Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Which Kestrel?

What model on the used market offers the best bang for the buck? I don't need it to include ballistic software and offer firing solutions, I'll use an app for that. So the 5700 is more expense than necessary for a guy just getting into dialing for long range and planning to stay inside 600 yards for hunting. But I can see how the data one can provide would be very useful. More accurate input = more accurate output, right?

Recommendations?

Well, consider that i changed over to long range only for deer hunting in NC PA more than 50 years ago. The area in which we have our camp has numerous others who hunt the same way.
And i know many of them.
The area of the state we hunt has lots of steep ridges. The method of hunting is to sit on one ridge and use large tripod mounted binoculars to glass the ridges across the valley.
We have killed hundreds of deer and a few bear by using this method over those years.
Average kill distance is 500 to 800 yards, with some much farther, the vast majority are first round hits.
Quite a few have been killed by young kids, or those who never made a long kill before.
ALL, i said all, of our shooting is done from either a very good portable bench, or a very good shooting type tripod. We dont condone belly shooting, especially for that type terrain.
We strictly use the spotter method when shooting, meaning that at least one other person is following the shot and looking for the hit with his large glasses.
All the other camps in that area use the same method.
We have what is commonly called a (click chart), which gives the information on how many clicks are
added to the scope from the basic 100 yard zero for the distance involved.
Early on that information was passed around among friends, then confirmed for your gun by shooting.
Today there are lots of sites on the internet for getting that information.
JBM is but one of them, there are lots of others as well, but all should be confirmed by actual shooting.
Of coarse there have always been very good rangefinders, even long before the lazers, there were very good ones, and many of us had them.
As for the Kestral, ive personaly never actually seen one other than pictures of them.
Nor do i know anyone else who uses them.
Many modern cartridges today, even in the non magnum class require very little by way of added elevation to hit targets up to 500 yards away.
From a 100 yard zero a holdover would work with quite a few of them.
Point is that this is not a very complicated thing to do, and those who have been doing it understand that. We do tend to complicate that which isnt, in some cases in order to sell a product.
Of coarse things like large temperature changes, and large elevaton changes will have an influence on where the bullet lands. But not as much as one might think, especially for a hunting situation.
My advise would be to learn your equipment well, and the best way to do that is to go some place and shoot it alot, at things like small rocks on hillsides.
Remember there is the hunting part, and then there is the shooting part.
Have what you need in order to do both very well, and that will be all you need.

Thanks for the reply. I hear ya on shooting a lot, and agree. I shoot as much as my time allows. Up till now I've kept shots at critters inside 300 yards. So MPBR. For elk where I hunt most shots will still be inside that. The terrain is rolling hills and high plateau country with cinder cone mountains scattered about. Mostly piñon-juniper woodlands (large specimens not scrubby like at lower elevations) with ponderosa scattered throughout. Lots of little meadows. At the higher elevations the ponderosa forest is fairly open with little underbrush but 100 yards is probably the longest shot you'll get. There are some areas that offer shots longer than 300 yards but they're not the norm, at least not for me as I usually draw a late season cow tag and they've been hunted quite a bit by then, so the big meadows near the roads aren't very productive.

That's around my hunting/camping property in Cibola County. I'll be moving to Torrance county within two years and the area is high plains grassland east of the Manzano mountains. Antelope country. I want to hunt them--and the local coyotes--much more than I have in the past, and it's windy almost all of the time. That's where the Kestrel comes in. I can judge wind speed okay but for shooting at live critters past 300 yards I want more than okay. Accurate data is better than pretty close.

I also plan to practice on steel out to 1000 yards where there will be wind much of the time.

Drop is straightforward once data is corrected for actual POI with the load one is shooting. Wind is variable. I'll take all the help I can get.

To answer your question instead of telling you why you don't need one...

For years I shot without one, I just depended on my ability to read the environment and shot a lot of steel and rocks at long range.

Then I bought one of the basic weather station models thinking I'd save a little money, and input the wind into a separate ballistic calculator. It was just one more thing to mess with, one more thing to input into my ballistic calc, so I rarely used it. Money wasted.

Finally I did like all my buddies and bought a 5700.

I should have done this to begin with. The 5700 provides an instant firing solution, changing as the wind changes... instead of memorizing the high wind value, the low wind value, and figuring out a bracket on your own.

It's trickier than it sounds to get an accurate wind reading anyway, because the wind right at ground level, wherever you post up, is usually more subdued than the wind 7 or 8 feet off the ground, when you hold the device as far over your head as it will reach.

The only way to practically use these devices while hunting is to be getting a wind reading now and again so when the shot opportunity comes up you can make an educated guess. You usually won't have time to get an accurate wind reading when an animal pops up. You can have the kestrel on but you can't really stand up and hold it over your head when an animal comes into view. The best you can do is "the last time the wind felt like this it was a 3/4 to a one mil right hold."

All of which to say, there is a learning curve anyway, they really work best in simple open terrain, and don't work at all if you're shooting through or across complex terrain, but make life simple and get one with a ballistic calculator.

^^^ This for the most part. ^^^

5700 here. Only thing I don't like is being limited to 3 gun profiles. Battery lasts forever and is easily/quickly replaced vs charging a phone.

I don't see why you'd buy a kestrel but use something else for firing solutions.




The Kestrel will do it all in 1 package. I have a 5700 sportsman with link and applied ballistics.



For good bullets that are in the library I often times don't have to adjust anything. I just setup my 6BRA profile a couple weeks ago. 20 shots to verify it was giving me good data. I didn't have to adjust anything. Shot the highest score for steel match from 400-1000.


Sometimes you'll have to adjust BC a bit.


Link is useful. I feel it's easier to build profiles in my phone and send them to the Kestrel.


I also shoot with guys that use free and paid for apps and they regularly have issues with their data being off.

So the 5700 is that good?

I have Applied Ballistics on my phone (android) so I guess it would play well with the 5700.

Thanks for the insights, all. This is what I was wondering; if the 5700 works as well as the phone app as a ballistic calculator.

The ballistics app in the 5700 is as good or better than any iPhone ballistic app...it's also reading your current environment, so presuming the BCs/velocities etc are properly input, if there is a disagreement between an iPhone app and the kestrel...the kestrel wins.

The phone app is a "dumb" tool, the kestrel is a "smart" tool. The only thing a phone app is better for is giving you all your holdovers at once.

I haven't linked mine my to my phone bc I'm lazy, so I can't comment on any of that.

You won't be sorry you got a 5700. You'll be sorry if you get the one without a ballistics app.

The ballistics apps biggest detriment is putting in good atmospheric data. Phone apps will source temps and barometric pressures from the nearest airport which can be the difference between a hit and a miss.

The Kestrel app is what pairs with the Kestrel fwiw.

I'd much rather get dope from the Kestrel than the iPhone but I've had really great dope from a lot of rifles and done some great shooting without the Kestrel.

Kestrel would be pretty low on my gear list though. Magnetospeed is way higher up the ladder than the Kestrel imho

If you're paying for the applied ballistic app, you're getting applied ballistics firing solutions....but like was said, you aren't getting live environmentals sent to it like you would a Kestrel. I've seen data change from the same spot during the same evening enough to make a difference. Shoot it early when humidity and heat is up and a couple hours later and there's a difference.


It really depends what you're doing. Out to 500-600ish, a good speed and the basic inputs and most apps and such will often suffice. Wanting the most accurate data beyond that distance is where the little things and BC become important.


Couple things I wouldn't wanna have to give up.


Labradar or magnetospeed
Kestrel
Fx120 auto trickler setup.
Good bullet and a good barrel and chamber job and glass that'll track and you're on your way to having a blast and hitting targets not sending lead and copper back into the earth lol.


If you simply wanna hit fulll sized IPSC plates or whatever...you can get away without rabbit holing


Good data in will get you accurate firing solutions out. It's a tool and not fool proof. The more familiar you become with it and work with it on the range the better it'll work for you. There are some tricks...with any ballistic solver. Inside 500-600 if you have a good speed you're likely fine. Beyond that range I shoot and measure off the water line. High or low I start messing with BC to get the Kestrel to tell me what my hits are telling me. BC on the box or in the library can differ due to various reasons. Even a worn fire cracked barrel can cause BC loss.

Yes, the Kestrel 5700 is that good. I use mine mainly for the atmospheric measurements. Combined with the AB Custom curves (if available for the bullet you are using) on the Kestrel 5700 I've found the AB Custom profiles to be spot on with no MV or BC calibration required, in almost every case. I do use it for wind measurements, but not near as much as for the atmospherics.

Another option is to use a phone app that integrates with the Kestrel DROP D3, which is cheaper than the 5700 but I don't know by how much off the top of my head. The Kestrel D3 measures the atmospherics and the phone app uses this data to calculate the firing solution. It's been a while since I used this set-up, but I remember it being pretty accurate. It doesn't measure wind though. It's a cheaper option than the 5700, but the 5700 is much, much better.

I use the Hornady DOF version of the 5700. The 4DOF version includes a correction for Axial Form Factor which is quite handy.

https://hornadykestrel.com/faqs/question/view/id/728/

What is Axial Form Factor?

Due to differences in barrel machining, muzzle breaks, propellants and other factors, when the same bullet is fired from different rifles there will be a slight difference in the drag the bullet will experience. The Hornady 4DOF solver assumes the bullet will be fired from an "average" barrel but in reality your rifle may impact the bullet slightly differently. To account for any differences the Axial Form Factor value can be modified to align the output from the solver to what your bullet is experiencing. By firing at a known target and adjusting the Axial Form Factor value till the predicted solution matches real world results, you can calibrate the solver to match your rifle and bullet and deliver even more accurate firing solutions. Axial Form Factor can be calibrated using a target anywhere from 300 to 800 yards away and impacts the solution through the supersonic, transonic, and subsonic flight of the bullet.

I appreciate all the thoughtful responses. I'm convinced, and will pick one up next sale.

Doubtful that I'll actually go seeking shots on game at 500+ yds but there are times when you can't get closer. Mostly looking forward to the challenge of hitting steel farther out, and developing the skill to take that longer shot with confidence if it's the only shot there is.

If only as per ALWAYS,I'd Start At The Fhuqking Start and forget Gadgetry,so as to focus only actually fhuqking SHOOTING. Hint.

So for clarity,what are the SPECIFICS of said platform,you are wanting to Gadgetize? Rifle Make/Model,RPM,COAL,what's it fed from,mounting system,optic,ammo and how does it shoot,in your mitts. What's the application and how much do you shoot same? What LRF are you driving? KNOW going in,that little to none of that is going to be fhuqking "favorable",so holster your Hurt Tender Feelers welllllll in advance. Hint.

Dots are EASILY connected,less any fhuqking Fluff. Proficiency can NOT be purchased and spent primers remain THE SUPREME Tutorial. Hint......................

Use a ballistic app. Its cheaper than paying for the apps on the Kestral. From time to time, well quite often actually, the Kestrel data is biased.

Download a ballistics app on your phone for $20. Ballistic is a great app, but you can get others. It stays updated for life.

Buy a kestrel without it to save a [bleep] ton of money. The only thing you need from the Kestrel is DA. And you only need that if you're moving a lot with vast changes in DA.

I'd submit that Ballistics AE is sooooooooo fhuqking good,that I don't even shoot any of my (3) chronographs anymore...but I'm gunning Skookum Platforms. Hint.................

Too bad it's not on Android (Switched from iPhone recently)
I make a printout from my WinPC...

Easy to arrange DOPE to the Transonic Slip,on a Rifle's Maiden Voyage with AE and with wayyyyyyyyyyy less than a box of ammo. Simply fhuqking SENSATIONAL,for Rimfire too. Hint.................

Explain...

Shoot the gun to the distance that the bullet should be approaching its sub-sonic velocity. Measure drop. Input actual drop to "true" velocity. Badda bing, you have an accurate dope card for that rifle/ammo combination. Revisit it again at around 200 rounds when your barrel speeds up.

Thank you, Tyler.

I believe it prudent to gun a "real" atmosphere initially(obviously),meaning don't get greedy in Death Vally or K2 and simply allow Physics,to do what they ALWAYS do and that's connect fhuqking dots. Hint.

Armchair an initial velocity,that's your best gut hunch info and then simply let the projectile extrapolate what's ACTUALLY happening. No chronograph involved. Hint..................

Read a lot about these wind meters, and lots of people use them. I haven`t, as I`ve yet to figure how the thing tells you what`s happening at the target, or half way to the target. Anyone know?

Wind meters are barely better than useless in most hunting situations.

Buying a Kestrel to "tell wind direction",is akin to buying a calculator,because you like to lick the number 9. Hint. Congratulations?!?...............

so with a Kestrel 5700 which i know nothing about . can a person punch in bullet size plus grain weight and its G1 OR G7 , ITS fps , then hold this device in the air and will it then give you what that bullet will do at each 100- 1000 yardage at that moment. and or does it have a memory for some of the bullets a person uses too ?

It's a ballistic calculator like any other...you have manually enter everything that effects the bullet. It then saves a profile of that bullet at the speed and bc you've entered (it saves up to three profiles). You definitely need to get real dope and then use it to tweak the BC you've manually entered into the machine.

The scenarios where they work well are in very open terrain and close to full value winds at a fairly constant speed and also where you can stand up and wave the thing around over your head. If you shoot a lot, especially in any sort of mixed terrain, and the wind isn't pretty close to full value, and is changing speed and direction like wind does, the only thing you can trust is your own wind calls.

There's only one place I shoot where I even take the kestrel out.

I find AE wayyyyyyyyyy more intuitive and far friendlier and the kestrel is never really in tow. It's Base 10 wind for me and the reticle tells me what's going on,without fail,in regards to the critique of an initial call. Hint..................

Having drop and windage in Mil, together with an FFP MRAD, is priceless. Irrelevant of what you use to measure range.

well i am kinda confused ? but thanks guys

Shooting P-dogs at absurd distances with one guy spotting and giving come ups with a Sig Kilo 3000 via blue tooth dope from a Kestrel is one of the most fun things a guy cab do with a rifle in his hands.

I guess my question would be, how many using Kestrels for shooting, are using them for hunting also?
Used to be they were called wind meters.
Now they offer more features than just telling you the wind direction and speed at the place you happen to be standing.
But then some rangefinders are offering those features also today, except for wind speed where you happen to be standing.
Long range target shooting is a whole different subject than shooting at live animals at long range.
Difference being a stationary target as compared to a target that has the ability to move at any time in any direction.
Therefore time is always critical when shooting at animals, the shot you have now might well be gone in a few seconds.
The very best solution for every shooting situation is a sighter shot.
And a first round miss is exactly that.
Not saying that you shouldnt prepare for a first round hit, and inside 500 yards, very little preparation should be necessary anyway.
Again, just go shoot, then decide what you need to do it better.

I've never been in a situation,where someone else is giving me "DOPE" for my rifle. Wind is oft mused aloud and other(s) may be ranging ala LRF,but never come-ups,nor can I fathom a scenario for same. Hint.................

Can't answer, "...my question would be, how many using Kestrels for shooting, are using them for hunting also?" directly, but I can tell you how I use mine. I live at sea level and travel to much higher elevations for many of my hunts. At home the Kestrel is used to calibrate, or fine tune the ballistic solutions on my rifles. When I travel for a hunt the first thing I do upon arrival is measure the atmospherics with the Kestrel and update my range card for the new location. This approach has worked very well for me the past several years.

I'd like to simplify the process a bit and just use a good set of range finding binos with atmospheric sensors but that hasn't worked out quite as well. I've tried the SIG KILO 3000, Leica 3200.com and Leica Pro and the Swarovski EL Range TA and all have issues. Of these the Swarovski looks like it will work the best, but it take some work adjusting the BC to get its ballistic curves to approximate the Kestrel AB solution.

Trying to get on the same Pdog, range it, look at phone, wake phone up, dial dope only to have said Pdog running off was a whole lot clumsier than using the Kestrel and Sig combo. A bit of practice in said scenario would have helped, but it was fun as fugg for a couple of mouth breathers.

If I'd have had dope on my stock further out it would have been easier but I didn't.

Interesting "approach". Hint.(grin)

Now if only for conversation,let's Start At The Fhuqking Start:

"So for clarity,what are the SPECIFICS of said platform,you are wanting to Gadgetize? Rifle Make/Model,RPM,COAL,what's it fed from,mounting system,optic,ammo and how does it shoot,in your mitts. What's the application and how much do you shoot same? What LRF are you driving? KNOW going in,that little to none of that is going to be fhuqking "favorable",so holster your Hurt Tender Feelers welllllll in advance. Hint.

Dots are EASILY connected,less any fhuqking Fluff. Proficiency can NOT be purchased and spent primers remain THE SUPREME Tutorial. Hint."

As an absolute minimum,I never don't have DOPE to The Transonic Slip and typically a zipcode beyond,if only as starters. Hint.............

Stick, you’re right. We didn’t have any fun.

Perhaps one can upgrade their Kestrel,to upload Hurt Feeler Reports too?!? Hint.(grin)

Now if only for conversation,let's Start At The Fhuqking Start:

"So for clarity,what are the SPECIFICS of said platform,you are wanting to Gadgetize? Rifle Make/Model,RPM,COAL,what's it fed from,mounting system,optic,ammo and how does it shoot,in your mitts. What's the application and how much do you shoot same? What LRF are you driving? KNOW going in,that little to none of that is going to be fhuqking "favorable",so holster your Hurt Tender Feelers welllllll in advance. Hint.

Dots are EASILY connected,less any fhuqking Fluff. Proficiency can NOT be purchased and spent primers remain THE SUPREME Tutorial. Hint."

As an absolute minimum,I never don't have DOPE to The Transonic Slip and typically a zipcode beyond,if only as starters. Hint.............

I use a chrono when I’m working on a load that’s “off the books”, like this winter when it was VV N568 w/147’s in my 6.5 GAP, or RS Mag with 140’s, or RS Mag in the 7 WSM, just because there’s little or no published data and blowing up a good rifle would suck. But they were close enough on the burn chart to powders with published data, to rate a try, and they were available (the N568 rocks FYI). But that’s about where it starts and ends with the chrono for me.

From there I go to one of my spots; my new one this winter got me to 1k yards and has lots of patches of bare dirt to shoot at, which are very useful, but are in very short supply in my part of the Coast Range. Even though I slum SFP I can see my impacts if I turn the scopes to 1/2 power, and quickly correct my Ballistic AE dope to match my actual results with just slightly more head scratching than FFP.

(I correct it by changing the input velocity until it matches my observed POI, but I’ve always wondered if that was the “best” parameter to mess with? )

I will say, you want to do this many times (aka: burn primers) even if just at the same spot, but ideally at many spots, because up- and down-drafts are a thing. POI will be a little different from day to day, at least in my experience. You have to kind of average it out. As far as a Kestrel, the wind is all over the place across a Coast Range canyon, it’s sometimes blowing the opposite direction at the target compared to where I’m at... so I don’t see much point.

My truck got broken into last time I was at my new spot, and [bleep] Weyerhouser just posted near the shooting position for my other spot, so until some Good Samaritan rips that sign down I’m fishin’, lol. Ocean coho is on...... plus it’s too damn hot to shoot anyway.

Karma is a bitch.
Hopefully she continues to rain upon you.

Well most think the fun part of prairie dog hunting is the amount of shooting involved, not just the kill numbers. A very close miss can be much more entertaining than a red mist shot in my opinion.
i always take 3 guns, but only use 2 for most of the shooting.
I will zero on the holes that average the shot distance for the particular gun, then i just hold up or down from there.
Too much emphasis is placed on dialing now days in hunting situations in my opinion.
Read the book written by # 1 sniper Chris Kyle and you will find his 300 Win mag was sighted in at 400 yards.
And he just held up or down from there on all his shots, except for the very few at extreme distance.

i guess while hunting for now i will just carry my old range finder for now , shoot my handloads out of my 257 Weatherby with 7 1/2 twist barrel use 100 gr. Hammer bullets that shoot 3680 FPS average and Kentucky windage if i have to hurry a shot has worked in the past well . maybe in a couple of years some company will make it simpler to use much faster calculations for hunting ? my system is easy 200 yard zero , 304 for 300 yards 4 inches high ,416 is 400 yards 16 inches high and so on this card is tape on my stock this water proofed paper type card. then i just think about there and fire , takes seconds to figure out then. i wish all a great hunting season,Pete53

for years I ran the "Shooter" app on my cell phones. I used the Kestrel 2500 for most of those years then moved up to the 3500 as it had humidity readout. They always worked but having to input temp, barometric pressure, wind speed/direction and up/down angle could be time consuming; especially in a hurried hunting situation. Last year moved up to the Kestrel 5700 Elite and am in heaven. Besides hunting I shoot a lot of NRL Hunter, NRL22 and NRL22X matches and the 5700 has been invaluable.

Alan

I'm pretty certain that Chris Kyle didn't do that with a duplex reticle, or even LR dots/ballistic plex. As far as I can tell, the turrets go hand-in-hand with reticles that make such quick, precise holds possible, especially for wind.

My intent in asking about a Kestrel was to ascertain it's practical use while hunting in open, windy country. At this point I'm back on the fence and before spending any more money on "gadgets," as Stick puts it, I'm going to see what I can do with a rangefinder and trued DOPE supplied by the Applied Ballistics app. Got plenty of time to practice, and that's half the fun.

Again, I appreciate all the thoughtful replies.

I know some DOD types who might set their turrets to some intermediate range in an overwatch/security situation where they might have to engage targets quickly at different distances (hold under for 200 meters, hold over for 600, etc). But shooting with them on a flat range they dial like regular folk.

As far as using the kestrel for hunting, I only really take it out when I'm sitting in camp or eating lunch... in case of big weather change, altitude change, if I'm bored, etc. But that stuff is always on a dope card anyway. Knowing where your wind calls start to break down is still the whole game.

I highly doubt any of them zeroed their rifles for 400. I'd almost bet a dollar, they zeroed at 100 and moved their turrets to the 400 yard dope, checked to make sure it was good, if they even did that. I'd guess they shot their guns enough to know they were good before they ever deployed. Having your turrets dialed to the ranges where most of the engagements take place sounds like smart thinking and since a fella or target torso has alot of height you stand a solid chance of being within killing center mass at 200 or even 500 when shooting gets fast with such a zero, holding a shade high or a shade lower.

I would suggest thoes interested look up a guy named Ryan Cleckner..pertty good shooter, wrote a book or two, and has some good informative vids on the internet. I`ve learned a few things, you may too.

Well id suggest you read his book.
That will tell you exactly what he did and what he didnt do.
Also we fail to realize in this discussion that prior to the 80s there werent any scopes you even could dial, because none had dials.
Other than a very few target scopes like Unertl, which were very popular for that reason.
But they had to be set up properly or they wouldnt work well for dialing either.
And frankly most of them werent.
Most of the varmint shooters who rode around with a heavy barrel gun with a Unertl scope hanging in their pickup were cluless about how the scope worked.
It was simply window dressing, and all you needed to do was look at it to know that.
Another problem here is that prior to the internet and sites like this very few people were even aware that this type hunting was even happening.
But it was, and it was for a very long time, and being done very well also, without the need for gadgets.

Some "get" to read about shooting and others simply shoot. Hint.

A NSW Crane-esque 300 Winny is rather mundane as performance goes and because Droolers fixate headstamps,that obvious is never entertained. For extrapolation,neither A191(190 Sugar) or the MK248M2(220),can keep pace with a 22" 264 Kreed whistling a 147 at 2700fps. Supersonic range is eclipsed and that never don't not seal the deal. Read that again. Now one more time. Hint.

Now as to being enthralled with some Wives Tale "zero" range,that is equally as fhuqking humorous and folks who shoot,don't say schit that fhuqking Stupid. Hint.

If only because Facts matter and to the chagrin of Fhuqktards everywhere.

Now if only for conversation,let's Start At The Fhuqking Start:

"So for clarity,what are the SPECIFICS of said platform,you are wanting to Gadgetize? Rifle Make/Model,RPM,COAL,what's it fed from,mounting system,optic,ammo and how does it shoot,in your mitts. What's the application and how much do you shoot same? What LRF are you driving? KNOW going in,that little to none of that is going to be fhuqking "favorable",so holster your Hurt Tender Feelers welllllll in advance. Hint.

Dots are EASILY connected,less any fhuqking Fluff. Proficiency can NOT be purchased and spent primers remain THE SUPREME Tutorial. Hint."

I sure as fhuqk am NOT tickling the ivories betwixt shots,for some convoluted archaeic "reason". Hint.

Just saying.........................

It's amazing how the plain old White Box Hornady Match 147's have stolen the show.

I’ve used just about every ballistic calculator app out there, and have been using Ballistic and Ballistic:AE since it first came out in original guise (original and FTE), and have also been using a Kestrel 5700 Elite for a year and a half. The Kestrel does include more degrees of freedom in its solutions, but Ballistic:AE is far more user friendly. With good data inputs AE and the 5700 are within 0.1 MRAD of each other. I mainly use the Kestrel for prepping at matches, and it’s also a great reference tool for learning to read wind. But in hunting scenarios, while I often have the Kestrel with me, I nearly always use a DOPE card (and AE if I have time). I zero for a decent PBR, and dial beyond that.

Sorry, very bad writing on my part. Yes, they had normal zeroes (we got beat on if we didn't return turrets and parallax to 100 every time we reset or moved) and sometimes used an intermediate elevation setting. Othertimes they dialed for known distance, othertimes they dialed for known distance plus 6" (or whatever) so they could PID a target, othertimes they just used the reticle. But as you say they knew their gear frontways and back and used it in ways that civilians probably would not have thought of.