I'm working on a new Java ballistic simulator to replace the old one. Mission Statement:

• It is the best exterior ballistics program in the world. Because...
• It does what the $50 programs do.
• It is free.
• If it is missing a useful feature the other programs have, let me know and I will add it.
• It provides a Head Up Display to simulate what you see thru the sights.
• It works on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and mobile devices.
• It actually helps you hit the target in real life, not just weird theory.

It will be the best program in the world, and with your help. If another program does something better, leave a message here and I will improve the program. So I look forward to working with you. It will have flashier graphics, maybe allow you to shoot over videos, and freeze the video when the bullet hits.

How to miss the target.

This British Para has the back sight on his rifle set for 300m battle zero. See it sticking up? Good thing, with all that terrorism going on. Somebody trained him to do that, and he cares enough to check. The Mumbai police have the same rifle, click to enlarge. People are dying, every back sight is folded down for storage. Nobody cared enough to train these people, and they don't even have the smarts to look through their own sights to see something is wrong. The guy above has had all day to work it out, and he's one of the experienced officers, presumably. Can you find a picture from Google search with a Mumbai police officer with an L1A1 rifle with the sight folded up? Good luck. 1: They haven't been issued with ammunition (no spare mags). 2. They don't know enough to fold the sight up for the cameras to pretend they care. You have to know how your sights work.

Visual Resolution

The best the eyeball can detect is about 1" at 100 yards, or about 1 minute of angle. Which is a 1" black circle on a white background at 100 yards on a good day. That is 4 1/4 moa scope clicks. With no magnification, less than 4 scope clicks from a ballistic table is invisible. For example: 2750 fps, 150 yard zero out to 200 yards, you can barely see the effect of range without a scope.

Gold Medal match - 5.56x45mm NATO
Bullet Weight   : 77 gr        BC               : 0.31
Muzzle Velocity : 2750 fps     Zero Range       : 150 yards

Range   Height  Hclicks
-------  -------  -------
0      -1.00        0
50      0.67        5 <-- You can barely see 5 clicks
100     1.05        4 <-- 4 clicks is the limit of human vision
150     0.00        0
200    -2.66       -5 <-- You can barely see 5 clicks  

Head up bullet drop display, you don't need it with a ghost ring sight out to 200m here: Well, that saves you carrying the laptop to your bunny rabbit hunt, doesn't it?