Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Scopes and Optics => Topic started by: spin05 on October 19, 2022, 03:02:55 AM

Title: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: spin05 on October 19, 2022, 03:02:55 AM: Just got my CDS dial installed. Zero at 200 yrds. What do you guys do for under 200 yrd shots???? It looks like the dial isnt made to go lower. Im guessing just aim 1.5 low or dont even worry about it ???
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: MADMAX on October 19, 2022, 04:46:13 AM: I don't worry about it, if its under a 100 maybe hold a skosh low
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: blackpowderhunter on October 19, 2022, 05:51:47 AM: same thing youd do with any other set up zero'd at 200...aim a little low.
run your load through one of the many online ballistic calc's with it zero'd at 200 and it will tell you how high it would be at all yardages up to 200, it likely won't be much of a difference at all.
you're likely 1.5" high at 100.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Taco280AI on October 19, 2022, 05:53:22 AM: You just aim right on. What are you shooting? With a 200 yard zero on my rifles I'm only 1.2-1.7 high at 100. On big game, who cares. If you really need to just aim a tiny bit low.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: JWBINX on October 19, 2022, 06:20:21 AM: Taco nailed it! Go with his advise. :tup:
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: 10mmg on October 19, 2022, 06:28:49 AM: Quote from: JWBINX on October 19, 2022, 06:20:21 AM
Taco nailed it! Go with his advise. :tup:
:yeah:
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Stein on October 19, 2022, 06:46:44 AM: Zero at 100 and dial up for everything. It kind of defeats the purpose of having a dial if you are aren't going to use it and either hold off or settle for a shot that hits somewhere else.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: callturner on October 19, 2022, 07:12:09 AM: ^^^ Yes I believe the instructions say to zero at 100
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Taco280AI on October 19, 2022, 08:34:26 AM: Quote from: Stein on October 19, 2022, 06:46:44 AM
Zero at 100 and dial up for everything. It kind of defeats the purpose of having a dial if you are aren't going to use it and either hold off or settle for a shot that hits somewhere else.

Why not keep it simple? If a deer is 0-225 yards I don't have to do a single thing. After that I dial.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Stein on October 19, 2022, 09:22:01 AM: For me, it's simple to do the same thing every time. Range, dial, shoot. Same way every time, no thinking, adjusting, compensating. Bullet always goes where crosshairs are aimed.

A couple inches is a couple inches, I'm not willing to add that error on top of all the other factors going on in a hunting situation adding error to the shot.

I've never missed an opportunity by spending 2 seconds dialing.

I think it's 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: rsarkks on October 19, 2022, 09:36:53 AM: I had my dial made with a 100 yard zero, and will dial up for longer shots when applicable. I chose tis because most of my hunting is in the westside where shots over 100 yards are few and far between, at least where I find bucks and bulls. Though as the others have said, you will be within 2 inches, or less depending on your caliber/load, from point blank to 225 yards or so with a 200 yard zero which is well within the kill zone on a deer or elk.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: spin05 on October 20, 2022, 12:00:43 AM: Quote from: Taco280AI on October 19, 2022, 05:53:22 AM
You just aim right on. What are you shooting? With a 200 yard zero on my rifles I'm only 1.2-1.7 high at 100. On big game, who cares. If you really need to just aim a tiny bit low.

.270 win 150g . yea its 1.7 at 100
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Magnum_Willys on October 24, 2022, 10:18:47 AM: Typical CDS setup allows for 200-700 yard readout, no reason to start at 100 and lose top end when most people zero for 2" high at 100 anyway. Many CDS allow a much larger range then zero at 100 and dial as far as you can shoot is optimum.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: 7mmfan on October 24, 2022, 10:30:36 AM: My CDS is set for a 200 yard zero as well. Shot my elk in Idaho last week at 60 in the neck. Only one time has the 1.5ish inches of difference at 100 yards made a difference. The animal still died, immediately, it was just a little messier than intended :yike: If you're aiming at behind the shoulder vitals, it won't matter, just aim and shoot.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: jrebel on October 24, 2022, 10:44:08 AM: Not familiar with the CDS and amount of adjustment they have. I think the advice given is spot on.....just know your 1-2 inches high which for all big game animals is negligible.

As for other turret scopes....I always zero at 100. If I'm in hunting where I am worried about range, I dial my scope to 250-260 yards and know that 0-300 yards is now a hair hold on big game animals. This only applies if you have to get a quick shot off, otherwise you have time to range and make fine adjustments with your turrets. If I'm in heavy cover, I always dial down to 100 yard zero and go from there.

Thousand ways to skin a cat....learn your way and practice. Happy hunting.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Bob33 on October 24, 2022, 11:11:00 AM: I set my CDS dial to zero at 200 yards. It extends my “plus or minus 2 inches / I don’ t have to think about it” distance to about 275 yards from 225 yards with a 100 yard zero on a 257 Weatherby. I like the extra 50 yards of point-blank range. Beyond that distance I would need to adjust the dial in either instance.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: BR549 on January 09, 2023, 03:39:06 PM: You do exactly what you do with any scope or iron sights that are zeroed for 200, just account for the super slight difference in elevation if you're head shooting a mouse, or hold straight on for anything from a rabbit to moose.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Arden85 on January 09, 2023, 04:37:30 PM: I set my zero at 100 yards , figured might as get the most out of the cap for my shooting ability.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: highside74 on January 09, 2023, 05:01:46 PM: Quote from: Arden85 on January 09, 2023, 04:37:30 PM
I dialed in at 100 yards , figured might as get the most out of the cap.

That's not case. The dial only has so much moa adjustment. I could be wrong but by setting your dial start at 100 you'll lose some moa at max distance. Most of us will never shoot max distance of our scope so most likely no big deal.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: Stein on January 09, 2023, 05:11:00 PM: Quote from: highside74 on January 09, 2023, 05:01:46 PM
Quote from: Arden85 on January 09, 2023, 04:37:30 PM
I dialed in at 100 yards , figured might as get the most out of the cap.

That's not case. The dial only has so much moa adjustment. I could be wrong but by setting your dial start at 100 you'll lose some moa at max distance. Most of us will never shoot max distance of our scope so most likely no big deal.

Your dial will go the same number of mils or moa up regardless of where you set the "zero." If you set at 200, you can't dial below 200 whereas if you set zero at 100 you can obviously dial 100.

So, if you can dial out to 900 yards (complete random amount), it's always going to dial to 900. If you set "zero" at 100 you can dial 100-900, if you set to 200 you can dial 200-900.

You lose clicks on the lower end, not the upper end.

For the CDS dial, you don't actually set "zero", you set the minimum distance on the dial at the zero stop and dial up from there. The MOA or mil numbers are replaced by yardage, so there is no "0" on that dial.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: highside74 on January 09, 2023, 05:34:26 PM: Quote from: Stein on January 09, 2023, 05:11:00 PM
Quote from: highside74 on January 09, 2023, 05:01:46 PM
Quote from: Arden85 on January 09, 2023, 04:37:30 PM
I dialed in at 100 yards , figured might as get the most out of the cap.

That's not case. The dial only has so much moa adjustment. I could be wrong but by setting your dial start at 100 you'll lose some moa at max distance. Most of us will never shoot max distance of our scope so most likely no big deal.

Your dial will go the same number of mils or moa up regardless of where you set the "zero." If you set at 200, you can't dial below 200 whereas if you set zero at 100 you can obviously dial 100.

So, if you can dial out to 900 yards (complete random amount), it's always going to dial to 900. If you set "zero" at 100 you can dial 100-900, if you set to 200 you can dial 200-900.

You lose clicks on the lower end, not the upper end.

For the CDS dial, you don't actually set "zero", you set the minimum distance on the dial at the zero stop and dial up from there. The MOA or mil numbers are replaced by yardage, so there is no "0" on that dial.

Makes sense.
Title: Re: Question for you Leupold CDS guys
Post by: jrebel on January 09, 2023, 05:54:34 PM: You can gain yardage....or elevation on your turret by mounting your scope to a 10/20/30 moa rail. This gives a forward cant to your scope allowing you to get the most out of your scopes elevation adjustment. Most scopes will come with 80-110 MOA's worth of adjustment. If you have a 0 MOA rail, you will likely only have half of that adjustment for elevation. If you put a 20 MOA rail on your rifle, you will gain another 20 MOA worth of elevation adjustment....and so on. The actual number you have to play with will be determined by multiple factors....so don't assume you have room in your scope for a 30MOA rail. Most have plenty of room for a 20 MOA rail. Lots of youtube videos that help explain this concept if my words don't make sense. :chuckle: :chuckle: