Leupold CDS dials

[chrisk]

I thought about buying one of the models with these dials(VX-2 4-12x40) for my 6.5-300 Weatherby when it comes in. Does anyone have any exp. with the custom dials or feed back?
I know I could use a something else with a higher mag. I like the concept and price compared to so high end models but still feel I wouldn't be buying something with low quality. Thought I would ask around.
Thanks

[Mike D]

I thought about buying one of the models with these dials(VX-2 4-12x40) for my 6.5-300 Weatherby when it comes in. Does anyone have any exp. with the custom dials or feed back?

I know I could use a something else with a higher mag. I like the concept and price compared to so high end models but still feel I wouldn't be buying something with low quality. Thought I would ask around.

Thanks

If you give them accurate ballistic info, they will be spot on. Leupold isn't in the habit of putting out low quality stuff.

[Txdeerhunter243]

If you give them accurate ballistic info, they will be spot on. Leupold isn't in the habit of putting out low quality stuff.

Yep. If you give them good info they work very well.

[Shane]

They'll be accurate for your rifle and load in the location and weather conditions when you shot it and obtained your data. If you take the gun to a significantly different elevation and shoot in significantly different temperatures and weather conditions, then your points of impact won't quite match up to the dial numbers. Variances get bigger the longer your shots are, of course. That's the downside of BDC reticles and custom turrets, in my opinion.

But if you get your data in the same place and conditions that you hunt in, you'll be good to go. And if you don't shoot past 250-300 yards, any variance will be minor even in significantly different conditions.

[stxhunter]

^^^ Shane is spot on. It will work, but you must be hunting in the same conditions.

If you know your dope you could do something like this with a label maker much cheaper.

[Shane]

You can also have dials made for different elevations and/or weather conditions.

I'm a newbie to all this long range stuff, but for me it seems simpler to just use mils or MOAs and dial/hold dope based on that.

[WyoBull]

I have CDS dials on two of my rifles, a 7mm RUM and a 220 Swift. I do all of my own reloading and load development. I can tell you that if you provide them the accurate information on your load, elevation and temperature (keep in mind the elevations are +/- 200 feet and the temperature ranges are +/- 20 degrees F). Since I live and hunt here in Wyoming I told them to build my dial for 7000 feet, which gives me a range of 5000-9000 feet and a temperature of 50 degrees so I have a range of 30-70 degrees F.

When I got my dial back after providing them the load data for each rifle, I can tell you the numbers were spot on and my rifles hit exactly where they ballistics charts for that dial say they should.

One thing you will need to settle on as well is what distance your zero range will be. For my two rifles, since they are so flat shooting I have mine dialed in to hit dead on zero at 300 yards. If you have a real flat shooting rifle you do not need a dial based on a 100 or 200 yard zero. Remember, the whole idea of even having a dial is to be able to shoot accurately at longer distances.

One thing the dials did for me is really boost my confidence at longer distances versus using the old "Kentucky windage hope and a prayer" method when shooting out at longer ranges.

You can get multiple dials for the same rifle based on different loads you might shoot. If you have multiple dials made for the same rifle, the only thing you would need to adjust when you change the dial is your zero.

I can highly recommend them and Leupold is great to work with as well. I would recommend buying a scope that is already CDS dial capable, otherwise, you will have to send your scope into Leupold to get the turrets changed out to be able to handle the new dial. One of mine I had to send back in to them and the other one was already CDS dial capable so all I had to do on that one was send them all of the information they needed and within 2 weeks the dial was shipped to me.

Go for it, you will not be disappointed.

[splitbeam145]

You can have the turrets made for the environment you shoot in or leave the existing turret on and order a G7 Rangefinder. You input your ballistic info into the rangefinder that you shot and gathered info in, then it'll calculate your BDC,MRAD, or MOA automatically off that based on your new shooting location. Ex. Turret is set for 1000' Elev. 50 Degree with 140gr. BC .612 and know gun shoot 3000fps. You input this into the RF, then when you hunt somewhere that's 8000' Elev. 20 Degree with same bullet and BC. It will recalculate that info and give you corrected yardage to shoot. You can range a target at 843yds then about 2 sec. later it'll tell you to shoot for 817yds. It's that simple. They run about $1800 but they are fast, accurate, and VERY reliable.

[McClain]

[QUOTE=Shane;11000366
I'm a newbie to all this long range stuff, but for me it seems simpler to just use mils or MOAs and dial/hold dope based on that.[/QUOTE]

^^^Shane is spot on again!