CDS Dial.... works?

[Anonymous]

My wife surprised me with a rangefinder as a Christmas gift this year. I've been playing around with it and find that I unquestionable stink at dead reckoning ranges (like everyone I'd imagine).

That said- now that I can range a critter effectively...I'm wondering if getting a CDS dial for a scope is a good idea or not. I only really hunt with a single load so I wouldn't have to change much. Basically, range it, dial it and shoot it. I had a B&C reticle in a previous scope and found it aggravating...and it cost me a caribou and a wolf in one season.

Not really a fan of long range hunting...but what passed for long range hunting a few years ago...isn't really out of realm of reason. Thinking 500yds might just be my practical limit.

Thinking a Leupold FX-3 6x42 with a dial....

 

[Elkman]

I have found that unless you know "exactly" your velocity, and of course bullet BC, that the "pre-printed" dials from the factory don't work for me. What I have done, is bought the standard turret, and then developed a range card for my rifle, at the elevations and conditions that I hunt.
Then I count the clicks. I also have my rifle sighted in for 300 yards. Last fall my bull, was 353 yards away according to my range finder. Instead of taking the time to add elevation (the cows with him had noticed me), I just held up a bit and squeezed. I hit exactly where I expected. My average shot on elk is about 300 yards or so.

 

[DrMike]

I have found that unless you know "exactly" your velocity, and of course bullet BC, that the "pre-printed" dials from the factory don't work for me. What I have done, is bought the standard turret, and then developed a range card for my rifle, at the elevations and conditions that I hunt.
Then I count the clicks. I also have my rifle sighted in for 300 yards. Last fall my bull, was 353 yards away according to my range finder. Instead of taking the time to add elevation (the cows with him had noticed me), I just held up a bit and squeezed. I hit exactly where I expected. My average shot on elk is about 300 yards or so.

And that's the way it was done for years. A rifleman knew his rifle, his load and his limitations; and he brought home the game.

 

[Anonymous]

I've generally just zeroed at 250 and shot dead on out to 350...that's always worked

Using the rangefinder though...I'm looking at some critters out there at 400 and 450 that just look like doable shots from a rest and the rifle will carry the energy that far pretty readily if you can work out the holdover.

Maybe just using a card and a turret would work better.

 

[Vince]

I started with turning the turrets. Then I went to a ballistic reticle and haven't looked back.

I find turning the turrets to be a pain for me. Something about forgetting to turn them back. With today's range finders making shots that were considered out of the realm of the average hunter isn't so far fetched these days and the improvements made in bullet technology helps to make what was once uncommon more commonplace.

We each have to find what works for us. For you it appears to be turrets and turning. For me it's the ballistic reticle. To each their own as they both work out to reasonable ranges.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[JD338]

So long as you know the exact speed and BC of your bullet and the elevation, the CDS will work. There will be variation due to temperature and humidity but at 500 yds and less, it really wont be enough to worry about.

JD338

 

[Charlie-NY]

I prefer the ballistic holdover reticles. They are fast and easy. I rarely have time to fool around with dialing up elevation.
Typically, I will sight the rifle in at 300yds using the 300yd line in the scope. Regardless of load, the 200 yd line in the scope is always very close. The 400 yd line in the scope is usually very close too but can easily be verified by shooting and any minor change needed can be memorized.

 

[wildgene]

..."Trust but Verify", like anything else, the better the input, the better the output. The big advantage to the CDS knob is you can read the rangefinder, then dial it directly on the scope w/o counting "clicks", remembering revolutions, doing MOA or MIL calcs. Dial it up, point & shoot, run it back down to your "Zero Stop".

 

[longrangehunter]

The truth is it takes seconds to turn a turret, and your mind can focus on the exact center of cross hair line superimposed over the animal. Which is actually easier then having to concentrate on counting down the line, is it half way or all the way to the next line, so on and so fourth. I've had plenty of woman mess it up with BDC reticles, beside it's not exact either, which could mean you're off a little or a lot! It's no different if you didn't know the range, it's an educated guess, so why have that margin of error built into the equation?

If you want to be precise with where the bullet will land, use a tactical turret design or a custom calibrated turret to the load and the rifle you're shooting. But hey, if you can hit a 8" circle 9 out of 10 times at the distances you plan on taking shots, by all means use what works for you.

 

[FOTIS]

Pick an accurate load and shoot it at 100 yard increments up to 500 then you know

 

[SJB358]

I have the CDS dial on a few scopes and an M1 dial. The M1 is the cats meow, but the CDS is workable.

Either way, you need to shoot your chart and practice with them. Hard to really do much beyond that. Never found the charts to be perfect for me, so shooting my range card is the only way I like to roll anymore.

 

[jimbires]

+1 , the charts get me on paper , at each yardage . they've never been spot on for me .

 

[IdahoCTD]

You can buy the scope and figure out the drops/clicks for your load before submitting it to Leupold. Then you know the real drop instead of a calculated drop. Out to 500-600 yards is pretty easy. CDS dials are easy and effective if the info is right but a target type knob is much more universal. I think Kenton will make a custom M1 or target knob with the distances on it as well.

 

[sask boy]

I placed the CDS on my VX6 and it worked fine. But while hunting I just ranged the distance then never checked the CDS as I was so used to shoot the old fashion way as I knew the rifle and just held and squeezed. So When I placed it on my 280AI I took off the turrets and went back to what I know best!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[jagermeister]

When I first started to hunt with a rifle (some 25 years ago or little more :wink: ) we had no rangefinder and we used a 6X scope (Swarovski 6x42) with German 4 reticle.
We supplied the lack of info by using flat calibers, such as 6,5x68 Schuler, 7x66 Vom Hofe, 7 Rem.Mag. which allowed more "error" on the range estimating.
300 meters was a long shot back then...

After some years, I switched to a VX III 3,5-10x40 with B & C reticle.
With the help of the (now widely used) rangefinder we were able to improve accuracy and extend "safe" range at which an animal could be reasonably taken.

Since a couple of years I mostly hunt with a PST 4-16x50 with Mil turrets and I must say this is definetely the way I feel much better when I have to take a long shot.

Ballistic reticle aren't bad at all, but there is still some "guessing" involved.
Hash marks are often references in-between and, for second focal plane scopes (like most), one has to remember to have the scope on the correct setup, for the hash marks to work.....

Again, personally, I much prefer working the turrets.
That gives me the feeling my shot will land exactly "there".

I use either a drop chart or a ballistic software on my smartphone.
They both work well.



P.S.: As some of you have already said, this system must be well tested on paper at various distance and conditions prior to be employed in the field.

P.P.S.: Btw, my Leupold with B & C is still in use but now has an M1 turret on top

 

[Thebear_78]

Thinking a Leupold FX-3 6x42 with a dial....

I have been thinking the same thing for my lightweight 270 win. I think that the 6x42 with CDS turret and post and duplex reticle would be great. I can’t think of a better all around scope for my application. I have found that even when not perfect as long as you use accurate velosity and BC ratings it is very close. I had one for a 308 with 168 berger hunting VLD and it worked out very close to actual POI. That said I generally left it set for 200 yards most of the time anyway. Anything further than that you generally have time to dial it in.