Is anyone still using a CURT system?

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:56 pm

A friend loaned me his old CURT simulator to try out and it seems to be working quite well, but then I've never used any of the other simulators on the market.

Is anyone else still using a CURT? It offers a variety of diagnostics, such as timing, path analysis and group sizing. It appears to be quite accurate (or I've somehow gotten a whole lot better overnight).

If anyone is interested, it runs on DOS or Windows 95/2000/XP, so long as your computer has a nine-pin COM port.

I'd appreciate any advice other CURT users can offer. Thanks!

Jason

waxman · Post by **waxman** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:04 am

Not familiar with the CURT system Jason. I'm curious though!
Do you have a link that describes it?
John

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:28 pm

I can't find an active website for CURT anymore. Here's what it says in the overview:

When you get the target picture on your monitor, you can start the aiming procedure. The detector unit sends an infrared lightbeam to the target unit, which in turn replies by sending an infrared light beam back to the detector unit. In the detector unit, the light beam passes a quadratic aperture, which makes the light beam received by the infrared detectors become quadratic.

When the infrared detectors are hit by the light beam, the detectors emits an electrical signal, proportional to the incoming light. As the aiming deviates from the center of the target, the infrared detectors detects a difference of the incoming light, proportional to the deviation.

When you are aiming at the center of the target, it is time to fire your firearm. A microphone in the detector unit senses the firing sound. The deviation and firing are processed and calculated in the system unit, and the result is forwarded to the computer.

If you'd like I can take a picture of the unit attached to my rifle. I've attached a PDF of a 10-shot series I fired last night with it.

Jason

waxman · Post by **waxman** » Wed May 06, 2009 6:03 am

Thanks Jason. Appears to be a helpful system.
I wonder why it isn't available any longer.
John

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Wed May 06, 2009 8:33 am

Probably because it's pre-USB and no computers come with nine-pin ports any more (that I know of, anyway).

I'm running it on an old Pentium 120 laptop running Windows 95 and use 3.5" floppies to transfer data files over to my primary laptop. I have both DOS and Windows versions of the software and it's basic but it works.

The replay feature doesn't work on the old laptop and since it doesn't have a USB port I can't print anything either, so it's a bit of a pain. On the plus side, I can leave everything attached to my rifle down in the basement.

And since I work from home anyway, I can usually sneak away from work and get in 30-50 shots over my lunch. The nearest indoor range is 2.5 hours away, so it's either this or regular dryfiring, which just bores me silly.

Jason