DOPE/drop chart data.

[robtattoo]

I'm interested what amount of data everyone carries with them in the field.
I see a lot of pictures of guns with what appears to be complete ballistic charts taped to their stock.

I personally use the most basic of data. Either a doodle of the reticle with the appropriate ranges next to the hash marks, or simple holdovers on duplex reticles. Usually a half business card is more than enough to contain all my data.

I never bother with wind-drift, velocity, Fpe or any of that as I never feel it's particularly necessary in the field & more likely to be confusing. Mind you, I'm only ever shooting to an absolute max of 500yds.

What are y'all doing?

 

[mtfallon]

I have an index card taped to side of stock with clear packing tape on my muzzleloader/rifles with the info you mentioned - scope magnification and hash mark distances, usually for 2X,4X,7X (I'm a fan of 2-7 power scopes in New England!)

 

[Idaho Sandman]

So you have no idea of your ballistics therefore drop and windage but take shots out to 500? You just use Kentucky windage, little hold over and pray? I feel as that I owe the game I hunt more respect than that.

 

[Daniel_M]

Vortex Dope Disk & Leica Range. Plenty for my 400yd circle of confidence. Range limited but my new loads walked right out to 300.

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[robtattoo]

So you have no idea of your ballistics therefore drop and windage but take shots out to 500? You just use Kentucky windage, little hold over and pray? I feel as that I owe the game I hunt more respect than that.

No on the drop, yes on the windage.
I have a list of verified drops (hence the holdover/hashmark data) that I spend hours at the range figuring out, but as I can't shoot in every single wind condition, I can't verify wind drift data & if I could, it'd be so complicated to note as to be unfathomable in a hunting situation. I'm not going to risk a long shot in high wind, regardless.

 

[Formidilosus]

No on the drop, yes on the windage.
I have a list of verified drops (hence the holdover/hashmark data) that I spend hours at the range figuring out, but as I can't shoot in every single wind condition, I can't verify wind drift data & if I could, it'd be so complicated to note as to be unfathomable in a hunting situation. I'm not going to risk a long shot in high wind, regardless.

Figuring wind drift isnt complicated. Though if someone is guessing with holdover at "500 yards" anyways, it probably won't matter.



This 223 with 77gr SMK and TMK's has 4mph wind bracket. Drop is within .2 mil when ran as-

300- 1mil
400- 2mil
500- 3mil

 

[muddydogs]

I like the BDC scopes so my information pertains to them. I use a label maker and make a label to attach to my scope that has the zero distance and yardage for each subtend in my scope, label reads like this. 0=230, 309, 438, 547, 658. If I range an animal at 300 yards I can look and see that the first BDC subtend gives me 309 yards.
I also carry a small card in my bino harness made from an excel spreadsheet that has the subtend ranges, 1/2 between the subtends and 1/4 between the subtends for quick estimations. The card also has MOA wind drift for a 10 mph cross wind as my scopes have 2 MOA subtends along the main cross hair line for drift adjustments.
This works for me but I'm no sniper and don't pretend to be plus the furthest I have ever taken an animal in 35 years of hunting was 150 yards so most of my info is for just in case type shots.

 

[luke moffat]

Form....you showing off with your good penmanship....if I were to do that that it would be illegible.

I use the vortex dope disk as well though I input all the numbers manually from my app rather than use their calculator.

Anyways I only hunt 0 to 5000' really and picked a generic temp of 40 degrees. The impact shift at 500 yards from 0 degree F at sea level and 70 degrees at 5000' was only 2.5".

Have the same setup on my 6.5 and 50-60 degree days at sea level worked just fine on the 5 deer we shot over 400 yards last week even with the disk based on 2500' and 40 degrees. All one shot kills. Taking 6.5 for a week of caribou hunting (not myself unless I see a whopper and no one is around) but to let my family use it. Beyond 500 I am a newb to all this that I will stick to the app and inputting exact conditions . But the disk sure is a lot faster just to range and see where to twist the dial on the cheat sheet and go opposed to running the app all the time

 

[Formidilosus]

I like the BDC scopes so my information pertains to them. I use a label maker and make a label to attach to my scope that has the zero distance and yardage for each subtend in my scope, label reads like this. 0=230, 309, 438, 547, 658. If I range an animal at 300 yards I can look and see that the first BDC subtend gives me 309 yards.
I also carry a small card in my bino harness made from an excel spreadsheet that has the subtend ranges, 1/2 between the subtends and 1/4 between the subtends for quick estimations. The card also has MOA wind drift for a 10 mph cross wind as my scopes have 2 MOA subtends along the main cross hair line for drift adjustments.
This works for me but I'm no sniper and don't pretend to be plus the furthest I have ever taken an animal in 35 years of hunting was 150 yards so most of my info is for just in case type shots.

If you're happy with it ok, but just to use this as an example (and nothing personel), this is why BDC's are a heavy compromise with no real upsides a lot of times. First, people use BDC's because they think it's a shortcut to them not having to learn how to shoot at range, not because they result in the most hits. Second, they're supposed to be "simple
and intuitive". "230, 309, 438, 547, and 658" isn't exactly "intuitive".


Muddy, if you wouldn't mind can you give me your particulars for the above rifle? Bullet, muzzle velocity, general sight height, and elevation.m.

 

[Formidilosus]

Luke,

Pretty sure that's the first time anyone has told me I write good.... grin


Like you, the only time I don't use the Ballistic program or paper charts is when it's inside of 500yds or I'm out of battery life.


That rifle/ammo combo is a good example of how you can "trick" most any combination to work as a BDC with a mil reticle.

Dial "up .2" and you can hold-

300- .5mil
400- 1mil
500- 2mil


Impacts will be as close as any BDC, and it's easy to remember. Also you have a 5moh wind bracket.

 

[luke moffat]

Haha good point never noticed .2 mil up and can use the LRHS reticle (G2sumthinorother ) like a BDC only with ALOT more options than a silly bdc

 

[brushape]

Drops to 600 taped on my turret changed day to day with the conditions, anything further or any major change of weather or altitude and I'll just use the ballistic calculator on my phone

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[stevevan]

In my scopes with hash marks I do the same as robtattoo. I believe in the K.I.S.S. method (Keep It Simple Stupid).

 

[muddydogs]

If you're happy with it ok, but just to use this as an example (and nothing personel), this is why BDC's are a heavy compromise with no real upsides a lot of times. First, people use BDC's because they think it's a shortcut to them not having to learn how to shoot at range, not because they result in the most hits. Second, they're supposed to be "simple
and intuitive". "230, 309, 438, 547, and 658" isn't exactly "intuitive".


Muddy, if you wouldn't mind can you give me your particulars for the above rifle? Bullet, muzzle velocity, general sight height, and elevation.m.

Rifle is a 25-06 shooting 110 grain Nosler Accubonds out the muzzle at 3100 FPS. Sight height is 1.75" I think and I hunt around 8000 feet so I use that number for ballistics. I could have messed around with my zero height to get a better BDC numbers but I haven't yet.
On my 7mm RM my BDC numbers come out at 304, 418, 519 and 624 so for field work I just remember 3,4,5, or 620.
Like I said it works for me as I have no dials to turn or stuff to mess with, in 35 years of hunting I have shot all my animals offhand at less then 150 yards and rarely take my scope off its lowest power to make the shot. Never had time to mess with this or that as the shots have been quick.

 

[Formidilosus]

Thanks Muddy,


25/06 zero for 100. Dial "up .3" for a 200 yard setting and your holds look like-

300- .5mil
400- 1mil
500- 2mil




Again, that isn't to say one can't hit using a BDC, just that's it is possible to use a system that has WAY more use and flexibility while maintaining simple and quick holds.

 

[muddydogs]

Thanks Muddy,


25/06 zero for 100. Dial "up .3" for a 200 yard setting and your holds look like-

300- .5mil
400- 1mil
500- 2mil




Again, that isn't to say one can't hit using a BDC, just that's it is possible to use a system that has WAY more use and flexibility while maintaining simple and quick holds.

Right now it's zeroed for 230 yards so I don't need to dial up for nothing. At 300 yards it's 4 inches low which is nothing to hold over for with just the cross hairs. At 350 yards there's 8" of drop so this is the point where point of aim starts to really matter. I just don't need a scope I have to dial up or dial anyway. I have no desire to be a long range hunter as my personal opinion is there is no need to make 500+ yard shot on game.

 

[suchee]

Luke,

Pretty sure that's the first time anyone has told me I write good.... grin


Like you, the only time I don't use the Ballistic program or paper charts is when it's inside of 500yds or I'm out of battery life.


That rifle/ammo combo is a good example of how you can "trick" most any combination to work as a BDC with a mil reticle.

Dial "up .2" and you can hold-

300- .5mil
400- 1mil
500- 2mil


Impacts will be as close as any BDC, and it's easy to remember. Also you have a 5moh wind bracket.

Form PM sent
How do you figure this "Trick" out? Using swfa Mil-quad reticle. What inputs on calc

 

[grfox92]

I have an index card taped to side of stock with clear packing tape on my muzzleloader/rifles with the info you mentioned - scope magnification and hash mark distances, usually for 2X,4X,7X (I'm a fan of 2-7 power scopes in New England!)

I don't understand how the magnification is a factor in bullet drop?

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[EastMT]

I don't understand how the magnification is a factor in bullet drop?

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On my mil dot scope, 12 power is 3.6 inches per dot, 1.8 inches on 24 power. The first and second focal plane is where this comes into play, whether or not you scope also magnifies the crosshairs. Magnification doesn't change the drop itself but does change the point of aim if the crosshairs are magnified

 

[grfox92]

On my mil dot scope, 12 power is 3.6 inches per dot, 1.8 inches on 24 power. The first and second focal plane is where this comes into play, whether or not you scope also magnifies the crosshairs. Magnification doesn't change the drop itself but does change the point of aim if the crosshairs are magnified

That makes perfect sense, thank you.

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