Leupold CDS Dial Zeroing

[Oregonhunter12]

I recently received my CDS dial from Leupold. I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon (about 200 feet about sea level). My CDS dial is set for 5,000 ft of elevation because I hunt on the east side of Oregon. Leupold tells me that there is a 2,000 foot buffer for my ammunition (3,000 to 7,000 feet). I'm trying to avoid heading 3 hours east just to zero my rifle. Does anyone know how big of a difference the elevation will make if I zero my rifle near home (200 ft about sea level)? I'm wondering if I should just zero the rifle at 100 yards at 1/4 MOA above the bulls eye? Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Rich

 

[yoda]

If you know the velocity of your rounds you can plug everything in here and it.will at.least get you close.
Let you plug in any altitude you want. http://www.shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php

 

[Schism]

I would want to zero my rifle at an elevation closest to that which I will be hunting. You can have it zeroed at 300 feet and the windage shouldn’t need to be adjusted at 5000. A quick couple of shots a when u arrive at 5000 will be enough for adjustment of elevation setting and will provide the confidence needed to make a shot at a game animal.

 

[7mm08mo]

I live at around 1000 ft elevation and had mine cut for 4000 foot and noticed no difference in point of impact.

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

With mine I try and do it at close to the Temp I will be hunting and look at ballistic charts of the elevation I will be hunting at adjust the difference from the elevation I am at, then zero the rifle at a 300 yard range and set the dial there on 300yards as I see this as about half the range I will be usefull.

 

[tom338]

Yoda, a question for you (or anybody that can answer) I have 2 Leupold scopes( VHS 5) that are MOA adjustable. I looked at the link you sent and have a question. I plugged in my data and looked at the chart. It gives MOA adjustments in a column, I am assuming that an adjustment that says+ 1.60 would mean (with 1/4 Moa scope adjustments) you would turn the turret up 6 clicks or to the 1 1/2 mark on the dial?? I am struggling to use my MOA scope's. I have yet to find a chart that will work with 2 different 7mm rem mag's and a 260. Everyone says MOA is so simple, maybe I'm overthinking it

 

[Gunner46]

Yoda beat me to it. That calculator will give you all the info you need. Play with it, change variables. You'll learn tons !

 

[1_pointer]

Yoda, a question for you (or anybody that can answer) I have 2 Leupold scopes( VHS 5) that are MOA adjustable. I looked at the link you sent and have a question. I plugged in my data and looked at the chart. It gives MOA adjustments in a column, I am assuming that an adjustment that says+ 1.60 would mean (with 1/4 Moa scope adjustments) you would turn the turret up 6 clicks or to the 1 1/2 mark on the dial?? I am struggling to use my MOA scope's. I have yet to find a chart that will work with 2 different 7mm rem mag's and a 260. Everyone says MOA is so simple, maybe I'm overthinking it

Yes, if you need to adjust 1.6 move the dial 1.6 (assuming it adjust as it says it should) or to the nearest adjustment to what you need. It's easier if you just think of the adjustments in their own units and not in inches or clicks.

 

[belshawelk]

I live in Portland and have CDS. I hunt all east side and my dials are are for 3500. Insightef mine in Portland. You’ll be a scosh high at higher elevations due to thinner air. But depends on range and bullet also.

 

[PRM]

Just make sure the scope repeatedly gives you what you’re dialing. Applies to any scope you dial, but some are more reliable than others.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Man do some of you guys like to over complicate things ............ that is unless you are 1000+ yd shooters.
And this is coming from a guy that is ANAL about accuracy.

 

[klizm]

The one option I have not seen metioned here is to use a good ballistics calculator to ones advantage. I use 2, JBM ballistics and LRBM on the Vortex web site. Google them both. Use the advanced version and plug in all data. Experiment by changing only the altitude values and generate tables to 1000 yds. You will see how much actual change there is and whether or not it is actually important enough to consider based on your type of hunting. These guys put a lot of work in developing the algorithms used for calculation... Enjoy.....u