Leupold CDS Help

[srader]

I'm running a Leupold Gen 5HD 4 x 20. I'm leaving for a Montana elk hunt in a couple of weeks.

I had the CDS styles cut for Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 200 grain for a 300 Winchester Magnum. Other factors were 6000 feet of elevation, 30° temperature, 2" scope height, 2940 FPS (chronograph verified). The scope is sitting on top of a Browning X Bolt Pro.

I'm shooting here in Indiana in 70° weather and 800 feet of elevation. It is absolutely nowhere close. Is it all because of the environmental factors? I've read great things about the system and really want to use it, but I need to have confidence that it will work. I went back to the original dials and I did print out a ballistic sheet for my location and environmental factors and I hit dead on.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[srader]

I'm running a Leupold Gen 5HD 4 x 20. I'm leaving for a Montana elk hunt in a couple of weeks.

I had the CDS styles cut for Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 200 grain for a 300 Winchester Magnum. Other factors were 6000 feet of elevation, 30° temperature, 2" scope height, 2940 FPS (chronograph verified). The scope is sitting on top of a Browning X Bolt Pro.

I'm shooting here in Indiana in 70° weather and 800 feet of elevation. It is absolutely nowhere close. Is it all because of the environmental factors? I've read great things about the system and really want to use it, but I need to have confidence that it will work. I went back to the original dials and I did print out a ballistic sheet for my location and environmental factors and I hit dead on.

Any input is appreciated.

Edit:

I'm running a Leupold VX 5HD 4 x 20. I'm leaving for a Montana elk hunt in a couple of weeks.

I had the CDS dials cut for Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 200 grain for a 300 Winchester Magnum. Other factors were 6000 feet of elevation, 30° temperature, 2" scope height, 2940 FPS (chronograph verified). The scope is sitting on top of a Browning X Bolt Pro.

To further add here in Indiana it is shooting very high.

 

[Kyguy]

Could be that whoever burned the turret at Leupold entered some information wrong. I know several people with them and they've all been spot on for their load in their area.

Dumb question but are you sure you put the dial on correctly? Meaning, 100 yd zero and the dial starts at 100 yds.... dial doesn't start at 200 yds? Just an example.

Print a chart for your area and a chart for the area you're going with that data and compare them to see how much difference there actually is. You'll see real quick if Leupold screwed up.

I just did one comparing a .223 at 2000 ft, 59 degrees, 78% humidity with one using your data and 50% humidity, and the difference out to 500 yds was .4 MOA... 10.9 MOA with a 100 yd zero 2000 ft and 10.5 MOA at 6000 feet.

 

[wapitibob]

Every time I filled out one of those data sheets, the dial would have been nowhere close to what my ballistics app showed so I never bought a custom dial. I just put a trimmed Avery label on the turret and mark my own yardage based off my app. Worked perfectly last week on Deer and Elk.

 

[srader]

Could be that whoever burned the turret at Leupold entered some information wrong. I know several people with them and they've all been spot on for their load in their area.

Dumb question but are you sure you put the dial on correctly? Meaning, 100 yd zero and the dial starts at 100 yds.... dial doesn't start at 200 yds? Just an example.

Print a chart for your area and a chart for the area you're going with that data and compare them to see how much difference there actually is. You'll see real quick if Leupold screwed up.

I just did one comparing a .223 at 2000 ft, 59 degrees, 78% humidity with one using your data and 50% humidity, and the difference out to 500 yds was .4 MOA... 10.9 MOA with a 100 yd zero 2000 ft and 10.5 MOA at 6000 feet.

It is zeroed out 100. I moved back to 300 and it was 8 inches high. I think it was burned wrong. I played around to like you have and have noticed that the MOA is not that great. I should've stopped at 200 to see how high it was there but I did not.

 

[Kyguy]

Is your scope moa? I wonder if they burned it using mil's.

 

[srader]

Is your scope moa? I wonder if they burned it using mil's.

Yes, it is in MOA.

 

[Kyguy]

How long until your hunt? You can just use the original turret and make your own label or use a silver sharpie. If you've got time, you could order Turret Tags from Backfire or the same thing from Little Crow Gunworks to use.

 

[srader]

Could be that whoever burned the turret at Leupold entered some information wrong. I know several people with them and they've all been spot on for their load in their area.

Dumb question but are you sure you put the dial on correctly? Meaning, 100 yd zero and the dial starts at 100 yds.... dial doesn't start at 200 yds? Just an example.

Print a chart for your area and a chart for the area you're going with that data and compare them to see how much difference there actually is. You'll see real quick if Leupold screwed up.

I just did one comparing a .223 at 2000 ft, 59 degrees, 78% humidity with one using your data and 50% humidity, and the difference out to 500 yds was .4 MOA... 10.9 MOA with a 100 yd zero 2000 ft and 10.5 MOA at 6000 feet.

I just ran a chart using my altitude at 1000 feet and 70° and one for Montana at 6000 feet and 30°. The MOA at 500 yards in Indiana was 7.7 MOA and Montana it was 7.5 M0A.

 

[TedO]

Leupold has an app that works well, and I hate apps, but this one is worth using when setting up a rifle. You could download that and use it to verify what you're seeing in the field.

I've had multiple CDS turrets created for my Leupold scopes, and they've all been accurate.

 

[srader]

Leupold has an app that works well, and I hate apps, but this one is worth using when setting up a rifle. You could download that and use it to verify what you're seeing in the field.

I've had multiple CDS turrets created for my Leupold scopes, and they've all been accurate.

Is that the Leupold Control App?

 

[TedO]

Is that the Leupold Control App?

correct

 

[hoooogan]

Ballistic differences aside, have you confirmed the tick marks are in the right spot on the turret? Not looking at the numbers on the turret, if you dial in the correct amount of clicks at 500, does that match the 5 leupold burned on?

Basically is your hand dialing matching the marks on the turret? That would at least rule out the turret as the issue.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Every time I filled out one of those data sheets, the dial would have been nowhere close to what my ballistics app showed so I never bought a custom dial. I just put a trimmed Avery label on the turret and mark my own yardage based off my app. Worked perfectly last week on Deer and Elk.

View attachment 950754

This is what I do on all scopes

-shoot/verify drops
-label
-hunt

 

[srader]

Ballistic differences aside, have you confirmed the tick marks are in the right spot on the turret? Not looking at the numbers on the turret, if you dial in the correct amount of clicks at 500, does that match the 5 leupold burned on?

Basically is your hand dialing matching the marks on the turret? That would at least rule out the turret as the issue.

No. The way I understand though is that each click is still 1/4" MOA. If I did the same number of clicks as I do on my original dials it should be the same?

 

[wind gypsy]

No. The way I understand though is that each click is still 1/4" MOA. If I did the same number of clicks as I do on my original dials it should be the same?

That is correct.

 

[Cahunter805]

No. The way I understand though is that each click is still 1/4" MOA. If I did the same number of clicks as I do on my original dials it should be the same?

Yes it should be the same. I would try that and see what happens.
It could be a tracking issues also.

 

[Kyguy]

It wouldn't be tracking issues if the original turret cap is providing accurate data, as he said it was. The data is only off when using the new burned CDS dial.

 

[journeyman713]

Something sounds wrong, did you save a copy of the data you sent in?
How many clicks do you count between your zero and 300 yds?

 

[srader]

Something sounds wrong, did you save a copy of the data you sent in?
How many clicks do you count between your zero and 300 yds?

Yes, I have the data that I sent in. I will not have a chance to test it again until next week. On my way to Montana I am stopping in South Dakota for the pheasant opener with family. I will be there for a week and we are going to go to a gun to shoot my rifle. I have to work the next two nights and I am leaving for South Dakota on Friday and will test it again next week. I know I can use my original dials, so if I have to I am comfortable with that. I just did not want to have to print off a ballistic sheet and tape it to my rifle stock, but I will do what I have to do.