Leupold Varmint Reticle HELP

[killahog]

I'm the buddy of sscoyote. I think the VHR is one of the most user friendly systems out there. If you have an accurate load worked up, and have access to a chronograph, you can get the information needed from an online ballistic calculator, and the Leupold manual.

I zero my rifles at 200, then plug in the reticle subtention values into the data from (JBM) ballistic calculator. Due to the thin air in Colorado, the holdovers in the reticle are not equal per se. However, the above information gives me a known zero for each of the subtentions in the reticle. Case in point, the 535 yard coyote that Steve alluded to was held dead on the fourth subtention. Eric.

Medic where did you come up with the Sub tensions to input it into JBL please share the info. Thanks

 

[sscoyote]

This is the main reason i always get the catalogs from the manufacturers. Leupold, Nikon, Burris, Vortex, NF, Sightron, etc. all detail the subtensions in their catalogs. Leupold's used to be on-line as well.

 

[FFL Medic]

You'll have to go to leupold.com to find the info. Your scope came with a pamphlet detailing how to use the reticle. If you are unable to come up with either, let me know and I'll see if I can post something.

 

[mr45man]

I use mine for steel at 2, 3 ,4 and 500 M Works great.
I just made a cheat sheet , and had to use a power setting between the 2 points on the scope , Now if only the 80 gr pills would reliably knock the rams down
at 500 M
John H

 

[Bert]

Use the nightforce program. What i do is put a section of tape measure at 100 yards put the center cross hair on 0 and measure the distance in inches to the first second and third cross hairs. Very important to be accurate in measurement and the fact that you at 100 yards. Now you can do this at lowest power highest power setting or what ever you want. When you have all this data. Then you go to the nightforce program and enter your ballistic data and the crosshair value in inches at 100yards and it outputs the range. Nice part is that if you travel to shoot you can change the elevation in the program and get the new values. All this is only as accurate as the data input. I have used this on multiple varmint ret. guns and it has worked great spot on. Will also work on any other scope with holdover points.

 

[mikecr]

IMO, for field shooting, it doesn't get any simpler or more precise, than laser ranging & dialing off a fresh click chart.

 

[FFL Medic]

mikecr, I'll agree with you on the more precise to dial, but for me and how I hunt predators, the VHR is (simply) faster. To acquire and fire is the same movement, without the need for consulting a chart and then making the correction. I usually hunt with a partner who uses the Leica Geovid system and when he calls out yardages, I'm shooting within a couple of seconds, more often than not, less. For the longrangers, (greater than 600 yards) I use my iPod and Kestrel and generate an exact chart for the conditions, and dial from there.

 

[XTERMINATOR]

Got my charts directly on my turret (including wind drift) can't go any better then this...

 

[FFL Medic]

That is a sweet turret! I've thought about having some sort of turret made, but living in Colorado, the temp swings and the changes in altitude have me second guessing the whole turret/chart thing. Maybe just the turret for where I end up most of the time...

Here is the Leupold data for their reticles. You will need accurate chrono data for this to work with any accuracy (GIGO). I use the "large triange" for the 3000 fps and up, and the "small triangle" for 2900 and below. You could make your own aimpoints by changing the zoom if you were willing, but it's almost moot. I may at some point to shoot at full zoom, but I've had amazing success with the published data. I am at 5000' ASL, and I shoot heavy for caliber high BC bullets for the most part, so things may be very different for someone in another situation.

http://www.leupold.com/resources/downloads/BAS_Inst_Man_02Jun08.pdf


Now for the online ballistic calculator, I use JBM. There are a plethora of others. Choose what you will. My main ballistic computer is on the iPod. It is called iBallistic FTE. I also use shooter, too. I try and use Bryan Litz's BC numbers if I am able when generating tables. Factory numbers are oftentimes a bit off. Generally Bryan's numbers are more real world.

http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

So, I take my chrono data, the Leupold reticle data sheet, have the accurate load zero'd at 200, (you could do 100 or whatever else you like) and plug that along with current atmospheric data into JBM. From there, I can see where my impacts "should" be. Then, I go back out to the range and verify that the comeups are valid. Easy enough?