# Optics



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

As far as the Zeiss Conquest line goes, glass is a little better than say a Leupold VX-3, but I don't think they are built as rugged. Of course, that's all relative 'cause I always have said you could drive a 16-penny nail into a 2x4 with the bell of a VX-3 and it would still work perfectly.

As far as Swarovski goes, their stuff is nice (Schott/Zeiss glass in them helps), but I refuse to buy 'em cause they're just too "vanilla"!!!

Schmidt&Bender probably makes the best scope on the market when you consider both optics(again, Schott glass)&ruggedness, but they're just a hair out of my price range!

I'm going to bed, will continue this on the morning. Been up and down last 2 nights with my mama Lab that had to have a C-Section, and will have to get her up again at 3:30. 'Night, ya'll


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

PackMan2170 said:


> As far as the Zeiss Conquest line goes, glass is a little better than say a Leupold VX-3, but I don't think they are built as rugged. Of course, that's all relative 'cause I always have said you could drive a 16-penny nail into a 2x4 with the bell of a VX-3 and it would still work perfectly.
> As far as Swarovski goes, their stuff is nice (Schott/Zeiss glass in them helps), but I refuse to buy 'em cause they're just too "vanilla"!!!
> Schmidt&Bender probably makes the best scope on the market when you consider both optics&drugged was, but they're just a hair out of my price range!
> I'm going to bed, will continue this on the morning. Been up and down last 2 nights with my mama Lab that had to have a C-Section, and will have to get her up again at 3:30. 'Night, ya'll


I bought a couple of Minox scopes and binos last year, very good German optics at a very fair price.....


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> As far as the Zeiss Conquest line goes, glass is a little better than say a Leupold VX-3, but I don't think they are built as rugged. Of course, that's all relative 'cause I always have said you could drive a 16-penny nail into a 2x4 with the bell of a VX-3 and it would still work perfectly.
> As far as Swarovski goes, their stuff is nice (Schott/Zeiss glass in them helps), but I refuse to buy 'em cause they're just too "vanilla"!!!
> Schmidt&Bender probably makes the best scope on the market when you consider both optics&drugged was, but they're just a hair out of my price range!
> I'm going to bed, will continue this on the morning. Been up and down last 2 nights with my mama Lab that had to have a C-Section, and will have to get her up again at 3:30. 'Night, ya'll


When you say vanilla, are you referring to their binoculars or riflescopes? They do have some utilitarian equipment. I really like the rangefinding binoculars, for what I do.
The Conquest scopes seem to me to be better than the Leupold VIII, but just barely. I have one on a 300 that is a nice setup.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

My 'other' passion besides retirement.... Shooting, hunting and long range competition.

I have more firearms and do more reloading and fiddling with guns than about anything else.

I have my own private 250 yard range where I build loads for my rifles and handguns and where our group shoots (noisy neighborhood).....lol

I have many scopes, from Zeiss to Leupold to Swaro's to Nightforce No S&B or US Optics, just too pricey for the return in performance, like March, a bit beyond my reach (and wallet) for value returned.

My personal opinion is Leuplod is existing on reputation, they aren't as good as they once were but the prices keep increasing.

I've been leaning toward Vortex (and I own at least 5 right now, from Viper PST's to Diamondbacks. I have a 6.5 x 24 x 50 on my 338 Lapua Savage Long Range Hunter thats as good as or better than any Leupold I own, as good as a Night Force or a Swaro and less expensive.

My favorite Caliber is 308 and all but one wear Vortex scopes. The odd man out wears a Zeiss.

Just bought a vintage Husky (S&W import) from 1957, never fired with a walnut stock, hand lapped receiver and engine turned bolt with an adjustable match grade trigger. It got a Vortex Diamondback side focus. I'm building a load for it right now.

I shoot either Bergers or Lapua pills in Lapua or Federal Lake City match brass with all different powders (load laddering) and Federal Match Primers.

I can talk guns, optics and shooting all day, Better than rain and wet hay for sure.....

Happy hunting.


----------



## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

What's ya'lls opinion of Burris?


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

ARD Farm said:


> I can talk guns, optics and shooting all day, Better than rain and wet hay for sure.....
> 
> Happy hunting.


Amen to that.

I have been a Leupold man from a young age, and have accumulated a fair collection, but have since got a taste for things even finer. Agreed that Leupold has been kind of resting on its laurels, but luckly they were very good laurels and many others are just starting to catch up. I hope their innovation of the VX-6 line filters down to their other products. I purchased a VX-6 1-6x24 IR a couple years ago for a M4, and let me tell you what fellas, the glass is excellent and that is one tough scope! It is one of a select few rifles I have that I know will be dead-nuts on even if its been bouncing around in the truck for a month!

X2 on Minox. Not as good as the top dogs, but the price is certainly more reasonable. Had my brother get a ZA-5HD 1.2-6x24 for his M4 and we both like it pretty well. It ain't my VX-6, but was less than half the price.

As far as Swarovski goes, they are pretty nice, BUT I have never found anything of theirs that I prefered to its Zeiss counterpart. For my eye, Zeiss coatings are better (not glass, since they are both the Schott) and I prefer their ergonomics. Have aquired a few Leica products (starting with GeoVid 15x56 binos) and they are beginning to grow on me, too. But a big reason I won't by Swaro is I don't want every dumb ******* I come across the woods to take on look at me and inquire about my "SCHWOR-SKEEEES." I just think they're the Vanilla of german optics. I like something a little more exotic!

Been plesantly suprised by the higher-end Vortex's that I've come across.

As for Burris, on the low-end stuff, I'd take a Nikon or a Vortex any day. On the high-end, their glass is not as nice as other similarly-priced scopes, and all their products are TOO F'ING BULKY and unrefined. Tough, though.

Whoah, ARD Farm!!! Easy with the gun and reloading talk! We gotta reserve those for other Topics!


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Bonfire said:


> What's ya'lls opinion of Burris?


I have a couple of friends who are into Burris. You get what you pay for. Spend some $ they have some nice optics.


----------



## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I've got a Burris Fullfield II on a .22-250 that I like. For the money its quite clear and has held up well. I do plan to swap it out with something better as the crosshairs in its ballistic plex reticle are a little thick for my liking when I want a little more precision. I'd say the Burris I have is a great hunting scope but not a great target scope.

I really like my $200 dollar pair of Steiner 8x30s binocs with the instafocus for something to carry in the pickup all year. They're quite clear and work really well in low light. If I need more magnification I have a Swarovski 20-60 power spotting scope that I bought 15 years ago or so. I do like the Swarovski but Zeiss has some features that I think would make their spotting scope a little better. Zeiss has a fine focusing ring along with the coarse focusing ring where as Swarovski just has the one ring. When at 60 power it would be nice at times to have that fine focusing ring.

I've also got a few different leupolds that I like. For a cheap scope for a beater pickup gun I like the Nikon Buckmasters. Quite a clear scope for the money.


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

A Nikon Buckmaster was the first scope I bought (Along with a 700 ADL in 270 Win). Great combo at a good price. I played musical scopes once or twice and I think that scope is now on my backup backup deer rifle. Maybe that one's backup. I can't remember off hand. I now have a Monarch 2.5-10x42ish on that gun and I really like it for walking through the woods. I need to play musical scopes one more time on a few guns then quit moving them forever. I think I mostly know which one I want where. My VX-II looks real nice on my main deer rifle, but a Conquest may take its place.


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

Now you gone done went and brought up bullets. Speaking of Berger, is it safe to assume that you are loading the Vld's? I shoot the 140 gr. VLD Hunting in my 6.5 x 284. I have a Huskemaw sitting on top of it and I have been shooting out to 1400 with it. It is a proven 1/3 minute gun.
Now before people get all wound up, I am practicing out to that distance, not hunting. Fortunately I have 3 ranges locally. The two public ranges go out to 1000 and 1145yds, and a private range out to 2000 yds.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Lostin55, how dare you hunt at long range! That is so UNETHICAL!!!

J/K, man. I have a 7mm Ultra Mag Sendero SF that I shoot to about the same distance. Confident on game to about 800, about .5-.75MOA. Wears a VX-3 6.5-20x50LR.

I shoot 160 Nosler Accubonds through it. I just don't trust VLDs on real big game (i.e. elk, oryx) especially with such a high velocity cartridge. There's always the possibility of a 200yd shot, and I don't want that bullet to blow up on a shoulder blade. And I prefer an exit wound.


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> Lostin55, how dare you hunt at long range! That is so UNETHICAL!!!
> 
> J/K, man. I have a 7mm Ultra Mag Sendero SF that I shoot to about the same distance. Confident on game to about 800, about .5-.75MOA. Wears a VX-6.5-20x50LR.
> 
> I shoot 160 Nosler Accubonds through it. I just don't trust VLDs on real big game (i.e. elk, oryx) especially with such a high velocity cartridge. There's always the possibility of a 200yd shot, and I don't want that bullet to blow up on a shoulder blade. And I prefer an exit wound.


I have had good luck on deer and elk with the VLD rounds. There was an exit on the deer but not the elk. Either way they both died rapidly. The internal damage was substantial on both. What I didnt like was the lack of blood trail if needed.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

My point exactly. I wouldn't hesitate to use a VLD on deer/antelope and the like, but for bigger game (especially with an extreme velocity cartridge) I want a tougher bullet.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Bonfire said:


> What's ya'lls opinion of Burris?


...and I thought the thread was going to be about us old farts that can't see well anymore and have to resort to Walmart readers...... 

One of our group has one of those Burris Rangefinding scopes on his 6.5x284 and it actually gives you a shooting resolution and it works, I'm impressed actually. They aren't cheap and they are bulky and have a proprietary mount, but they work and are cheaper than the Barret system.

I have a pair of Zeiss bino's and a pair of Burris that cost about 1/4th of the Zeiss. I tend to carry the Burris on hunts because I'm worried about loosing the Zeiss. They (burris) seem to work as good as the Ziess. Not quite as clear but doable. Most of our hunts are spot and stalk and one of the group has a big buck Vortex Razor spotter we all share....

I have a Burris rangefinder too. It's an ARC1000 and it ranges accurately too about 900 yards (compared with a Terrapin).

Maybe I should initiate a thread on long guns and pistols, I'm sure we all have at least one....or more.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

ARD Farm said:


> Maybe I should initiate a thread on long guns and pistols, I'm sure we all have at least one....or more.


Was gonna save the Rifles/Shotguns/Pistols/Reloading Threads for some quality "winter topics", but do as you must.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Lostin55 said:


> Now you gone done went and brought up bullets. Speaking of Berger, is it safe to assume that you are loading the Vld's? I shoot the 140 gr. VLD Hunting in my 6.5 x 284. I have a Huskemaw sitting on top of it and I have been shooting out to 1400 with it. It is a proven 1/3 minute gun.
> Now before people get all wound up, I am practicing out to that distance, not hunting. Fortunately I have 3 ranges locally. The two public ranges go out to 1000 and 1145yds, and a private range out to 2000 yds.


I tend to load Bergers, but, I also load Sierra and Lapua. I know Brian Litz (Berger) he's my neighbor at my property in Northern Michigan. I consider Brian to be the foremost ballistician in the United States.

I run Berger VLD's (168's) in my 308's jumped and loaded for velocity and kinetic energy. I run Lapua Scenars (300 grain) in the 338 or Berger 300 grain match.

I'm all about one shot kills, not extreme distance shooting unless it;s targets and not animals. Last year I went to an invitational shoot in Vegas and shot 1200 yards with the 338. It was fun but thats not hunting. 338's are way too heavy to hunt with anyway.

I want an 8 pound or less hunting rifle, scoped and loaded.

November will find me in Montana for the first season rut. I have a tag as do 3 of our group.

It's a spot and stalk, I'll be shooting my Pierce built, Bartlien barreled, Manners stocked 308 based on a Savage action, I like 300-400 yards maximum. 308's loose their kinetic energy past 400 yards no matter how hot they are loaded. I'm too old to be chasing a wounded animal over hill and dale anyway. I want to shoot and I want them to drop.

I'll take my 1957 S&W Husky (308) for a backup rifle, just in case.

Both guns are load laddered and both are tack drivers at 250 yards, thats where I zero all my hunting sticks.

I try to do one out west hunt a year and the rest of the time, I'm squirrel hunting or whitetail hunting up north or down here. Down here is a muzzleloader or a straight walled pistol cartridge (44 mag, 240 grain Sierra FMJ HP in Starline Brass with 21.5 grains of Lil'gun) in a Henry Big Boy or my 44 Smith long barreled revolver....

The ML is a CVA Optima V2 with a modified breech loading Large rifle Match primers with Barnes saboted TMZ's and 100 grains of Blackhorn 209.

I have tied up in rifles and pistols than anything else I think.

I like guns btw.

Besides, you can hunt in the rain, you can't hay in the rain...........lol


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

PackMan2170 said:


> Was gonna save the Rifles/Shotguns/Pistols/Reloading Threads for some quality "winter topics", but do as you must.


I'll wait, no problem.

Then I can post some 'trophy' pictures too.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

PackMan2170 said:


> Lostin55, how dare you hunt at long range! That is so UNETHICAL!!!
> 
> J/K, man. I have a 7mm Ultra Mag Sendero SF that I shoot to about the same distance. Confident on game to about 800, about .5-.75MOA. Wears a VX-3 6.5-20x50LR.
> 
> I shoot 160 Nosler Accubonds through it. I just don't trust VLDs on real big game (i.e. elk, oryx) especially with such a high velocity cartridge. There's always the possibility of a 200yd shot, and I don't want that bullet to blow up on a shoulder blade. And I prefer an exit wound.


2 years ago I did a Mulie hunt with GT Nunn out your way.....


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

I have a sweet-tooth for quality Binos since looking through them is where I spend an inordinate amount of time on hunts.

My set for close-quarters (elk, turkey) or if I'm trying to save every ounce (sheep, goats), is Zeiss Victory FL 10x42s. For anything open country (deer, antelope, oryx, etc) I roll with Leica Geovid 15x56s.

Figure I spend 100x more time looking through the binos or spotter VS the riflescope, so that's THE place to not scrimp


----------



## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

ARD Farm said:


> Maybe I should initiate a thread on long guns and pistols, I'm sure we all have at least one....or more.


Or more. I have several carry pistols and I always find myself favoring my Ruger LCP 380 w/Crimson Trace laser in a High Noon pocket holster loaded with Hornaday Critical Defense ammo.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

ARD Farm said:


> 2 years ago I did a Mulie hunt with GT Nunn out your way.....


Nunns ranch is adjacent to the ranch some very close friends of mine. One of my favorite places in the world


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Bonfire said:


> Or more. I have several carry pistols and I always find myself favoring my Ruger LCP 380 w/Crimson Trace laser in a High Noon pocket holster loaded with Hornaday Critical Defense ammo.


*.380?!!! *Man, I hate to say it but you just went down a notch in my book

Although I have my CCW, I rarely carry. Too much time on the farm, not in the city with the bad guys. I have a HK USP40 in one truck and a IWI Baby Desert Eagle .40 in the other. But if I have to use them, I'm WAAAY too close for comfort. The real purpose of a pistol is to fight your way to a long-gun. Have an Rem870 in one truck and an M4 in the other. I grab them when I think I might be going to a gun-fight. Lots of problems with THIEVES here.....


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

PackMan2170 said:


> *.380?!!! *Man, I hate to say it but you just went down a notch in my book


What the hell is wrong with a .380? Easy conceal, glazer safety slugs are in my PPKS


----------



## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

PackMan2170 said:


> *.380?!!! *Man, I hate to say it but you just went down a notch in my book
> 
> Although I have my CCW, I rarely carry. Too much time on the farm, not in the city with the bad guys. I have a HK USP40 in one truck and a IWI Baby Desert Eagle .40 in the other. But if I have to use them, I'm WAAAY too close for comfort. The real purpose of a pistol is to fight your way to a long-gun. Have an Rem870 in one truck and an M4 in the other. I grab them when I think I might be going to a gun-fight. Lots of problems with THIEVES here.....


How bout a Glock 33 on the ankle in the winter months.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

somedevildawg said:


> What the hell is wrong with a .380? Easy conceal, glazer safety slugs are in my PPKS


GLASER SAFETY SLUGS? That's another notch 'Dawg. Shall we go for 3?

I guess a .380 is better than throwing rocks and harsh language, but there are plenty of small 9s these days (PPS, M&Ps, XDS) that would do you far better.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Bonfire said:


> How bout a Glock 33 on the ankle in the winter months.


Thats an awesome choice, IF you can hold on to the damn thing! .357Sig is a man's cartridge!


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Lol, this is exactly why I think the worse job in the world would be in a firearms store......
If I ain't lookin to conceal its the 5.7, if I'm huntin it's the .357 GP100....no 9's in my arsenal, ammo but no weapons. For me, guns have a specific purpose. I don't collect guns, although I do have a good collection  for me guns are a tool to do a job.......if I need a weapon for self preservation, I'll take whatever I can get my hands on.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

somedevildawg said:


> Lol, this is exactly why I think the worse job in the world would be in a firearms store......
> If I ain't lookin to conceal its the 5.7, if I'm huntin it's the .357 GP100....no 9's in my arsenal, ammo but no weapons. For me, guns have a specific purpose. I don't collect guns, although I do have a good collection  for me guns are a tool to do a job.......if I need a weapon for self preservation, I'll take whatever I can get my hands on.


Worked in a gun store for about 2 1/2 years in my youth.... Was a dream job, but I wouldn't actually call it work!

Too bad it didn't pay more, cause I'd still be there!


----------



## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

PackMan2170 said:


> Thats an awesome choice, IF you can hold on to the damn thing! .357Sig is a man's cartridge!


Copy that.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Anybody actually look through a Huskemaw scope yet? I haven't actually seen one in person


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> Anybody actually look through a Huskemaw scope yet? I haven't actually seen one in person


I have been shooting them for a couple of years.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Nice looking rig. At least you know what flavor of action one should be based on!

I take it the scope is pretty decent or you'd have something else on it?


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

700 BDL action. Tubbs bolt with tactical knob, Broughton C5 barrel, High Country stock, Jewel trigger, 6.5 X 284. The only down side that comes to mind regarding that particular scope is that you are somewhat married to the round. That being said, if you want to change rounds, ie ballistic co-efficient and weight or muzzle velocity, you will have to collect data and have new turrets built. It isnt a big deal but has to be done when changing rounds.
Most people can have 2 turrets built for the shooting data and be just fine. I have a 4000 foot turret and an 8000 foot turret. This accounts for elevation above sea level. If I hunt from 2000 to 6000 feet I use the 4k turret. For 6k to 10k I use the other. Were I to compete with it I would have more built. There are far to many tips and tricks with the scope to get into here.
The scope has 8 MOA on the horizontal on each side for windage. There is also a labeled knob that is easy to use. Rather than use the Mil-dot type reticle, the MOA marks are representative of different backbone to brisket measurements on game. This can be used as a range finder if necessary. The first hash mark is 9", the second is 12", the 3rd is 18", and the 4th is 24". With practice you can set the known hashmark on the game animal and dial the power to get back-bone to brisket fitting the hashmark. When the mark fits the animal, you read the power to get the yards. Hard to explain. A mature elk has a backbone to brisket measurement of 24". To range the elk, You use the 4th horizontal mark in the scope. Say the elk is at 650 yards. When you turn the scope to 6.5 power, that mark will fit the elk backbone to brisket perfectly. They say coyotes are 9", deer are 18", and elk are 24". I forget what is 12"?
The quality is what you would expect at that price point and the scope has performed very well for me.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Yeah, I'm too cheap to buy turrets. I just print off a chart and tape it to the stock! Just gotta remember to print off a new chart when going to different elev/temp

I kinda hate to say this, but nowdays I'm more excited about buying a new shotgun or pistol than a rifle. No working up a load (and of course playing with bullets and powders), no sighting in the scope, no confirming that your estimated trajectory is correct, no re-sighting after you do anything to it, no jacking with the bedding....... Just buy a freakin' box of ammo off the shelf and go have fun!!!

What made you opt for 6.5x284 other than the exceptional BCs of 6.5mm bullets? Short action? Mild recoil? Why not something a little stouter?


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Hate to tell you packman, it's you dude.....when you buy a new rifle you don't have to work up loads, (you buy factory loads) you don't have to sight in the scope (use iron sights), no estimations, no resightings (we call that practice) and no jacking with the bedding, just buy some bullets off the shelf and go shooting (practice)......why do you thnk all of the other HAS to be done? Thinking to much to have fun lol.....
Without a doubt my favorite cartridge is the venerable .308 for long rifle/big game...topped with VX3
Love the ability of my .270 WSM to reach out and touch em but it comes with a price to be paid for pulling the trigger. My darling wife thought I needed a new gun for Christmas one year.....she asked me for "hints". 1) lightweight 2) accurate 3) mild shooter (6.5/ .270/ .260/.308/7mm etc) 
After enlisting the help of my "buddy" she buys a Browning A bolt with hex barrel (lightweight) beautiful wood topped with a monarch 3-12x50, gotta be prepared whilst pulling the trigger however, .270 WSM when firing the CXP loads in a short barrel lightweight gun is punishment. I shot a box at the range to get it sighted in at 200 and the rest of the shots have been at game animals. Amazingly I've had a couple of deer that I shot at < than 50yds that didn't penetrate thru and thru, bad shot placement, deer was knocked over in the impact however and didn't go any distance.....I had the trigger adjusted to about 1lb so as not to flinch.....hard to handle that gun, for that reason I prefer the Ruger No 1 with the VX3......my favorite


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> What made you opt for 6.5x284 other than the exceptional BCs of 6.5mm bullets? Short action? Mild recoil? Why not something a little stouter?


It is a very long story and there wasn't any other option. 
There are two favored rounds by the guys over in Cody, one is the 6.5 X 284 and the other is the 7mm mag. Of course they will mount a scope on anything that a customer sends in.
I personally am a fan of 300's. I have a 300 SAUM Remington that was my favorite up until the 6.5 came along. Truthfully, I like anything that shoots under a minute, ideally half a minute.


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> Yeah, I'm too cheap to buy turrets. I just print off a chart and tape it to the stock! Just gotta remember to print off a new chart when going to different elev/temp
> 
> I kinda hate to say this, but nowdays I'm more excited about buying a new shotgun or pistol than a rifle. No working up a load (and of course playing with bullets and powders), no sighting in the scope, no confirming that your estimated trajectory is correct, no re-sighting after you do anything to it, no jacking with the bedding....... Just buy a freakin' box of ammo off the shelf and go have fun!!!?


What do you do all winter? That is when I work up new loads, the temps are closer to my hunting temps than in summer. Once I have a load dialed in, and that has become pretty easy having some good friends with some great data, I dont play with it. The confirmation of trajectory is a two shot deal. One at 200 and one at 600 yards. If it's on, it is on.

I am guessing that you are using your dope sheet to dial your elevation turret? That is the way I used to do it. Are you dialing for wind or using Kentucky windage?


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Lostin55 said:


> What do you do all winter? That is when I work up new loads, the temps are closer to my hunting temps than in summer. Once I have a load dialed in, and that has become pretty easy having some good friends with some great data, I dont play with it. The confirmation of trajectory is a two shot deal. One at 200 and one at 600 yards. If it's on, it is on.
> 
> I am guessing that you are using your dope sheet to dial your elevation turret? That is the way I used to do it. Are you dialing for wind or using Kentucky windage?


Unfortunately, winter is not really an option for me. Hay season ends here around 1st of Nov (actually last year baled the last alfalfa on Dec 3) and we begin pecan harvest the Monday after Thanksgiving, runs through middle of Jan. Start groundwork and irrigation on open ground middle of Feb.

So that leaves me November, 2 weeks in January and 2 weeks in February to cram in all the hunts and trips possible. And, as always, there is still always something to do on the farm in those 8 weeks. I just have to limit my reloading and range trips to the occasional few dull hours a week year round. Along with my drinking and chasing women!

For windage, I won't shoot anything past like 350yds in anything more than like 15mph wind. In better conditions, I know my wind drift and will dial if there is sufficient time, but can hold off ie KT windage if necessary


----------



## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

Well that schedule takes the fun out of it.
Last year I shot frequently at different ranges in differing conditions. Hunting season rolled around and I shot a deer at 115 yards and an elk at 100, both days the conditions were dead calm.
I got back into reloading due to the price of rounds for the 6.5. To buy a loaded box of custom is $4.50/shell. I am reloading the same round for under $2/round. Lapua brass, VLD 140 gr. Hunting bullet, and Retumbo powder, loaded on a 210 primer.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Never fails. Practice at 1000, kill 'em at 100. I got in to long range because of the very well educated oryx down here. Drew a tag, Got my gun good to 800ish, and killed one at 200.

Love Retumbo powder. 96.5gr sandwiched between a 160 Accubond and a GM215M yields 3400fps and 3/4MOA out of my 7 Ultra. Wish I had a load for my .257 WBY, but it's shooting ok now with 7828SSC.

Well that 6.5 looks like a nice ride. Very accurate round and oughta be great for everything up to and including elk.


----------



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

somedevildawg said:


> Hate to tell you packman, it's you dude.....when you buy a new rifle you don't have to work up loads, (you buy factory loads) you don't have to sight in the scope (use iron sights), no estimations, no resightings (we call that practice) and no jacking with the bedding, just buy some bullets off the shelf and go shooting (practice)......why do you thnk all of the other HAS to be done? Thinking to much to have fun lol....


Dawg, my being persnickety with my rifles is not only a matter of pride, but a matter of practicality and principle as well.

Pride- It makes you proud to use a round you rolled yourself out of a rifle you have made extremely accurate to cleanly and ethically take and animal with the first shot. And I could never tell my friends I killed a trophy with a round I bought at Walmart! I refuse to even shoot factory ammo through a new rifle. I buy brass and start from there with a virgin rifle.

Practically- To pop prairie dogs at 500yds, you have to use a 1/2MOA rig. Cutting corners just don't fly.

Principle- I have great respect for the animals I hunt and I channel that respect by trying to create the best tool I can to hunt them with.

I do have limits though. I don't reload for everything (particularly not .223 for my ARs) and the rifles I shoot the most are my rimfires for varmint control, which are pretty much factory. But when the success of a serious hunt is on the line, it's go big or go home.


----------

