Leupold CDS Help

[MiStickSlinger]

Well first off hello everyone, I've been a lurker on these forums for some time and I'm finally getting around to participating with this great group.

A little about myself, I'm a Michigan native, the highest elevation on my farm where I hunt is a whopping 900 feet above sea level. While Christmas shopping for my family this past weekend I ended up treating myself to a Leupold VX-6 3-18x50 with the CDS system, and a Tikka T3 in 7mm Remington Magnum to put it on.

I bought the gun with a public land elk hunt in mind this fall. Well once I find the load the gun likes, I will send my info into Leupold to get my custom dials made. My problem is as a flatlander, the 900 ft elevation farm that I shoot on does not fall within the 5000 foot elevation range that I plan on hunting on this fall. I still haven't completely narrowed down my area, but I assume it'll be 8000ft plus. I just started clearing out a range that will let me shoot 500-600 yards for practice(no I don't plan on shooting an animal that far)

My question is, do I order 2 sets of dials? Or do I just plug it in for mountain elevation and deal with it back here at home?

 

[Big Fin]

Given the low cost, I would go with a second set of dials.

 

[MiStickSlinger]

Given the low cost, I would go with a second set of dials.

Thanks for the reply, so do you think i could sight both in back in michigan or do i need to completely resight once i get out west?

 

[Big Fin]

Thanks for the reply, so do you think i could sight both in back in michigan or do i need to completely resight once i get out west?

You could adjust your zero in MI for the difference that will result for your higher elevation dial and it would be pretty close, but I would still make sure I re-set it when I got to the higher elevation. Apps and calculators are nice, but nothing beats actual conditions.

 

[noharleyyet]

Given the low cost, I would go with a second set of dials.

Think this has been answered in previous threads but I don't remember. Do you change the elevation and temp only on the ball sheet if you want a second dial etched? Mine is set for flatland where I live but it seems to impact the same at elevation when I check it out west.

 

[Big Fin]

Think this has been answered in previous threads but I don't remember. Do you change the elevation and temp only on the ball sheet if you want a second dial etched? Mine is set for flatland where I live but it seems to impact the same at elevation when I check it out west.

At most hunting distances, elevation and temp will not be a big variable. When you start on the long-range course, it is amplified to a much higher degree. When I bear hunt in AK, I use the same dials I have for 5,000' here in MT. I know distances in SE AK will seldom be over 200 yards, so not much to worry about.

 

[mtmuley]

Takes more practice and work, but use the dial provided in MOA and make drop charts. Or if your shots will be 500 yards and under, use a reticle. mtmuley

 

[WapitiBob]

I'm not a fan of hold offs and dial my turret if it's more than 250.

 

[schmalts]

The CDS is great in that it is fast. Range, Dial, Shoot. It eliminates looking at any charts or cheat sheets.
I do have CDS, I do have ballistic reticles and I do have Mil dot scopes with turrets and cheat sheets on my guns. I like them all but I have to say I like the Ballistic reticle the least for only one reason, I forget what I have the gun zeroed at because I have some guns at 300 and some at 200 and my Muzz is a whole different deal there. I'm getting old and the memory is not that great these days. The CDS is a the easiest approach and Leupold has done a great job with it.

 

[1_pointer]

A guy who sells Leupolds with his custom reticle and dials told me that each dial is good for about 5000' of elevation difference. So, a dial set for 2500' elevation will work well from 0-5000' and one set at 7500' will get you from 5000 to 10,000'. Like Big Fin stated, temperature and elevation matter at all ranges, but it's not until you get into quite large changes or ranges to they make a meaningful difference.

How far are you truly planning on trying to get proficient enough for hunting?

 

[sbhooper]

Get the dial that you want for your dial-a-shot scope, then shoot it at various ranges to confirm that it is correct and the scope is tracking as it should. Get the exact velocity for your load, the bullet bc and plug it into the G-7 ballistics program and it will show you how much difference it will make at 5000 ft. It is not enough to care.

 

[MiStickSlinger]

A guy who sells Leupolds with his custom reticle and dials told me that each dial is good for about 5000' of elevation difference. So, a dial set for 2500' elevation will work well from 0-5000' and one set at 7500' will get you from 5000 to 10,000'. Like Big Fin stated, temperature and elevation matter at all ranges, but it's not until you get into quite large changes or ranges to they make a meaningful difference.

How far are you truly planning on trying to get proficient enough for hunting?

I heard the same thing about the elevation, and about my hunting distance. I honestly don't know, I'm a bowhunter at heart so I like to get as close as possible.... That being said I'm interested in long range target practice, I'm ordering steel plates to complete my home range that should give me 600 yards. I feel good out to 300 now, and I honestly haven't practiced much farther, but that will change in a few weeks

 

[schmalts]

I heard the same thing about the elevation, and about my hunting distance. I honestly don't know, I'm a bowhunter at heart so I like to get as close as possible.... That being said I'm interested in long range target practice, I'm ordering steel plates to complete my home range that should give me 600 yards. I feel good out to 300 now, and I honestly haven't practiced much farther, but that will change in a few weeks

Steel plates are just not for practice... they also put a smile on your face because it is so damn fun to shoot at em.

 

[sagebrush]

The difference in drop at 600 yards will be less than 4 inches. I would keep the MOA turret that comes with it and order a turret for 7500 feet. Practice with your MOA turret at home and switch if you must for your hunt. Myself, I just print a drop chart for the elevation I'll be hunting and stick with the MOA turret. If the shot is far enough I need to worry about adjusting the dial, I'll have plenty of time to do it. By the way, nice choice on set up. I too shoot a 7MM RM.

 

[MiStickSlinger]

The difference in drop at 600 yards will be less than 4 inches. I would keep the MOA turret that comes with it and order a turret for 7500 feet. Practice with your MOA turret at home and switch if you must for your hunt. Myself, I just print a drop chart for the elevation I'll be hunting and stick with the MOA turret. If the shot is far enough I need to worry about adjusting the dial, I'll have plenty of time to do it. By the way, nice choice on set up. I too shoot a 7MM RM.

Thanks for the advice I will have to do that

 

[jzeck2]

Love my CDS Scope, I have mine on a 300 win mag and a 30-06. Here is how I understand it and how I did it. I sighted my gun in at a 200 yard zero at my elevation using the moa dial and the ammo the gun prefers. I then ordered the dials for my hunting situations. 1500 ft and 8500 ft. Been to Colorado twice at 8500' feet give or take and the Black Hills of SD a few times 5500 ft. have re-sighted my gun every time i travel and have never had to change anything with the appropriate dial installed. Hits the 10 inch gong at 400 yards every time at the public range in Craig Co. Change back to 1500 foot dial when I come home and again hits the 10 inch gong at 400 yards and does a great job on paper at 200 yards. Just make sure you turn it back to 200 yards. Also it does not have a positive stop at the 0 range of 200 yards so you could turn it past if your not careful

 

[nuevo_eph]

I just got my first dial in and asked for a 200 yard zero. I didn't realize that meant that I couldn't turn it below 200, though, with it stopping there or maybe a click lower. Is that normal?

 

[1_pointer]

I just got my first dial in and asked for a 200 yard zero. I didn't realize that meant that I couldn't turn it below 200, though, with it stopping there or maybe a click lower. Is that normal?

It is as the zero stop only allows for one revolution of the turret. The CDS doesn't have a way of you knowing what revolution you are on, so IMO, the zero stop is needed and a very good feature.

Folks that decide to use the MOA turret that comes with it be aware that they do not have the zero stop either nor are they always "clocked" for them to be in the zero position. Lots of online suggestions as to how to put one on.

 

[Big Fin]

The CDS now comes with a zero stop option. They started that in 2014 models.

 

[nuevo_eph]

Hmm, I had just assumed I would have a big 1 on the dial and be able to turn down to that.

Not a big deal, as I'll just have to remember the ~1.5" hold-under in case it matters, but it kind of defeats the purpose of the dial a bit.