Shepherd Scopes

[dzrtram]

This is my first post from the People's Republik of Commifornia.
I was looking at the ads for Shepherd scopes. Do any of you have experience with these. I usually prefer Burris to anything, especially on sale, but I'm always interested something new (to me).
Thanks

 

[snicl1]

I've got one on a 24"bbl 300winmag. Got the scope before I knew anything about ballistics & reloading. I can only use 150 gr projos loaded to 3100 for the drops to be accurate. Optically, it's not a Leupold. That said, using the reticle, I'm able to hit swingers at the shooting range out to 600 yards. Beyond that, that 150's don't move the metal targets very much. For the amount of money I'd spent back then (late 80's), I shoulda bought a Leupold.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I will tell you all I know from them as I have a hunting buddy who has one on his 7 Rem Mag. As far as we can tell, it doesn't seem to be as clear as even a Leupold VX 2. The advantages are that you dont need to carry a rangefinder like you would with target knobs. You dont have to have a ballistic chart taped to the side, you just simply bracket the animal. Which brings me to the next thing. The scope is already set up for what IT WANTS TO SHOOT. My friend has to use a Sierra bullet with a lower BC and lower velocity because with a high BC bullet, he was shooting about a foot over everything. This doesn't interest me at all, I want my gun to shoot what I want to put through it and at whatever top velocity that may be. After its all said and done though, he is consistantly hitting deer and coyotes at 700 yards and killing them. He shot a bull last year and hit it 3 of 4 times at 700 yards. The biggest thing is you have to experiment a lot with loading and different bullets and then shooting them at every range to know exactly where they hit. That will tell you if you need to use a different bullet or different velocity.

 

[Digger49r]

I've had a Shepherd on my 300 win for quite sometime.The rifle is a Savage 112 with the trigger done and tuned up a little,shoots sub MOA.I find that since you can adjust the 'circles' independently you do have a bit of latitude with velocity vs. weight if you play a little with the longer ranges.I have taken game out to 600 yds with it so it does work as advertized.What I don't like about it is I find the reticle clutterd. I find for me,anyhow,they are too velocity/BC/and weight specific. Also when you have something ranged between the circles you can't accuratly adjust for the difference like you can with mil-dots or other reticles made for long range. Optically it's not that bad but it ain't a Leup VXIII with a 50 mm obj either. I do have to say it rugged...hasn't lost it's zero at all and it's had it's share of being drug through the bush.All in all I cant say I'd buy another one.

 

[frankg]

I have a Nightforce ,a Leupold, and 2 Shepherds.I have taken my Shepherd to 1000 yard competition and the people who looked through it were impressed with the brightness and clarity.
If I am hunting 600yds or less I much prefer the Shepherd.
If I am hunting more than 600 I much prefer something else.
The Shepherd is I have is only 10 power and the crosshairs are very thick.
With my Shepherd on my 300 Win mag the drops are within 2 or 3 inches of the crosshairs out to 500 or 600 yards no matter what load I use.Most loads are very close.
The shepherd is not as precise,but it is really fast.

 

[Tailgunner]

I hae one, and I like it. However my shots are all on the near side of 600yd, so I'm not a "expert" at long range.
I suggest the following order to determine which (or even if) "balisitic compinsating" scope will work best for you. BTW, they all work the same way (preset retical pattern).

1) Find the load that your rifle likes the best.
2) Chronograph that load.
3) Calculate the "balisitic curve" using your bullets BC and your chronographed velocity.
4) Match (as close as possiable) the calculated curve to the scopes preset drop spacing. (call Shepherd with your BC and actual velocity, and they will do this for you. BTW they are nice people to talk to)
5) Take it out and "prove" the actual match up at the various ranges. Tweak as needed. IE: you might need to be 1" high at 100 to be 1" low at 600

I had to use the "recogmended" pattern for the 300WM on my 30-06 due to the fact that my rifle prefers a Nosler BT at Light Magnum velocities (higher BC and velocity than what the "30-06 class scopes are set for)