Bullseye from 1,000 yards: Shooting the $17,000 Linux-powered rifle

[mike_c]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/03/bullseye-from-1000-yards-shooting-the-17000-linux-powered-rifle/

"Good tag," replies the spotter, watching on the iPad. He leaves the device in my hands and looks through a conventional high-powered spotting scope at the target Steve has selected. The wind stops momentarily. "Send it," he calls out.

Steve pulls the trigger, but nothing immediately happens. On the iPad's screen, his reticle shifts from blue to red and drifts toward the marked target. Even though I'm expecting it, the rifle's report is startling when it fires.

A second later, the spotter calls out, "That's a hit!"

Steve has just delivered a .338 Lapua Magnum round directly onto a target about the size of a big dinner plate at a range of 1,008 yards—that's ten football fields, or a tick over 0.91 kilometers. It's his very first try. He has never fired a rifle before today.

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I'm not a gun owner-- in fact, I favor gun control measures that would disarm most Americans-- but I do appreciate a nice piece of kit and I'm a bit of a tech nerd. Way out of my price range as well as my desire range, but still. This one's gonna show up in thriller novels pretty soon, I think-- it's got sniper written all over it. Wonder if I could do this with a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino or two, LOL.

[DollarBillHines]

1. I've dropped many Whitetail Deer at 400+ yards

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70, 30.06 with a Redfield Widefield scope. I doubt I had $500 in that set-up. My rest would usually be the hood of a Jeep or a tree trunk.

The Machinery in the article is pretty impressive, but how is it going to handle live, moving targets?

[GreenStormCloud]

4. Yes, it can handle movement of the target.

It can calculate and adjust for lead of target. You do have to manually input the wind speed, barometric pressure, altitude, lattitude, but it takes care of everything else, including the curve of the earth and cariolis.

[DollarBillHines]

6. Too much work

My brain can do that in 1/2 second.

Still, the technology is fascinating.

[holdencaufield]

2. This is better ...

...

[premium]

5. Classic movie.

Done as only the late, great Rodney Dangerfield could do it.

Got to see him in 95 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, he had the whole audience roaring with laughter.

[ileus]

3. clock +3600

Hope it easier to set time on.

[Blue_Tires]

7. Doesn't that take just a *little* skill out of the equation?

I can't imagine any purist liking this...