Leupold CDs technical question

[jo3hunter]

i just got a Leupold VX 5hd 3x15x44 never had on before and I've been playing around with it I went got everything for hornadys calculator and chronoed the gun I am using the 100 yd zero because that is my limit of range at location so my question is if zeroed at 100 and the moa to 300 is 3.79 with trajectory of -12 if I shoot at the bullseye with target set at 100 I should technically be 4" high at 100 or am I thinking wrong and it should be 12" new to this and just playing around thanks

 

[brockel]

If you zero at 100 yards and then dial 3.79 moa you will be just shy of 4” high at 100 yards

 

[peterk1234]

Don't take any app as gospel though. I have been working on my drops using the exact scope and app. It was dead on at 200. At 300 yards I was 2 clicks or .5 MOA off. So I backed into things by adjusting my scope height slightly in the app. I chronoed every shot and had the BC, so I didn't want to tweak those. Once I did that, everything was perfect out to 400 meters. Then I shot out to 600 meters, dialing per the app recommendation. I was shooting very high. Had to back off 3 MOA.

People way more experienced than me will chime in on your question. My point is that if you have the opportunity, verify your numbers. Don't trust them for actual hunting if that's the plan.

 

[jo3hunter]

If you zero at 100 yards and then dial 3.79 moa you will be just shy of 4” high at 100 yards

thanks brockel so if I'm thinking right if shooting at 100 yd target zero at 100 12" drop at 300 would be 4 in high at target 16" would be 5 20" would be six not actual # just figuring 1" per 4 moa I'm no expert just playing with numbers

 

[jo3hunter]

Don't take any app as gospel though. I have been working on my drops using the exact scope and app. It was dead on at 200. At 300 yards I was 2 clicks or .5 MOA off. So I backed into things by adjusting my scope height slightly in the app. I chronoed every shot and had the BC, so I didn't want to tweak those. Once I did that, everything was perfect out to 400 meters. Then I shot out to 600 meters, dialing per the app recommendation. I was shooting very high. Had to back off 3 MOA.

People way more experienced than me will chime in on your question. My point is that if you have the opportunity, verify your numbers. Don't trust them for actual hunting if that's the plan.

not my actual plan yet I'm just figuring it all out maybe try it in the future hunting I'm still old school with the 300 win hold over lines which work well for me just screwing around with ieverything once I get to inlaws this summer in SD when I can reach out and try it at the correct elevation trying to learn yet

 

[Fire_9]

Don't take any app as gospel though. I have been working on my drops using the exact scope and app. It was dead on at 200. At 300 yards I was 2 clicks or .5 MOA off. So I backed into things by adjusting my scope height slightly in the app. I chronoed every shot and had the BC, so I didn't want to tweak those. Once I did that, everything was perfect out to 400 meters. Then I shot out to 600 meters, dialing per the app recommendation. I was shooting very high. Had to back off 3 MOA.

People way more experienced than me will chime in on your question. My point is that if you have the opportunity, verify your numbers. Don't trust them for actual hunting if that's the plan.

I would not suggest adjusting your scope height to get your drops to line up. That is a measured number and will not change.

The only variable one should consider tweaking is BC and velocity. If you put correct info into a solver and your scope works as it should, your numbers will be very close.

 

[Nicoli7153]

If the scope is new Leupold will cut your first custom dial for free. Just need to give you load info, scope height and what yardage you are zeroed at. I've had great luck with them.

 

[elevatorman]

I zero at 100 and then chrono my gun, and go use hornadys calculator to get the moa numbers for 150,200,250,300 etc. Then I take a fine tip silver sharpie and mark on top of the cds cap a line and a 1.5, line and a 2 and so on. This way it's custom and marked in yardages but can be redone if I change my load. I just use the standard moa marked cds cap. I do this for my rifle and muzzleloader

I used my one free cds cap when I got the scope and then the powder I used was discontinued and the bullet didn't perform well, so I changed my load and have a useless custom cds cap.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Don't take any app as gospel though. I have been working on my drops using the exact scope and app. It was dead on at 200. At 300 yards I was 2 clicks or .5 MOA off. So I backed into things by adjusting my scope height slightly in the app. I chronoed every shot and had the BC, so I didn't want to tweak those. Once I did that, everything was perfect out to 400 meters. Then I shot out to 600 meters, dialing per the app recommendation. I was shooting very high. Had to back off 3 MOA.

People way more experienced than me will chime in on your question. My point is that if you have the opportunity, verify your numbers. Don't trust them for actual hunting if that's the plan.

While I'd agree with you about not trusting the #'s without validating, most good apps are very close at the distances you are mentioning. To the point where if you're that far off i'd almost guarantee the error is in the data entry, scope not functioning properly, or shooter error.

Edit: Just saw @Fire_9's post and agree. Inside 600 yards I probably wouldn't touch BC either if you can get a published tested # or manufacturer is known to provide generally accurate #s. Velocity is the big factor at those ranges.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

thanks brockel so if I'm thinking right if shooting at 100 yd target zero at 100 12" drop at 300 would be 4 in high at target 16" would be 5 20" would be six not actual # just figuring 1" per 4 moa I'm no expert just playing with numbers

Hard to follow what you're saying here but I don't think you are thinking about this correctly. MOA is an angular measurement so the corresponding dimension in inches changes with distance. https://www.nssf.org/shooting/minute-angle-moa/

 

[Salmonchaser]

I have several of the vx 5s; I have recently learned that good data input, (velocity at the distances I shoot) will yield good data from the Hornady ballistics app. My old chronograph was only good to plus or minus 100 fps, and it varied day to day. Recently splurged on the new Garmin. With good velocity readings I found that I could plug the bullet data from Nosler into the app and be plus or minus an inch or two at 300 and plus or minus a little at 5.
As to your figuring, you’re not accounting for your bullet slowing down. Using my 300 HH zero at 100; 180gr. 3000fps
Rounded to the nearest) 3” at 200, 11” at 300; 25” at 400; 45” at 500.
IF I zero at 300 I’m plus 3.6” at 100 but still -27” at 500
If I’m zero at 350 Im 5” high at 100

 

[Wind Gypsy]

It seems like the hornady app has more pitfalls for folks not putting in perfect data or using the custom drag curves. Be especially careful when using wind as it seems to really over compensate for aerodynamic jump (side wind impacting elevation correction) in some cases.

 

[std7mag]

Don't take any app as gospel though. I have been working on my drops using the exact scope and app. It was dead on at 200. At 300 yards I was 2 clicks or .5 MOA off. So I backed into things by adjusting my scope height slightly in the app. I chronoed every shot and had the BC, so I didn't want to tweak those. Once I did that, everything was perfect out to 400 meters. Then I shot out to 600 meters, dialing per the app recommendation. I was shooting very high. Had to back off 3 MOA.

People way more experienced than me will chime in on your question. My point is that if you have the opportunity, verify your numbers. Don't trust them for actual hunting if that's the plan.

As @Fire_9 says, the scope height measurement is a fixed reference.

Measure the diameter of the barrel under the objective lense.
Divide by 2 for the radius.
Divide the diameter of the outside of the objective lense by 2 for that radius.
Note, that the diameter of the objective lense marketed by the manufacturer is of the actual lense inside the tube.
Measure the distance from the bottom of the objective lense to the top of the barrel.

Add barrel radius to the objective lense tube radius and the distance between the two and you have your scope height.