open for good elk spots also. I hope to spot a buck, put the sneak on him or put him to bed and make a move for that evening when he get up. Where i live now I don't need the drop chart, zero at two hundred and every circle below that is another 100 yards, to simple. Going to have to get that out of my head on longer shots.

Tom you'll be good to go if you practice and know your trajectories,and practice your field shooting positions.

Two of the bucks pictured below were killed at about 400 yards with rifles zeroed at sea level.The shooting took place at about 7000 feet.

The two guys who did the shooting have decades of experience hunting all over the Continent for all types of BG animals. They are good shots and know their rifles.One had to run about 300 yards to get in position for the shot because the buck was getting out of Dodge. Under such conditions playing with ballistic calculators is not only impossible but if you have to do it you might as well stay home.

They also know that their job in mule deer hunting is sometimes to hit the basketball between and slightly behind a bucks front legs,do it reasonably quickly,and from assumed field positions. This is the reason I say a lot of the differences shown by ballistic tables are lost in the noise.Concerns about a few inches become secondary to hitting the basketball.

Even easier with a BR2 rangefinder!! Range cards mostly stay at home now.

Tom

The Nikon spot on works pretty good given the info you supply is verified. Don't forget they are a second plane reticle and changing power changes the sub tension. Did you draw a LE tag or region tag?

Thats the downfall about the scope, using it at high power sometimes its a little harder to find a target. You can lower the power with the spot on chart and use accordingly. I drew a region tag, glad to have it. Will be nice to put boots on the ground this year for next years elk hunt.

Sounds like you got it figured out. Good luck with your hunt... The last muledeer buck I took with a 7mm rem mag at 700 yards, ran a 162gr. Hornady btsp interlock and it worked like a champ.....My rifle was dialed in for a 1 shot kill