By Mark V. Lonsdale

STTU Training Director

If you are involved in long range shooting, for competition, recreating, or taking care of “more serious business,” then you will be familiar with Applied Ballistics AB Mobile App for firing solutions. But this engine is available in the Kestrel wind and weather meters, the SIG Kilo 2400ABS rangefinder and now the new Garmin Foretrex 701 GPS. So which one is right for you?

Here it is in a nut shell. If you can afford all three, then buy all three since redundancy is a good thing. But if you always shoot on a known distance range, then you do not need a rangefinder. The Kestrel will be a significant aid and you will find that having the Garmin 701 on your wrist is very convenient for quick solutions when conditions change.

If you are a backwoodsman, hunter, or military sniper, then the rangefinder is an essential and the GPS is extremely useful – but you still need the wind/weather meter. Most military operators are currently wearing the Garmin 401 so it may be time to step up to the 701. For law enforcement snipers in a municipal environment, distance is critical but the need or a GPS or wind effect is minimal. For county law enforcement snipers who may have to operate in rural environments involving longer distance, then all three will be useful, but if you already have a reliable rangefinder and GPS, then just go with the Kestrel ABS wind/weather meter.