BDC vs B&C vs Heavy Duplex Adjustable Drop Compensation

[Firing Pin]

What are your thoughts on the 3 different types scopes systems, for use on big game?  

[KimberRich]

Curious to see what everyone has to say.  Reticle's have come a far way in recent years! I've yet to hunt with any of them as I only hunt with Leupold and refuse to pay an extra $180 or whatever it is for the B&C reticle.  Duplex has worked fine for me so far. 

[mazama]

I like the zeiss z800 reticle,marked all the way out 800yds,on my rifle it was accurate out to 700yds that was the farthest i shot.

[Wacenturion]

Curious to see what everyone has to say.  Reticle's have come a far way in recent years! I've yet to hunt with any of them as I only hunt with Leupold and refuse to pay an extra $180 or whatever it is for the B&C reticle.  Duplex has worked fine for me so far. 

Kimber...I hear ya, but after spending countless hours comparing scopes for my new Browning 325 WSM, I personally feel the BDC on the Nikon Monarch I bought was basically free.  That is when compared to other scopes in the same price range that were not as clear and easy to look through....for me anyway.

[Firing Pin]

I have only just the duplex myself, and had good success with it.  But I'm itchin for a new scope and am looking for input.

[Jamieb]

Turrets in 1/4" or 1/4moa
Not cartridge dependent, you can move the scope from any rifle to any other rifle and the turrets still work.
My biggest problem with any of the BDC types is after you buy one for a cartridge/load, your stuck leaving that scope on that rifle forever and useing the load that matches the scope.

[KimberRich]

I have only just the duplex myself, and had good success with it.  But I'm itchin for a new scope and am looking for input.

I'm looking for a new scope also and really want one with the B&C reticle also but just haven't convinced myself that the extra $$ is worth it. 

[MtnMuley]

Turrets are the only way to go imo, unless you have a custom yardage lines setup on your scope.  I own 3 varmint and B&C reticle scopes and have NEVER used any line other than the crosshair.  In my opinion they are a generic guestimate on 300, 400, 500 yds, with every caliber and load differing.  If you take the time to recognize where every line hits with your load, they could be useful (example--330, 460, 585 yds).  Too busy for me.

[KimberRich]

Turrets are the only way to go imo, unless you have a custom yardage lines setup on your scope.  I own 3 varmint and B&C reticle scopes and have NEVER used any line other than the crosshair.  In my opinion they are a generic guestimate on 300, 400, 500 yds, with every caliber and load differing.  If you take the time to recognize where every line hits with your load, they could be useful (example--330, 460, 585 yds).  Too busy for me.

Well said.  I think I would be in the same boat only using the crosshair.  I sight my gun in 1/2" high at 100 and it hits perfect at 200 and I think I have only had to shoot over 200 once in my life at big game and it was 212 I think.  I agree that they are a generic estimate of all calibers which can not be very accurate unless shot a bunch like mentioned above. 

[Firing Pin]

I'm sighted in 2' high at 100 yards so there is nothing that I can't aim right on out to 300 yards.  I shoot hornady 165 gr interbond light mags out of an 06, and have no problems with elk at 265 yards and deer as close as 35 yards.  When you say turrets and they are not bullet specific, and can be changed to one caliber to another, I'm assuming that you still have to sight in and find out where the point of impact is with the different calibers?

[MtnMuley]

Yes.  Custom built turrets for your gun/load, or MOA turrets.

[Bob33]

Turrets in 1/4" or 1/4moa
Not cartridge dependent, you can move the scope from any rifle to any other rifle and the turrets still work.
My biggest problem with any of the BDC types is after you buy one for a cartridge/load, your stuck leaving that scope on that rifle forever and useing the load that matches the scope.

+1  Turrets that are customized for a specific load, and sight in, are only good for that specific load and sight-in.  If you are sighted in 2" high at 100 yards and want to change it to 3" high, the customized turrets will be off. 

The fact is that none of this is really necessary if you are shooting at distances under 300 yards and perhaps even 400 yards depending on your rifle and caliber.  Most modern calibers are only a few inches low at 300 yards, if a proper sight in is used.

[MtnMuley]

+1  Turrets that are customized for a specific load, and sight in, are only good for that specific load and sight-in.  If you are sighted in 2" high at 100 yards and want to change it to 3" high, the customized turrets will be off. 

The fact is that none of this is really necessary if you are shooting at distances under 300 yards and perhaps even 400 yards depending on your rifle and caliber.  Most modern calibers are only a few inches low at 300 yards, if a proper sight in is used.
[/quote]

Very true.  If you don't plan on shooting past 400yds, I wouldn't recommend turrets or a BDC reticle.  Holdover at under 400yds is minimal.

[haugenna]

Another problem with the Boone and Crockett style reticles is elevation. The more your elevations changes the farther your point of impact will be on the custom reticle.  You have to have it set for a certain elevation and always shoot at that elevation.  I am all for the custom Turrets,  I have a couple for each gun to shoot at different elevations.

[Firing Pin]

For some reason I have never really figured in the elevation factor.  How big of a difference is the POI from 900 feet to 5000 feet to 150 feet in evelvation?