Success with CDS dial out to 1000 Yards?

freu1chr

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Messages
158
Location
Jordan, Minnesota
I put a vx5hd on my new cooper and am wondering with the data from my bullet will it be dead on at 1000. Would i be better keeping my moa dial it came with on top of the scope or get a custom turret burned for it? I would like to be able to shoot consistently at 1000 yards.
 
I have only tested my out to 500 yards and can consistently hit an 8 inch plate but would not trust it out to 1000 yards even though I honestly have not tried. That's a long damn ways for me. If you try it let us know.
 
Don't guess at any of the data you give them when you set it up, I do a 10 shot average for FPS, measure the scope height exactly, when you get the dial confirm the distances.....goes without saying but make sure your scope is mounted level, this I think is where people have issues....have a bunch of CDS they work.
 
I haven’t went that far, but I have went out to 650 with the generic MOA dial and a ballistic calculator and chronograph. The scopes I have both dial accurately enough for me out to that range. That’s on a Vx3i and a Vx5. I have field verified the data and it’s usually under an inch of what the calculator says. Drop wise that is. That’s hard for me to complain about.
 
I have several rifles with the CDS system and they work well within normal hunting ranges out to say 500-550. The farthest i used mine was 662 yds. It worked OK but wasn't right on. I had to compensate quite a bit for the difference in elevation. When you get into those really long ranges there are many variables that need to be taken into consideration to hit the target routinely. Elevation, wind and temperature being a few biggies. If my plan was to shoot out to the distances your talking I would probably use the standard dial and get the strelok app on my phone. I would also get a kestrel. Those two things coupled with an extremely accurate rifle and a lot of practice and you may be in business.
 
I just went and verified, my older model VX6 will only spin 20 MOA. It stops at the zero stop, so won’t spin past one revolution. Probably different on the newer ones, but if not, that won’t get you to 1000.
 
I have been loading and shooting the same load in the same rifle for about 15 years. When CDS capable leupolds came out I was intrigued and it took a few years of shooting over my chrono at different distances and then finally settling on the data enough to send it off to get my free turret. I can say that I am comfortable with no problem out to 550-600. I have shot it further but like others have mentioned....temp swing, altitude etc etc it really is a crap shoot around 600+ and I just plain don't hunt like that. The turret has markings out to 1050yards for my 270.
 
Where I grew up a 200-300 yard shot was about par, so a touch further wasn't a tough thing. But I can't stomach the thought of mailing lead 600+ at an animal and then if it doesn't pile up at the shot, having to go find it. I get lost really easy lol hence my handle.
 
Without ever messing with the CDS I don't quite understand it. If it has a set distance on the turret how does it compensate for environmental variables such as pressure and way more importantly the angle you are shooting?
 
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