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Rifle Scopes Bullet Drop Compensation
- Thread starter sprice
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Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
Depends on what you are doing as to how useful they are. Generally speaking I hate BDC stuff because it is calibrated for one bullet at one muzzle velocity in one atmospheric condition. If any of those factors change then the whole thing is off. You have to understand BDC reticles a turrets are made for the average hunter who will at most take a 300 yard shot and doesn't know much about his ballistics. A ranging type reticle with matched turrets is infinitely more useful to someone who has half a clue about his equipment.
Depends on what you are doing as to how useful they are. Generally speaking I hate BDC stuff because it is calibrated for one bullet at one muzzle velocity in one atmospheric condition. If any of those factors change then the whole thing is off. You have to understand BDC reticles a turrets are made for the average hunter who will at most take a 300 yard shot and doesn't know much about his ballistics. A ranging type reticle with matched turrets is infinitely more useful to someone who has half a clue about his equipment.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
Adding to the previous post. The bDC reticle will also only be correct at a certain magnification.
Adding to the previous post. The bDC reticle will also only be correct at a certain magnification.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
In short, they are seriously flawed.
If you need to account for drops past what a max. point blank range zero would do for you, get a scope with turrets that match the reticle (mil/mil or MOA/MOA), which eliminates having to convert between the two. Find out the details on your load (caliber, weight, BC, muzzle velocity, etc.) and learn how to use a ballistics calculator.
Or just go out and shoot at different ranges to establish a drop table, because you'll need to verify that anyway. Then, as long as you have target turrets you can dial in the drop (or hold over with the reticle). You can, of course, learn how to range with a reticle, but in many cases it's just better to have a rangefinder.
In short, they are seriously flawed.
If you need to account for drops past what a max. point blank range zero would do for you, get a scope with turrets that match the reticle (mil/mil or MOA/MOA), which eliminates having to convert between the two. Find out the details on your load (caliber, weight, BC, muzzle velocity, etc.) and learn how to use a ballistics calculator.
Or just go out and shoot at different ranges to establish a drop table, because you'll need to verify that anyway. Then, as long as you have target turrets you can dial in the drop (or hold over with the reticle). You can, of course, learn how to range with a reticle, but in many cases it's just better to have a rangefinder.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
^^^ Which is why it's incredibly stupid to create reticles with them...
^^^ Which is why it's incredibly stupid to create reticles with them...
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1kHIT
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Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
I've had them make a couple of knobs, both for me and for my customers. They do an OUTSTANDING job. When you call, be prepared to give them ALL info possible. It took me 4 phone calls over a 3 week period to finally get all the info they wanted for a custom know I had made for a Leupold scope. Yeah, most of the needed info I should've known when I called the 1st time, but it DID show me how detailed they are in what they do. They are a 1st-rate outfit, IMO.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pat M</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.kentonindustries.com/
makes custom knobs for most scopes </div></div>
I've had them make a couple of knobs, both for me and for my customers. They do an OUTSTANDING job. When you call, be prepared to give them ALL info possible. It took me 4 phone calls over a 3 week period to finally get all the info they wanted for a custom know I had made for a Leupold scope. Yeah, most of the needed info I should've known when I called the 1st time, but it DID show me how detailed they are in what they do. They are a 1st-rate outfit, IMO.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pat M</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.kentonindustries.com/
makes custom knobs for most scopes </div></div>
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
Kenton makes good stuff. But,as said above, it covers one bullet, one velocity, one altitude range, and one set of environmental conditions.
It costs more, but get a good ballistics program and a Kestrel, and a DBC becomes completely unnecessary.
Kenton makes good stuff. But,as said above, it covers one bullet, one velocity, one altitude range, and one set of environmental conditions.
It costs more, but get a good ballistics program and a Kestrel, and a DBC becomes completely unnecessary.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
I learned to range with a mil-dot, but my laser range finder is better at it...
I have drops for several loads on my stock.
Much more flexible to have mil turrets with mil reticle.
I learned to range with a mil-dot, but my laser range finder is better at it...
I have drops for several loads on my stock.
Much more flexible to have mil turrets with mil reticle.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
To be honest I'm not sure what optic yet. It's between a nightforce nxs, leupold mr/t, and the us optics st-6 or sn 1.5-6. I'm just pretty sure I will want bdc dialed in for my specific load.
And it's only a .223 carbine, something I'll use as a plinking gun for fun and possibly defense. I'm not to worried about precision when I'm shooting rounds that aren't my match ammo, as long as they can land minute of man at several hundred yards.
To be honest I'm not sure what optic yet. It's between a nightforce nxs, leupold mr/t, and the us optics st-6 or sn 1.5-6. I'm just pretty sure I will want bdc dialed in for my specific load.
And it's only a .223 carbine, something I'll use as a plinking gun for fun and possibly defense. I'm not to worried about precision when I'm shooting rounds that aren't my match ammo, as long as they can land minute of man at several hundred yards.
Re: Bullet Drop Compensation
alot of people freak out over BDC knobs, the marines did great with their unertls for years right?!?!? the unertl turret was a BDC knob and a clever setup even to this day I think. but a guy can do the same thing with their scope. to about 600 yards the factors of elevation and temperture are largely very little, so a BDC knobs exact calibration isn't that critical to those distances. beyond that the factors increase, but what I do is take note of the factors and add or take away a few clicks here and there.
my BDC knobs are calibrated for about 6000 feet in elevation, if I shoot at 10000 feet, I know that at 1000 yards I need to take off 5 clicks from the marked range. for instance the difference at 600 yards is only about .25 moa. this is doing the same thing the marines did with their unertls and the fine veneer adjustment.
I am a hunter learning things from the tactical world, but when it comes to BDC dials I think the tactical world could learn from the hunting world. after all tactical is just hunting people
alot of people freak out over BDC knobs, the marines did great with their unertls for years right?!?!? the unertl turret was a BDC knob and a clever setup even to this day I think. but a guy can do the same thing with their scope. to about 600 yards the factors of elevation and temperture are largely very little, so a BDC knobs exact calibration isn't that critical to those distances. beyond that the factors increase, but what I do is take note of the factors and add or take away a few clicks here and there.
my BDC knobs are calibrated for about 6000 feet in elevation, if I shoot at 10000 feet, I know that at 1000 yards I need to take off 5 clicks from the marked range. for instance the difference at 600 yards is only about .25 moa. this is doing the same thing the marines did with their unertls and the fine veneer adjustment.
I am a hunter learning things from the tactical world, but when it comes to BDC dials I think the tactical world could learn from the hunting world. after all tactical is just hunting people
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