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Loading to match BDC scope

Wolfdog91

Silver $$ Contributor
So was cruising around the interwebs and saw some of those scopes with a caliber specific BDC turrets pop up. Never really liked the idea because you'd have to match the ammo kinda perfectly to the BDC for it to be good... getting something that was dialable and doing some good data collection always made more sense..but then I remembered " hay I reload now :D "
So actually considering getting one since there not to expensive and just seeing if if can load something that would match the BDC pretty well....for giggles and plinking more then anything. Shouldn't be too hard I don't think , just get the right grain bullet and load it tona velocity to match the BDC..... I mean. Then there is worrying about BC and what not but I don't think those type of scopes are ever really ment for super " precise work " :D Probably just toss it in one of my trash built AR's
Anyone ever try this ?
 
Good day,

Environmental factors make it difficult to do this for varying sites and conditions. You can use trajectory tables to figure corrections for your baseline at different sites.

HTH,
DocBII
 

Custom Dial System (CDS®) Rifle Scopes | Leupold

Leupold's Custom Dial System® (CDS®) gives you the ability to customize your turret (adjustment dial) to your exact ballistics and environmental conditions. Once your new custom dial is installed, simply range the target, turn the dial to that number, and aim dead on.
www.leupold.com www.leupold.com

Just get an inexpensive Leupold and have them make the turret to match your load and dial it up.
 
I think they are now long gone but maybe someone else is doing it now...There was a company a few years ago named Premier Reticle that would place dots on the lower vertical post based on YOUR load and bullet. Had one on a 22-250 varmint rifle and will say that a field mouse at 400 yards was in grave danger with that setup. You're just going about the same thing from the other direction, for the most part but I'd give the edge to Premier due to actual velocities and bullet bc being accounted for with it and not being locked into already placed "dots" on the reticle.
 
Make your load as accurate as you can, with no concern for bullet drop. Shoot the primary dot/hash mark till it is sighted in, to 100 or whatever the scope maker recommended. Move target back till the bullet hits aiming point #2 record that distance, then move the target till you make dead center hits on the rest of the aiming points. Record the distances on a card and laminate the card and tape to the stock.
 
Wolfdog91 said:
So was cruising around the interwebs and saw some of those scopes with a caliber specific BDC turrets pop up. Never really liked the idea because you'd have to match the ammo kinda perfectly to the BDC for it to be good... getting something that was dialable and doing some good data collection always made more sense..but then I remembered " hay I reload now :D "
So actually considering getting one since there not to expensive and just seeing if if can load something that would match the BDC pretty well....for giggles and plinking more then anything. Shouldn't be too hard I don't think , just get the right grain bullet and load it tona velocity to match the BDC..... I mean. Then there is worrying about BC and what not but I don't think those type of scopes are ever really ment for super " precise work " :D Probably just toss it in one of my trash built AR's
Anyone ever try this ?
Click to expand...
Best thing is shoot your main load at distance-
Then make a chart- shoot regularly, you’ll know where ya need to be at any distance then…IMG_6671.jpeg
 
So like I said I prefer just to dial on my actual load and all, I mean I have applied ballistics and all that worked up for all my rifles and I have scops I can dial with along with reticles I know my holds for been doing that for a few years now .
Screenshot_20240828-160159.png
Screenshot_20240828-160221.png
Us em pretty regular , everything it all synced up dialed in


But like I was saying not really the point of this I just kinda wanna do it for giggles more then anything buy just getting some off the shelf BDC caliber specific deal ( y'all rember the ole BSA sweet series of scopes right ? Would have the different turrets for like a 55gr .223 or something) and just seeing how hard for would be to load something to match it .

Again just for fun , giggles , plinking...
 
I have used,tried. Matching velocities to drop charts. Changing magnification to match reticle subtensions to actual drops. The Leupold custom dials. And have used the Nikon BDC app, which lets you change magnification, velocity etc. to customize reticle distances for making charts. All work well, slowest and easiest to mess up is having to adjust the magnification to anything but max on sfp scopes. I prefer to use a sfp scope on max magnification and make a custom chart with the actual reticle distance values if I'm not dialing. I dial for drop whenever my optic choice allows.
 
Wolfdog91 said:
Anyone ever try this ?
Click to expand...
Seems like the answer is mostly...

" No"... " But what you can do is ... "


I tried years ago on an old Bushnell sport view variable with interchangeable turrets and stadia range finding. I am sure I was unsuccessful, but the way I would approach it now is measure bdc drop hash mark sub tension on 100 yard target then start playing with b.c. and fps in your external ballistic program. Pick prevailing atmospherics at your locale, and make sure you use a fairly precise scope height number. Get close, load up, and fire for effect.

Could be a fun and educational experiment, if not a little frustrating. Lol
 
I have several BDC scopes. None of them are cartridge specific.

The only cartridge/bullet combo that I have found aligned almost perfectly with them is my 7mm-08AI with 140gr bullet running about 2,850fps.

Sight in for the BDCs that I have is a 200 yard zero to get the drops to align out to 600 yards.

I've since started getting MOA reticle scopes.
Load any caliber/cartridge to where it's most accurate.
MOA/MILs are always MOA/MILs.
 
Rocketvapor said:
I THINK second focal plane and you match magnification to drop.
Sight in @ 100yd, move to 500 and dial mag.
Magnification is now your DOPE
Click to expand...
This works. It is what I use shooting a springer pellet rifle to 100 yds. The drop from a 25 yard sightnsetting is 25 inches, similar to a lot of centerfire at 1000. As stated, use your magnification to find the matching aiming points.
 
Use an app that has crosshair information, like nikon Spot On. Really simple to get realistic range data for each circle etc. Much easier and fastest way is small tape on side of scope or stock. Just an example 1 is always 100 yd zero, 2is 213 yds, 3 is 340 yds, 4 is 451 etc.
 
Also remember …. Second focal plane is only correct drops at a maximum magnification. When you change the magnification, the crosshairs should stay zeroed but each of the BDC marks is now different hold over.

The comment earlier about dialing power for drop I have used a 3x9 with a duplex reticle. Zero crosshairs at 100. At 9x the crosshairs to the lower thick part of the crosshairs is 3 moa ( 6 moa total thin reticle portion). That correlates to 275 yard hold over. When you dial the mag down, ( counter intuitive I know ) the lower aiming point would be 9 moa at 3x and 480 yard hold over.

Better use is gauging distance based on the approximately 16”-18” shoulder to brisket of a deer. At 9x the thin lines of a duplex will be 12” at 100 yards and 24” at 200 yards. If the deer doesn’t fit in the thin part of the crosshairs - under 200 yards shoot it. If the back to brisket fits in the space from crosshairs to thicker post part at 9x , the deer is from 200 to 500 yards, if the deer fits in less than the crosshairs to fat part of the reticle - you are 500 or more and need a better scope.
 
Jeff Porter said:
Also remember …. Second focal plane is only correct drops at a maximum magnification. When you change the magnification, the crosshairs should stay zeroed but each of the BDC marks is now different hold over.

The comment earlier about dialing power for drop I have used a 3x9 with a duplex reticle. Zero crosshairs at 100. At 9x the crosshairs to the lower thick part of the crosshairs is 3 moa ( 6 moa total thin reticle portion). That correlates to 275 yard hold over. When you dial the mag down, ( counter intuitive I know ) the lower aiming point would be 9 moa at 3x and 480 yard hold over.

Better use is gauging distance based on the approximately 16”-18” shoulder to brisket of a deer. At 9x the thin lines of a duplex will be 12” at 100 yards and 24” at 200 yards. If the deer doesn’t fit in the thin part of the crosshairs - under 200 yards shoot it. If the back to brisket fits in the space from crosshairs to thicker post part at 9x , the deer is from 200 to 500 yards, if the deer fits in less than the crosshairs to fat part of the reticle - you are 500 or more and need a better scope.
Click to expand...
Well I'm I wouldn't be using the reticle, ago. These scopes know talking about have bec TURRETS. Also most have just a duplex reticle so a lot of the talk about the reticle is a null point since I'll be dialing and making a load for the dial. Again like tho one i posted from midway most come with two or three for different bullet weights
 
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