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Old 10-19-2020, 10:01 PM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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Default CDS turret on a Leupold compact?

I’ve got a nice little Leupold vx-II 3-9x33mm ultralight scope that I’ll be putting on my new Savage 110 Storm lightweight in .308. I don’t have any experience with the Leupold CDS turrets but would it make any sense to have one installed by Korth on a compact rifle scope like this? Does the small 33mm bell take away from the usefulness of the dial?

The bare rifle is 5-1/2 pounds and the scope is 9oz. I have Talleys coming for it so all in the scoped rifle will come in under 6-1/2 pounds. My goal was to put together a lightweight rifle for all kinds of hunting that doesn’t break the bank.

I’d like to have the option to shoot out to 500 yards and while that is still possible without a CDS turret having the option to dial up for distance would be nice. I’m just not sure it makes any sense with this scope.

Please educate me on the topic....
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Old 10-19-2020, 10:12 PM
Nyksta Nyksta is online now
 
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What have you done in the past for shots out to 500? Holdover reticle or dial? If it were me, I would stay with what I am used to.

Mildot / moa dot is a nice uncluttered system. You can zero for around 200 and with a holdover reticle you could get out to 500. 3-9 is nice for dialing down when in thick stuff and be set out to 200, and anything past your main crosshair zero of 200, you dial up to 9 and use the reticle for the long shots. Practice shooting to the distances you are looking for and learn where your impacts are at for each distance compared to your reticle and then you're set. With a 308 set to 200 yards, you are going to get about 100 yards per mildot out to 500 yards. (Approximately using 165 gr bullets)

Last edited by Nyksta; 10-19-2020 at 10:23 PM.
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:26 PM
jayquiver jayquiver is offline
 
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I believe you can get a cds dial for it from Korth Group. You might also be able to have the reticle changed, but that can be expensive. Or you sell it any buy something that has what you are looking for. Leupold came out with a nice 3.5x10x40, they have it at these two options CDS-ZL or Boone and Crocket reticle

The 33mm objective won't have an impact on what you are trying to d, but confirm with Korth.

There may be some other companies that do aftermarket dials, Kenton Industries, etc. I even think Corlane's has some option.

https://www.korthgroup.com/custom_shop/custom-dials
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Old 10-20-2020, 04:24 AM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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Thanks for the replies.

I should have been a bit clearer. I’ve shot out to 500 and beyond a fair bit but I have and have had guns that were put together specifically for shooting out there. Years back I would have ranged an animal and estimated holdover based on average body depth. I’m also not new to turrets either and the last while have shot a long barrel for caliber 270wsm with a Swarovski z5 with the ballistic turrets. Once set up that made shooting at 500 with a range finder relatively easy and consistent.

This latest rifle is the first one I’ve put together for specifically packing long distances. It wasn’t put together specifically for long shots and when on game I like to keep it under a couple hundred yards for the most part but there may be times that getting closer isn’t an option and I may need to reach out there 3 or 400 yards. I’ve got a few Leupolds that would be much better suited for that but all are 12oz plus and I’m trying to save weight on this build and have a true ultra-light rig.

Korth can definitely retro-fit the CDS dial on the vx-II 3-9 compact. Around $250 and it will add a couple ounces. And I could use the rifle as I have in the past and hold over based on distance without it so regardless the way I go this is the scope I want on this rifle.

I just can’t find any info online as to wether it makes sense to modify a compact scope like this one and I was hoping someone who had done it and could give their opinion as to whether it made sense in the end and they were happy with it or whether they wouldn’t bother if doing it over again.
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  #5  
Old 10-20-2020, 09:36 AM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Positrac View Post
I’ve got a nice little Leupold vx-II 3-9x33mm ultralight scope that I’ll be putting on my new Savage 110 Storm lightweight in .308. I don’t have any experience with the Leupold CDS turrets but would it make any sense to have one installed by Korth on a compact rifle scope like this? Does the small 33mm bell take away from the usefulness of the dial?

The bare rifle is 5-1/2 pounds and the scope is 9oz. I have Talleys coming for it so all in the scoped rifle will come in under 6-1/2 pounds. My goal was to put together a lightweight rifle for all kinds of hunting that doesn’t break the bank.

I’d like to have the option to shoot out to 500 yards and while that is still possible without a CDS turret having the option to dial up for distance would be nice. I’m just not sure it makes any sense with this scope.

Please educate me on the topic....
they should be able to put the new smaller 1 revolution cds-zl turret on it, they just did a fxII 6x36 for me with that turret and in the case of that scope i ended up getting 1.2 moa per 4 clicks(closer to 1/3 moa per click), so even with super short barrel (16.1")6.5 Grendel on the ruger american ranch it gave me 600 yards in one rotation with only 2386 fps launch...and the same turret on a vx3i 4.5-14x40 (30mm side focus) on my cz 527 6.5 Grendel gave me the same distance with on 1 moa per four clicks(1/4 moa) and it does 2605 fps and got me the same 600 yards. Both with 200 yard zero's.

Get the cds-zl, zl = zero lock, so the button is popped out on the zero and it doesn't move, you have to push the button down to start dialing, and you get 14.8 moa out of it before it quites turning. So you can't lose zero or get out of rotation or accidentally roll it off zero, and going back to zero you can do with eye closed by feel alone.

I typically go wide duplex reticle when in there if that's not already in the scope, it's the leupold reticle to have for bulk of hunting situations.

So you'll easily dial up to 500 plus in one rotation, just have to confirm your drops and that you're getting 1/4 moa per click or .3 moa per click. Note: i did a standard 7/8's target knob on a fxII 4x33 and it too ended up .3 moa per click...not sure why on the fixed powers that's the case but it works to a hunter benefit for getting a bit more range out of a rotation.

ps if you were to ever sell that scope just pm me ok, that's a perfect find for that set up, the turret will be the icing on the cake, sweet set up

odd figuring out the moa per click confusion first time to the range and looking at typical 1/4 moa chart, you can usually get on steel no sweat all the way out, .3 moa per click doesn't sound like much but will show your rig as either super fast or super high bc as it takes quite a few less clicks to get to 500 etc., so you've got a head start and can save a little ammo

also, my first sheep set up many years ago was a tikka stainless with talleys and 3-9x33 ul with a standard 7/8's target knob installed and kenton industries speed dial turret, that rig was deadly and very lightweight, dialed out to past 700 yards in one rotation, so the 3-9x33 ul is a great ultralight scope that can do it all

Last edited by Stinky Coyote; 10-20-2020 at 09:47 AM.
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  #6  
Old 10-20-2020, 09:49 AM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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That's the kind of info I was looking for.

Thanks Mr. Stinky Coyote. Much appreciated.
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