Turrets or no-turrets?

[Formidilosus]

you tell us then

I haven’t said anything either way. I’m asking those that have if they’ve ever actually measured it. For that matter are they equally skilled with MPBR, holding over Kentucky windage, holding using a reticle, and dialing?

If the answer is no to all of that, then how can they say that one is better than another?

 

[Fred@Exterra]

I don’t see a need to pick. I generally set up my hunting rifles with an open vertical turret and a capped windage. The have some sort of mil-dot system with a cheat sheet taped to the scope (also memorized). If I have the time, I dial. If I don’t, I use the retical. Around here, shots are either quick and close, or a long ways across canyons when you have time. Coyote rifles are setup the same, but they are generally moving (holdover) or bedded down (dialed).

As far as distance. If you practice with holdover, you should be good to about 500 yards. Get a couple 10 inch steel plates. You’ll figure out pretty quick your limits.


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[BuckSnort]

I never realized how good the right reticle helps until I found one that works.. Oh ya, and Mils are better than MOA

Having said that, I'm dialing if at all possible... Reality is dialing is probably faster than doing the math/DOPE in my head if its farther than MPBR

 

[wwy]

For me, it's really not an either or thing. As long as the scope adjustment and reticle match (mil-mil or moa-moa), and the scope mechanically functions, dialing and holding are very complimentary. In most field situations I dial elevation and hold wind. Corrections are often made with a hold correction. Spinning a turret on a mil-mil scope is far easier and quicker for me than using an abacus and calculator to try and figure out where to hold with a given load on a SFP BDC type outfit and far more precise.

 

[jk_13]

You can make a good argument either way. I personally like things to be simple, clean and I don't do a lot of long distance range work, so I don't need exposed turrets. If you want to do some long range shooting/hunting exposed turrets are probably the way to go.

 

[DVM92]

450 yds. I keep it simple and have hunted for years with standard leupold vx3 plain duplex reticle. With a 250yd zero in most standard calibers, (270-300winmag) I can use the top of the bottom post to aim dead on at 400 yds, top of back at 450. Obviously there is some variability in caliber and loads, but this is a simple way to aim without holdover. Beyond that one should dial.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

I’m a old school “set it and forget it “ kind of guy.

I have two rifles that I regularly practice with out to 600 yards. I use a MPBR zero and know my trajectory and holdover.

99.9% of my shots at game have been at 300 yards or less, as such MPBR zero is as efficient now as it was almost 40 years ago when I started using it. I’ve taken exactly one shot beyond MPBR with a rifle that I had well under 100 rounds of familiarity with. There would’ve been no time to Dial for that shot regardless. The results were a perfect miss. Lesson learned. I will NEVER repeat that performance!

Optics are a mechanical device. The more complications they have built into them, the more opportunity there is for failure. Also, if enough range time isn’t spent learning how to twist knobs it’s a recipe for disaster in the field.

If you have the means to spend 2-3K on quality optics which is capable of repeatable dialing but only send at best a couple hundred rounds downrange every year, dialing probably isn’t a good idea.
If you varmint hunt and spend time doing practical field conditions shooting with your primary BGR through the off-season, sending many hundreds, if not thousands of rounds down range every year, then dialing might be for you.

Generally speaking, if you need to dial because you’re outside of MPBR, you might want to reconsider taking the shot at all.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

While walking my scope is at zero (200 yards) and I know my drop to 300. This way if something unexpected pops up within that range, I can take the quick shot.

When I get to a glassing spot or resting spot, I range various locations around me. I know that depending on where a target pops up, I need to shoot point blank, hold high, or going to have to dial.

For the bulk of my shots I dial due to the distances I normally take game at.

Try different methods and find out what works best for you.

 

[willfrye027]

I used to be anti turret because I’ve had multiple hunting buddies either spin the turret beyond the zero and miss, or had the turret crap out and miss, etc. We’ve always said “F—- turrets.” But I just bought two swfa 3-9s so I’m going against the mantra for now. To me it’s the best of both worlds. With the mil reticle I know my 300 yard hold over, and with ffp I don’t have to worry about what power I’m on. Quick close range shot no problem. Anything farther than that, I either have time to dial or I don’t have time to make the shot regardless of aiming method. I’ve been practicing with my .22lr with dialing and I’m really surprised how fast and easy it is. Honestly I think it takes the same amount of time to look at my dope sheet and dial, as it does to mentally figure out where I’m going to hold (between hash marks on holdover reticle). I would give a 2-3 second speed edge to the holdover method. If a 300+ yard shots comes down to a 3 second opportunity then it was probably a marginal opportunity anyways. I’d rather have the precision of dialing beyond 300. That’s my inexperienced point of view...the last 5 western animals I’ve killed have been from 320-370 yards using hold over which worked but made me nervous.