Here is my set up, Remington Model 700 VSF in the .223 caliber with a Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x40 with the varmint hunter reticle and adjustable objective. I will be exclusively shooting the 53 grain Hornady Superformance rounds. Here is my question, in order for the reticle to function properly do I need to zero at 200 yards with the scope set on the small triangle? I have visited the Leupold website and now I am really confused. Thanks in advance your replys.
Leupold Varmint Reticle sighting question....
- Thread starter BuckWyld
- Start date
MOFarmBoy
New member
Did your scope come with a book telling you? Mine did.
One way you could see, I suppose, is to sight it in with a 200 yard zero with the max magnification, and shoot at the same aiming point (still with the 200 yard zero line) at 300, 400, 500 yards, etc. Once that is done you could put a piece of shiny tape across the holes at each range drop and see which magnification setting lines up the closest with them.
That *should* get you close.
One way you could see, I suppose, is to sight it in with a 200 yard zero with the max magnification, and shoot at the same aiming point (still with the 200 yard zero line) at 300, 400, 500 yards, etc. Once that is done you could put a piece of shiny tape across the holes at each range drop and see which magnification setting lines up the closest with them.
That *should* get you close.
venatic
Well-known member
When you sight-in at 200 yards it does not matter where your magnification is set. It only matters once you start shooting at 300 to 500 yards.
I have three of these scopes and here is how I figured where to set the magnification.
Sight-in at 200 yards. Take a large/Tall target to 500 yards and put a bull-eye at the top of the target. Aim with your top/main crosshair at the bulls-eye and fire a 3 shot group.The group will be very low! Go to the target and put a line/tape/mark whatever it takes on that group that you can see from 500yds.
Go back to the bench/scope aim at the top bulls-eye again with your top/main crosshair and then adjust your magnification until the 500yard crosshair is on your 500 yard group and where the power ring is whether it's large triangle or small triangle or more than likely somewhere in between that is where you have to set your power each time you want to use it your reticle beyond 200 yards. Clear as Mud right!
I have three of these scopes and here is how I figured where to set the magnification.
Sight-in at 200 yards. Take a large/Tall target to 500 yards and put a bull-eye at the top of the target. Aim with your top/main crosshair at the bulls-eye and fire a 3 shot group.The group will be very low! Go to the target and put a line/tape/mark whatever it takes on that group that you can see from 500yds.
Go back to the bench/scope aim at the top bulls-eye again with your top/main crosshair and then adjust your magnification until the 500yard crosshair is on your 500 yard group and where the power ring is whether it's large triangle or small triangle or more than likely somewhere in between that is where you have to set your power each time you want to use it your reticle beyond 200 yards. Clear as Mud right!
DoubleCK
New member
Yup! It is explained very well on this Leupold TV segment.
Ballistic Aiming System (BAS) Tutorial (2007)
http://www.leupold.com/leupoldtv/video-library/ballistic-aiming-system-bas-tutorial-2007/
Ballistic Aiming System (BAS) Tutorial (2007)
http://www.leupold.com/leupoldtv/video-library/ballistic-aiming-system-bas-tutorial-2007/
venatic
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: DoubleCKYup! It is explained very well on this Leupold TV segment.
Ballistic Aiming System (BAS) Tutorial (2007)
http://www.leupold.com/leupoldtv/video-library/ballistic-aiming-system-bas-tutorial-2007/
Thanks for posting that. One question that some will have will be what about 300 and 400 yards. I checked mine at the tweener distances and it was close enough you would not miss a coyote for sure. Mine was always within a 1 inch or so high or low at 300/400.
Ballistic Aiming System (BAS) Tutorial (2007)
http://www.leupold.com/leupoldtv/video-library/ballistic-aiming-system-bas-tutorial-2007/
Thanks for posting that. One question that some will have will be what about 300 and 400 yards. I checked mine at the tweener distances and it was close enough you would not miss a coyote for sure. Mine was always within a 1 inch or so high or low at 300/400.
dan brothers
New member
that's good stuff Ven... I learned something there... will test that out... thanks...dan
Yeah it can. If you're a "student" of the math behind this stuff, it can get confusing and fascinating, though usually not at the same time.
The important point is that reticle subtension is actually ~ inversely proportional to magnification. In fact a magnification can actually be calcd. that will give the avg. subtension change needed for all the tested ranges. I'm sure that that's the math behind the Spot-On Program, Gerald Perry's Exbal (the originator of the computer apps. regarding this stuff i think), and Zeiss Rapid-Z computer program calcs.
Another way to do it is as Venatic and another poster suggested, but convert the measured drop at each range to MOA, then put those spots on the 100-yd. tgt. and adjust the power ring to get the best fit.
The important point is that reticle subtension is actually ~ inversely proportional to magnification. In fact a magnification can actually be calcd. that will give the avg. subtension change needed for all the tested ranges. I'm sure that that's the math behind the Spot-On Program, Gerald Perry's Exbal (the originator of the computer apps. regarding this stuff i think), and Zeiss Rapid-Z computer program calcs.
Another way to do it is as Venatic and another poster suggested, but convert the measured drop at each range to MOA, then put those spots on the 100-yd. tgt. and adjust the power ring to get the best fit.
dan brothers
New member
I need a little more coffee this morning to understand your last statement SScoyote... but I think it's coming....LOL
Honey... bring me a brain energy drink as well...
Honey... bring me a brain energy drink as well...
DoubleCK
New member
When using the fine tuning system covered at the Leupold TV link above, couldn't a person pick a range other than the 500 yard mark, say 300 or 400 and find the magnification setting that best matches the hold over marks for that load at that range? Say 400 instead of the 500 mark as shown?
A 400 yard tune might work well for me on my 6lb. carry, 20" calling 6mm as I think a 500 yard shot at a coyote might be pushing the little gun a bit.
However, I also have the Leupold Varmint reticule on my 40X 6mm which I figure is more the 500 yard range class.
A 400 yard tune might work well for me on my 6lb. carry, 20" calling 6mm as I think a 500 yard shot at a coyote might be pushing the little gun a bit.
However, I also have the Leupold Varmint reticule on my 40X 6mm which I figure is more the 500 yard range class.
venatic
Well-known member
Sure u could do 400 just use the appropriate mark and the 500 would probably fall pretty close I would think. if you go to the Ziess website and play with their calculator it actually takes your bullet/velocity and recommends a scope power setting that matches the closest. Nikon's Spot-On is similar as sscoyote mentioned.
sendit223
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: venaticWhen you sight-in at 200 yards it does not matter where your magnification is set. It only matters once you start shooting at 300 to 500 yards.
I have three of these scopes and here is how I figured where to set the magnification.
Sight-in at 200 yards. Take a large/Tall target to 500 yards and put a bull-eye at the top of the target. Aim with your top/main crosshair at the bulls-eye and fire a 3 shot group.The group will be very low! Go to the target and put a line/tape/mark whatever it takes on that group that you can see from 500yds.
Go back to the bench/scope aim at the top bulls-eye again with your top/main crosshair and then adjust your magnification until the 500yard crosshair is on your 500 yard group and where the power ring is whether it's large triangle or small triangle or more than likely somewhere in between that is where you have to set your power each time you want to use it your reticle beyond 200 yards. Clear as Mud right!
That was not clear the first time I read it, but after watching the Leupold TV segment it is very clear. Thanks and I will be trying this too.
Sendit
I have three of these scopes and here is how I figured where to set the magnification.
Sight-in at 200 yards. Take a large/Tall target to 500 yards and put a bull-eye at the top of the target. Aim with your top/main crosshair at the bulls-eye and fire a 3 shot group.The group will be very low! Go to the target and put a line/tape/mark whatever it takes on that group that you can see from 500yds.
Go back to the bench/scope aim at the top bulls-eye again with your top/main crosshair and then adjust your magnification until the 500yard crosshair is on your 500 yard group and where the power ring is whether it's large triangle or small triangle or more than likely somewhere in between that is where you have to set your power each time you want to use it your reticle beyond 200 yards. Clear as Mud right!
That was not clear the first time I read it, but after watching the Leupold TV segment it is very clear. Thanks and I will be trying this too.
Sendit
Originally Posted By: dan brothersI need a little more coffee this morning to understand your last statement SScoyote... but I think it's coming....LOL
Honey... bring me a brain energy drink as well...
Dan, the way it works is as u INCREASE magnification reticle subtension (measurement at any distance) DECREASES proportionally (inversely--[increase/decrease]), assuming the power ring is marked correctly. Some are, some aren't but they're usually very close. The link someone gave above explains this when they talk about the 1-100x scope.
We put this to work recently with a 2.5-8x Duplex reticle on a buddies 270. I knew what the guys zero distance was, his factory load, and the subtension of the Duplex post tip at 8x (it's all in the catalog). At 8x that subtension is 2.65 inch per hundred yds., so at 4x it would be 5.3 IPHY (1/2 the power, 2x the subtension) so i calcd. a system at 4x for him for shooting out to 500 yds. or so. His kid was hunting antelope, and we tried the system to test it, and he nailed a 6" snow patch on a dirt bank at 475 yds. by aiming .9 down to the plex post tip. U should've seen the look on that kid's face when he made that shot. So the application of math in the field was quite rewarding for him, even though he didn't get an antelope--bet he told all his buddies about that shot. What made it possible? Understanding the nature of SFP reticles in variable-powered scopes. Fun (and rewarding) stuff...IMO.
Most of the catalogs supply some of this information in their reticle tech. specs pgs., and it's the exact same system that we're talking about above, only used with a 1-stadia point reticle.
Honey... bring me a brain energy drink as well...
Dan, the way it works is as u INCREASE magnification reticle subtension (measurement at any distance) DECREASES proportionally (inversely--[increase/decrease]), assuming the power ring is marked correctly. Some are, some aren't but they're usually very close. The link someone gave above explains this when they talk about the 1-100x scope.
We put this to work recently with a 2.5-8x Duplex reticle on a buddies 270. I knew what the guys zero distance was, his factory load, and the subtension of the Duplex post tip at 8x (it's all in the catalog). At 8x that subtension is 2.65 inch per hundred yds., so at 4x it would be 5.3 IPHY (1/2 the power, 2x the subtension) so i calcd. a system at 4x for him for shooting out to 500 yds. or so. His kid was hunting antelope, and we tried the system to test it, and he nailed a 6" snow patch on a dirt bank at 475 yds. by aiming .9 down to the plex post tip. U should've seen the look on that kid's face when he made that shot. So the application of math in the field was quite rewarding for him, even though he didn't get an antelope--bet he told all his buddies about that shot. What made it possible? Understanding the nature of SFP reticles in variable-powered scopes. Fun (and rewarding) stuff...IMO.
Most of the catalogs supply some of this information in their reticle tech. specs pgs., and it's the exact same system that we're talking about above, only used with a 1-stadia point reticle.
Originally Posted By: DoubleCKThat 2nd focal plane trick has other potential also. That same process could be used at other ranges with other loads with "Bow Ties" or other hold over points at different sub tensions.
However, with all the variables this can get really confusing. It can get out of hand.
That statement really sums it up. It really is confusing with all the variables involved. U kinda' have to be a student of this stuff to grasp all the idiosyncracies of SFP subtension in variable-powered scopes. My gunsmith actually got me started in this stuff years ago, but it was like he said, u kinda' have to have a bit more than a passing interest in math. It takes just the right sort really. From my studies I have learned 2 big things--
1) Reticle subtension is inversely proportional to magnification in SFP variable-powered scopes and
2) The mil-dot mil-ranging formula defines not only rangefinding with any reticle and/or turret, but also downrange zeroing with either as well.
However, with all the variables this can get really confusing. It can get out of hand.
That statement really sums it up. It really is confusing with all the variables involved. U kinda' have to be a student of this stuff to grasp all the idiosyncracies of SFP subtension in variable-powered scopes. My gunsmith actually got me started in this stuff years ago, but it was like he said, u kinda' have to have a bit more than a passing interest in math. It takes just the right sort really. From my studies I have learned 2 big things--
1) Reticle subtension is inversely proportional to magnification in SFP variable-powered scopes and
2) The mil-dot mil-ranging formula defines not only rangefinding with any reticle and/or turret, but also downrange zeroing with either as well.