Leupold CDS ? How many MOA?

[winmag]

For those of you with a CDS Turret, or those that have experience with them,
Approximately, How many MOA elevation do you get?
Ive talked to Leupold about sending in my VX-III 4.5-14x40A/O (1 inch tube)to get a B&C reticle, as well as CDS turrets for my 300wby. I like having the close stuff covered w/o having to mess with the scope, but the combo sounds like a dream if I can get enough MOA elevation to make it worth while. But I didnt ask how many MOA elevation it would come back with.

Is it capable of more than 1 revolution of the turret?

Will I be able to dial come ups close to 1k, or am I stuck with a turret that makes 1 revolution and stops around 700 +_- yds? Im not fooling myself thinking Im gonna whack anything more than coyotes and targets past 700ish anyway, but I dont want to bother with CDS turrets if I can only dial up 200yards more than my B&C reticle. Not cost effective IMO.

How many MOA in 1 revolution of the turret?

The scope specs say 116moa elevation and 116 moa windage....... That sure doesnt sound right to me. I figure divided by half then divide the answer by four and thats the approx ttl of moa in 1 direction. This is assuming that the sight in is right at true 0............uh...ya.........
Anybody got any advise?

 

[winmag]

BTT. hoping for some input.

 

[Tikkamike]

I might have some helpful info for you Tj. I am pretty sure its just like a normal scope my dad has one and I think the way it will work is you will have only one revolution of marked graduations on your turret. However you can make yourself a drop chart and count clicks past your highest yardage mark. then you can go even further with tapered bases obviously. But the CDS turret is short so theres only room for one row of numbers... does that help?

 

[retiredcpo]

Winmag
I have several leupold scopes
My newest one is a vx III 6.5 x20X50 which the custom shop put the M1 turrets on. Awsome set up.
My 300 WSm has the same scope as you with the BC reticle in it.
It will be going in for a CDS turrets after hunting season
My daughters 25-06 has the 6.5x20x50 with the varmit hunters reticle
It will be going in for a M1 turrets after hunting season(my shooting buddies gun/scope is exactly the same and will be going in as well)
This past summer I have been helping a friend build a Remington CDL in 270 WSM
He put the 4.5x14 CDS scope on it Sunday he shot a 26.5 in 4 point at 740 yards
The way I understand it if you get the custom cds knobs they have stops in it limiting it to one turn the one that come stock do not have the stops.
I would not want the custom ones unless you are going to have a differant turret for each altitude.

 

[winmag]

Thanks guys. Im gonna call the custom shop tomorrow and ask them a few questions BEFORE I send it in for both reticle and CDS. I may have to wind up doing reticle now, and save my pennies for upgraded turrets later. Depending on cost. Ill let ya know what they say.

 

[Tikkamike]

Definitely let us know I have thought several times that would be an awesome set p. I have wondered though what if you could tune the power perfectly then have the dial calibrated so that your clicking from 500 up and you use the top of your bottom post (your 500 yard mark) as your aiming point once you start dialing so that you get more out of it??? Any thoughts on that. Just an idea.

 

[winmag]

Oh ya Ive thgought of that too. But You would have to know exactly how many MOA your 500yd stadia line was set at, and dial from there. Forget about doing that in your head, but a turret calibrated from your 500yd pin would be bitchen! Ill ask em tomorrow. Ill write down all the questions so I dont forget any this time.

By the way you should post that group from your Lapua Mike. Nice shootin!

 

[Sendero_Man]

just mounted a CDS on my new GAP 300WSM non typical hunter. I'll let you know tomorrow how I like it. Heading to the range for sight in and check out the scope !

got the 4.5-14x40 CDS from Cabela's

there is 15 MOA per revolution

 

[winmag]

OK just got off the phone with Leupold Custom shop.
Heres the questions I asked concerning my VX-III;
Q1.How many MOA (aprox) does the CDS turret offer?

A; About 15MOA

Q2.Can you order a CDS turret with more than 1 revolution, OR without the 0stop?

A; NO

Q3.Can you order a CDS turret based on the 500yd pin (or any pin) in your B&C reticle?

A; NO

Q4. Whats the next step for turrets that offer more than 15ish MOA elevation?

A; Standard (MOA) Target Turrets, or Calibrated Target Turrets (for $10 more) $140, or Standard (MOA) M-1 Turrets, or Calibrated M-1 Turrets (for $10 more)$150 (wich is virtualy the same price as the CDS turrets).

Q5. Can I have the Custom Shop install a B&C reticle, AS WELL AS, CDS, Target, or M-1 Turrets at the same time?

A; Yes, but the turrets can only be calibrated to the crosshairs, not the stadia lines.

Some of these questions were asked the first time I contacted the Custom Shop, but I asked them again anyway cause I had all my Q's written out in order.
This is what I learned;
LEUPOLD ROCKS!!!!!!!!! And treats thier customers like kings. The Custom Shop is very cordial, and patient, and will work with you on just about anything. There are some things they just cant to, as I just found out, but with all the other options theres a solution for every type of shooter, and Leupold will do whatever it takes to help you reach that goal.

*just a side note, ALL this treatment was unbeliveable, especially considering I bought this scope USED (from a fellow L/R/H member) and I informed them of this off the bat.
The scope is in exelent condition, and was obviously well taken care of, but they didnt even ask the condition, nor care. It will be returned in "AS NEW" condition when the work is performed. Plus all the same NO Questions asked, Fully transfreable warranty still applies.
Ive owned, and still own, Leupold optics before, and used thier warranty dept 1 time on an old fixed 4x. It came back basicly brand new. Ive been a fan, and a Leupold owner for a while, But now Im a "Lifer".

I still have a soft spot for Burris, tho I gotta admit, after today, its more of an "ugly duckling" sort of affection, for thier price, and ruggedness. Cause they dont even hold a candle to LEUPOLD'S Customer Service, Warranty, or Custom Shop. No wonder Leupold has such a huge following! They Realy back up what they say.

Thank you to all who commented. I realy appreciate the info, and advise.

 

[Tikkamike]

well thats too bad they cant build the cds dial from 500. Oh well I agree they are AWESOME! The question is what are you going to do? CDS and B&C still? M1?

 

[Schoettgen]

FWIW, the CDS scope comes with a standard MOA cap and no stop. Total adjustment is roughly 47 MOA . On my longrange rifle, sighted in with a 200 yard 0 I have just over two turns before I run out of adjustment, or 33 MOA. This is enough adjustment to get me past 1000 yards. A custom cap would limit me to around 700 yards and for that reason, on this rifle, I prefer not to have a custom cap.
My other rifle is a lighter weight carry and calling rifle that I use just about daily for coyotes. All my ranch work is roughly the same elevation, so I picked a middle of the road temp, called it in to leupold and had them make a custom cap (.243 70 grn ballitic tips.). Not really a long range load and the cap limits me to about 700 yards , but I am pretty solid with it out to 500 yards or so. What I really like about the custom cap is that it speeds things up when you need to engage multiple targets quickly, and with the stop I can turn it back down without having to take my eyes off a target. I just range, dial and shoot. I don't have to look at a range card and count the MOA since the yardages are marked on the cap. I have had one on this rifle for over a year now and it is holding up fine to daily use and abuse. -ATV , Truck , Horse, heat, cold ,rain, snow, etc....
The thing I like most about this dial, is its low proflie. It really is a hunters turret and the only one I know of that will ride well in a horses scabboard. Leupold did a good job with this one.

 

[retiredcpo]

Winmag
I would call them back
Ask them what the differance is between a CDS turret installed by them and one off the shelf at cabelas. The one off the shelf has NO stop in it.

ponder this if you have the bc reticle and the turret
your reticle will take you to approx 500 yards (depending on the velocity of your load) your turret will dial you to about 700 yards( depending on caliber)
Now if you Dial your turret to 500 yards that now puts your cross hairs at a 500 yard zero and your reticle will go out from there you would just have to shoot it and find out the yardage for each line should be close to 1000 yards
retiredcpo

 

[winmag]

Winmag
I would call them back
Ask them what the differance is between a CDS turret installed by them and one off the shelf at cabelas. The one off the shelf has NO stop in it.

ponder this if you have the bc reticle and the turret
your reticle will take you to approx 500 yards (depending on the velocity of your load) your turret will dial you to about 700 yards( depending on caliber)
Now if you Dial your turret to 500 yards that now puts your cross hairs at a 500 yard zero and your reticle will go out from there you would just have to shoot it and find out the yardage for each line should be close to 1000 yards
retiredcpo

My problemb is I want more accuracy for longer range. The close stuff I dont mind at all using the reticle, but the farther away, the less margine for error. Id rather not use a stadia line thats "on at 723yards..........if I dialed to 500......."
I doubt it would work too well for me that far because the farther away the more compound the MOA needed to get there and having a stadia lines that are on at weird yardages would mess with my head even if it did get me to 1k-ish. I just arent that smrt I arent tu dumb either, but thats right up there for my simple mind.

I almost made my mind up to go with the M-1's (calibrated version) untill I read your post again. Are you saying I can order CDS turrets, from Cabelas, without a zero-stop, and the Leupold custom shop cant put em on at thier factory?
Something is out of place here.........
Would you send me a P.M. on this issue please.
I dont think this needs to be discussed in an open forum. Too many "haters" will chime in I think
Thanks,
TJ

 

[Schoettgen]

Winmag
Maybe I didn't word my post right, but after establishing a 200 yard 0, my CDS scope with the generic MOA cap, no stop, gives me 33 MOA of elevation adjustment above my Zero. That takes me to 1000+. When you buy the scope from Cabela's it comes with the generic cap, no stops. You can then call Leupold, give them your ballistics, elevation, temp etc... and they will send you two custom caps to your specs. You can also have the custom shop add the low profile CDS on your windage turret if you want.
Not trying to talk you out of the M1s but if you want, or need, a low profle turret, in a fairly compact scope at a decent price, the CDS VX-3 from cabelas is a good deal. I do wish the crosshairs had mil-dots, at least for windage.