bdc and long range

[Wheatgerm]

My Gunsmith has a monarch 4-16x50with bdc he said he will give me a great price on. I like the idea, seems to be alot faster in ways. So I figured it might be worth it to try. Who uses reticles like this for long range 600-1000.

Also I use the strelok app on my phone. It has a handful of options for bdc reticle to choose from and im not sure what Type this reticle would be. Does anyone know? I would like to still use the app because I know temp altitudes and bar psi will change my POI. Thanks

 

[Wheatgerm]

I've heard nikon has a data sheet where you can input you scope and bullet info but cannot find it. Does anyone have this link?

 

[soewe812]

Nikon Spot On™ Ballistic Match Technology Program

 

[Wheatgerm]

Thanks for the link..
Does anyone care to share opinions on pros and cons to using a reticle vs using turrets? I can think of a handful of the obvious good and bad to them. But just looking for opinions before I switch

 

[albertakid]

I like a bdc reticle when it comes to varmint hunting I have my coyote gun set up with a nikon bdc scope and it is dead on out to 600 yards with my loads makes for fast decisions when things are happening in a hurry. I also like that you can use strelok or nikons program to fine tune the reticle for field conditions.

I have used a bdc reticle on big game as well but put the limits of these systems at about 600 yards once I'm over that mark dialing is the only way to ensure accuracy.

The bdc system is like alot of things you get what you put into it back out..if you go out and field verify your drops with the reticle in field conditions it can be tuned to be very effective.

However they are not a sight my rifle in at 100 and go shoot an elk at 600 type of deal...you really need to know your rifle and your laod data to make them work.

There is an article on this site about the nikon bdc and it is very informative

 

[yobuck]

Thanks for the link..
Does anyone care to share opinions on pros and cons to using a reticle vs using turrets? I can think of a handful of the obvious good and bad to them. But just looking for opinions before I switch

the key would be get to know your gun. once you do the reticle will work for you.
if there is ample time dialing is the more precise method.
opinions will vary but thats mine. it stems from a point in time when there were no options for dialing. custom reticles were the only choice and they worked.

 

[Wheatgerm]

Why only 600 yards? I punched my gun info in on sterlok and for my data the post would be almost 800yards if I had zeroed it at 350. Bullet drop with my gun from 100-350 is only 6" so I wouldn't be worried about having it zeroed there...
I know my gun well and have found my hand loads I really like. Gun shoots sub .5 moa (if I can).... I don't have the best high dollar turret scope on but it just seems the more I play with the turrets the less I trust them. I think trust in your equipment is 90% of the battle

 

[westcliffe01]

Just because the reticle is a BDC does not mean that you could not or should not use the turrets. The Monarch has some of the best turrets at that price point, and I would have no hesitation in using them. The BDC reticle actually adds to the cost of the scope.

Just check the current price offer on the "regular" plex model at optics planet. What might be a good deal to your local guy may not be a good deal in the grand scheme of things. I have the Plex model and it is the best second focal plane scope that I own. I like my Vortex scopes better, but then they did cost nearly double the price.

 

[Wheatgerm]

I've got a turret scope right now, I don't really like them. Its great for target but not AS practical in SOME hunting situations. Where a reticle would possibly be better im guessing. And I've never seen a monarch under 400$ im getting This one for almost half that.

No matter the price or if I can put turrets on it or not. I was looking for opinions from strickly hunting situations on why people like the reticles like the bdc or not. Thanks albertakid for sharing what you use your bdc for and your opinion on it

 

[westcliffe01]

So you understand that with a SFP scope like the Monarch that the reticle is only calibrated at 1 magnification - usually maximum (16x in your case) ?

I do indeed use a reticle, but I have FFP scopes so the reticle always subtends the same amount, as long as I can see it of course (its kinda small at 4x on my 4-16 model).

I typically do not have much time at all in my primary hunting, which is coyotes and the last thing I can do is leave my scope on max magnification. However, others on this forum have pointed out that the 250-450 yard shots I have taken do not meet the "long range" definition and that may be true.

 

[albertakid]

I say six hundred because that is the distance where the metal meats the meat so to speak once you start getting past 600 wind and hold become so detrimental (not that they aren't before) that i don't feel as comfortable with a hold over as I do with dialing and a precise aiming point for a given distance say 857 yards for example you may not have an exact hold over point for that distance making it hard to tell exactly where your aim is.

My favorite bdc is the ziess z 600 it is almost like they made it for my rifle it is dead nuts in 50 yard increments out to 600 and has wind holds for refernce as well.

Also at the extended ranges you seem to have a lot more time to range and get wind dope right do to the fact that the animals don't know your there and are often not the wiser to your location.

However when you are in a situation where a quick shot is necessary and you know the distance a bdc is quite fast.

Sounds like you know your weapon and the way you like to hunt I would suggest going with it and developing a system that works the best for you.

I know several people that use a bdc at diffrent powers for diffrent ranges and you can tailor the distance between the bdc circles by manipulating the power on your scope nikons program does this for you as well.

 

[westcliffe01]

If I take a 308 as an example, shooting 150gr SST factory ammo, at 600 yards one is holding 12 min of elevation (assuming a 200 zero) and 5mph cross wind would need a 3 minute wind holdover. The Nikon SpotOn software does not show where 3 minutes is on the horizontal axis and there is only one reference mark anyway which is there the thick bar ends and the thin one starts.

It looks like 600 yards is part way between the last BDC circle and the start of the thick post. Anyway, trying to interpolate a SFP scope reticle subtention is beyond my mental capabilities when I'm in the field under pressure... tried it, missed a lot, now I connecting better with my FFP for those sorts of situations.

 

[Wheatgerm]

I've got a turret scope right now, I don't really like them. Its great for target but not AS practical in SOME hunting situations. Where a reticle would possibly be better im guessing. And I've never seen a monarch under 400$ im getting This one for almost half that.

No matter the price or if I can put turrets on it or not. I was looking for opinions from strickly hunting situations on why people like the reticles like the bdc or not. Thanks albertakid for sharing what you use your bdc for and your opinion on it

 

[Wheatgerm]

So you understand that with a SFP scope like the Monarch that the reticle is only calibrated at 1 magnification - usually maximum (16x in your case) ?

I do indeed use a reticle, but I have FFP scopes so the reticle always subtends the same amount, as long as I can see it of course (its kinda small at 4x on my 4-16 model).

I typically do not have much time at all in my primary hunting, which is coyotes and the last thing I can do is leave my scope on max magnification. However, others on this forum have pointed out that the 250-450 yard shots I have taken do not meet the "long range" definition and that may be true.

Sorry for my double post. That was kinda odd....

I do understand the difference between FFP and SFP. I have my gun zeroed at 300 yards. And the post would be 799y in MOST my hunting scenarios (give or take due to altitudes temps and psi)your now if I back my scope off to 14x the post would be 900y and at 11x the post would be 1000y.

The major down side that I see (like others have pointed out) is there is no reticle for windage.. so tell me if this would be good or bad, if im correct I can get moa turrets for this monarch scope, I was thinking about locking the elevation turret out and using the windage turret for those longer shots? We can all hold pretty dang close for a 5mph wind at 600y depending on the bullet... with my 230gr bergers at that distance its only about 6-8inches but at 800-1000y it increases dramatically..

The whole reason im wanting to go this route is I don't like the idea of tampering with my true zero with a turret even tho I know it's been tested and true for a long time. 90% of the reason I don't trust it would be due to my own error not the scope. The reticle just seems more simple.
thanks for all the replies even tho I haven't responded to each one. Im getting alot out of this topic