Ballistics systems and methods

Abstract

A scope may include an adjustment dial, which may be moved among a plurality of positions to configure the scope to compensate for projectile drops. The adjustment dial may be labeled with dial-calibration data, which may include one or more distance indicators and/or one or more windage hold-off indicators. The scope may be attached to a gun and the dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using ballistics performance data based on shots fired by the gun. The dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using shooting conditions. An electronic device may include a derived distance calculation module, which may be configured to use a distance to a target and actual shooting conditions to calculate a derived distance. The derived distance may be used in connection with an adjustment dial labeled with dial-calibration data at least partially generated using shooting conditions different from the actual shooting conditions.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of creating a label or an etching for an adjustment dial used to adjust a scope for a gun, said method comprising the steps of:
 receiving ballistics performance data, said ballistics performance data being associated with shots taken during a range test using the gun to which the scope is attached, wherein the adjustment dial is rotated among indicated positions during the range test;   providing a dial-calibration data generation module for generating said dial-calibration data using said ballistics performance data; and   creating said label or etching for said adjustment dial using said dial-calibration data, said label or etching including distance indicators, wherein said label or etching is created by at least one of an etching apparatus, a label making apparatus, and a printing apparatus.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said ballistics performance data comprises impact variance data from one or more shots taken during the range test. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said impact variance data comprises one or more distances above or below an expected impact point for one or more shots taken at a particular distance during the range test. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said ballistics performance data is received via the Internet. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said dial-calibration data generation module is implemented as a part of a web service. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said web service receives said ballistics performance data from a browser or other software program operating on a computing device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of:
 receiving expected shooting conditions data, said expected shooting conditions data including one or more conditions under which the gun is expected to be used; 
 wherein said dial-calibration data is generated using said ballistics performance data and said expected shooting conditions data. 
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said expected shooting conditions data includes at least one of pressure data, temperature data, elevation data and humidity data at which the gun is expected to be used. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving expected shooting conditions data for conditions under which the gun is expected to be used, said expected shooting conditions data including one or more of the following:
 pressure data; 
 temperature data; 
 elevation data; and 
 humidity data; 
 
 generating said dial-calibration data using said ballistics performance data and said expected shooting conditions data. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving at least one of: 
 ballistics coefficient data provided by a manufacturer of a projectile to be shot; 
 muzzle velocity data provided by the projectile manufacturer; and 
 shooting conditions data under which the range test is expected to be performed; and 
 generating a projectile trajectory using at least one of said ballistics coefficient data, said muzzle velocity data and said range test expected shooting conditions data. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising the step of generating a range card using said projectile trajectory. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said range card includes:
 distance data indicating one or more distances from which projectiles may be shot as part of the range test; and   dial position data indicating one or more positions for the adjustment dial to be used when said projectiles are shot by the gun to which the scope is attached.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said ballistics performance data may be entered into said range card. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said label or etching further includes windage hold-off indicators. 
     
     
         36 . A method of creating a label or an etching for an adjustment dial used to adjust a scope for a gun, said method comprising the steps of:
 receiving expected shooting conditions data, said expected shooting conditions data including one or more conditions under which the gun is expected to be used;   providing a dial-calibration data generation module for generating dial-calibration data using said expected shooting conditions data; and   creating said label or etching for said adjustment dial using said dial-calibration data, said label or etching including distance indicators, wherein said label or etching is created by at least one of an etching apparatus, a label making apparatus, and a printing apparatus.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said expected shooting conditions data includes at least one of pressure data, temperature data, elevation data, and humidity data at which the gun is expected to be used. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising the step of:
 receiving ballistics performance data, said ballistics performance data being associated with shots taken during a range test using the gun to which the scope is attached; 
 wherein said dial-calibration data is generated using said ballistics performance data and said expected shooting conditions data. 
 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said label or etching further includes windage hold-off indicators. 
     
     
         40 . A method of creating a label or an etching for an adjustment dial used to adjust a scope for a gun, wherein said adjustment dial is rotatable among a plurality of positions to configure the scope to compensate for projectile drops associated with various distances to a target, wherein said label or etching includes distance indicators, wherein the improvement comprises:
 receiving shooting conditions data under which a range test is performed, said range test shooting conditions data including at least one of the following:
 pressure data; 
 temperature data; 
 elevation data; and 
 humidity data; 
   receiving ballistics performance data obtained during said range test, said ballistics performance data including one or more distances above or below an expected impact point for one or more shots taken at a particular distance during the range test;   providing a dial-calibration data generation module for generating dial-calibration data using said range test shooting conditions data and said ballistics performance data; and   providing one of an etching apparatus, a label making apparatus, and a printing apparatus for creating said label or etching for said adjustment dial using said dial-calibration data.   
     
     
         41 . A system for creating a label or an etching for an adjustment dial used to adjust a scope for a gun, said system comprising:
 a dial-calibration data generation module that receives expected shooting conditions data and generates dial-calibration data using said expected shooting conditions data; and   at least one of an etching apparatus, label making apparatus and printing apparatus that uses said dial-calibration data to create said label or etching for said adjustment dial.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41  further comprising a ballistics calculation module that generates a projectile trajectory using one or more the of the following:
 ballistics coefficient data provided by a manufacturer of a projectile to be shot; 
 muzzle velocity data provided by the projectile manufacturer; and 
 shooting conditions data under which a range test is expected to be performed. 
 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42  further comprising a range card generation module that generates a range card, wherein said range card includes:
 distance data indicating one or more distances from which projectiles may be shot as part of the range test; and 
 dial position data indicating one or more positions for the adjustment dial to be used when said projectiles are shot by the gun to which the scope is attached. 
 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said expected shooting conditions data includes at least one of pressure data, temperature data, elevation data, and humidity data at which the gun is expected to be used. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said expected shooting conditions data is received by said dial-calibration data generation module via the Internet.