Best Method for Setting up a Turret Style Scope

[Full Curl]

I recently purchased my first turret style scope… Leupold VX6-HD-4-24-52 TMOA reticle. It's going on a 300RUM. I have always shot hold over type ballistic reticles but they could only go so far before running out of reticle at distance. Hence why I went to a turret style scope.

I understand the concept behind a turret dial the range scope but I just want to make sure I'm thinking through the sight in process correctly. I installed the scope this weekend so I'm ready to sight it in now. I'd like to keep the process as simple as possible.

I plan on zeroing it at 100 or 200 yards. Is there a way to zero it to maximize my remaining MOA elevation room within the scope? Or do I just dial it as needed to zero?

The manual states TMOA reticle's hatch marks each equal 1 MOA. I'm assuming this changes in a SFP scope depending on power setting?

How do I then find out my number of clicks for POI at known distances? Just use a ballistic program and input everything? I do use Strelok Pro for most of my load development work.

I just want to make sure I do this as efficiently as possible without burning up a ton of ammo. Any helpful advice or tips to walk me through the process would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[sedancowboy]

Just tell your Ballistic calculator what range you are sighted in for and go shoot whatever the calculator tells you at what distance your rangefinder tells you. Once you have your data entered into the calculator correctly just range, dial and shoot. Don't over think it. Remember to verify your dope. Also remember that junk in junk out. Have fun!

 

[Buck Fever]

A sloped base or Burris Signature rings with offset inserts is the way you maximize drop in your scope.

For example if a scope says 60 MOA total elevation travel, you have roughly +/-30 MOA from center so if your base has a 20 MOA slope you will shift that to roughly +50/-10 MOA. If you try a 30 MOA slope rail you might have trouble getting to zero so more slope might not be better. Don't cut it too close unless you can correct issues with angle bedding.

 

[jimbires]

forget counting clicks . after you get sighted in reset the turret to show zero and set the zero stop if you have one . now think of everything in moa

 

[ShtrRdy]

I like to zero at 100 yards. Then any adjustment I make on the elevation turret is in the UP direction.

After you get a good zero, reset the turret scale to ZERO and set your zero stop.

For hunting I set the turret for a 200 yd zero and I'm good for any shots within, say, about 250 yds.

 

[dfanonymous]

Another tip for quick zero is start at 25 or 50 yards, shoot one shot, follow the bullet impact with the turrets while in a stable shooting position. A vice isn't bad for this, as we are just making sure we are getting on paper.

Move to 100y, shoot, then move the reticle with the turrets to the bullet impact. If using a vise, take out, then shoot again to fine tune. Use the reticle for measurements if applicable.

Set turret to zero, as stated above. Verify with another shot. Call it good.

You are correct if the scope is SFP, the reticle sub tensions are only true at a particular power per the scope manufactures direction

As far as saving moa in the scope. That's what a 20-30 moa base is for. Where you zero is out of your control, and whatever turret travel is left, is left.

 

[aushunter1]

I recently purchased my first turret style scope… Leupold VX6-HD-4-24-52 TMOA reticle. It's going on a 300RUM. I have always shot hold over type ballistic reticles but they could only go so far before running out of reticle at distance. Hence why I went to a turret style scope.

I understand the concept behind a turret dial the range scope but I just want to make sure I'm thinking through the sight in process correctly. I installed the scope this weekend so I'm ready to sight it in now. I'd like to keep the process as simple as possible.

I plan on zeroing it at 100 or 200 yards. Is there a way to zero it to maximize my remaining MOA elevation room within the scope? Or do I just dial it as needed to zero?

The manual states TMOA reticle's hatch marks each equal 1 MOA. I'm assuming this changes in a SFP scope depending on power setting?

How do I then find out my number of clicks for POI at known distances? Just use a ballistic program and input everything? I do use Strelok Pro for most of my load development work.

I just want to make sure I do this as efficiently as possible without burning up a ton of ammo. Any helpful advice or tips to walk me through the process would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

How far/distance do you intent to shot out to & how many moa of adjustment does the scope have?
You will get to a point that as @dfanonymous has mentioned you may need a 20 or 30 moa rail but you need to work that out on a ballistics calc to what your loads are to find how far out & how many MOA it will take to get you to a set distance.

Not being a FFP your subtension values will change as you zoom the scope, that should be mentioned on the reticle info somewhere & also what it is indexed at, so as an example at say 12X the subtension value will be say 2moa, at 24X it will be 4moa & as 6X it will be 1moa(could be the reverse I cant remember exactly) but look for the info for your reticle.

As for the POI at known distances yes use a calculator with all your crony/load data to start BUT I have found the further you shoot the more what is in a calculator can vary, so I print off the calculator card & then go out & shoot the distances to check the data.
Imo real world data is better than a calculator!
So make up your own drop/dope card so you know how many click you need for a set distance, & for that you obviously need a range finder!

 

[Buck Fever]

If you want to know how to zero your scope, bore sight it.

That should get you on paper at 50 yards, maybe 100. I usually can get within about 2 MOA. If you shoot on a grid, you can estimate how far you are off through the scope and then dial your zero. After you confirm, set the zeros on your turrets. That should take 2 shots or maybe a few more if you need to shoot a group and zero at the center (less accurate rifles will have this issue).

If you have a zero STOP, follow your scope instructions to set that. If you use a sloped base to maximize drop, you might not need it because the elevation turret will probably bottom before it goes a full turn past zero. If you do use a zero stop, I like to set it at least a few MOA below zero so you don't have to reset your zero stop if your POI changes a little (due to different ammo, a muzzle brake or suppressor).

Then once you have your zero, create a drop chart with your ballistics program, then confirm at 4-500 yards and 6-700 yards. If your elevations are off, true the BC or muzzle velocity to get agreement.

Then when you are hunting, use your drop chart or ballistic calculator along with your range measurement and inclination to get your number, dial it in and then either dial or hold for wind or lead on a moving animal.

 

[Full Curl]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies everybody! I don't have any MOA elevation built into my rail so I'll get all of it out of the scope itself. My scope does have the zero stop feature that can be set. I'll get it zeroed and then will have to play with the Strelok Pro app to see what I can get as far as distance out of it. I need 800 minimum and would like to get 1000 yards. For hunting at reasonable distances 400-600+ yards I'd like to know my set number of clicks for known distances... i.e. 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, etc. I'd like to have it written on a small piece of paper taped to my stock for quick reference so I can quickly dial for a range. So if I'm in the field and range a deer at 543 yards, I look at the small piece of paper taped to my stock and it tells me my number of elevation clicks for 550 yards... I quickly dial the scope and am ready to take the shot. Of course it's not this simple and I take note of wind, etc. but I do not want to punch all the data it into a calculator while hunting. This is the way I have always used my ballistic reticles as the hatch marks have not always been exactly the same POI from one situation to the next depending on conditions but I had my known measured POI for each when I developed my own dope chart and as long as I had a range I was on that animal with known holdover mark very quickly and ready to take the shot. Does this make sense?

I also have the Leupold CDS certificate that came with the scope. Is this a custom dial where the numbers on the turret would line up with my known POI information... for example 3 would be 300 yards and 7 would be 700 yards? So I don't even need to count clicks and can just dial to numbers? Is that the benefit of the CDS?

Thanks for the help.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Sounds like you have a plan. After you reset the "0" on the turret you can just dial to the number of MOA shown on your little paper. You dont need to count clicks.

The CDS is as you explained. The CDS would have to be made for one set of atmospheric conditions such as altitude, temperature and bullet BC & velocity for that rifle.

 

[WildBillG]

You said your scope is a Leupold VX6HD. That means I believe you only get 2 turns up on your turret. This should be enough as you are shooting a 300RUM. If I were you I would zero at 200 or 250 that means less clicks to reach 1000. Later you can get a custom turret from Leupold to match your load. I believe what I have told is is true and should make what you want to do easier. Good Luck.