CDS Dial on the FXII 4 Power

[ronlaughlin]

About a month ago the 4X scope was mailed to Leupold' custom shop to be fitted with a CDS dial. It arrived here a week and 2 days ago; i left for Montana the next day to spend time in hunting camp with the boys. While they hunted elk, and wolf, i hiked around in the old haunts, and shot some paper with the new/old scope.






After several shots to get close, the pictured target was made. Distance to the target was ranged with a laser, and the CDS dial set to what looked about right. The 2 shots to the right were punched at 273 yard; the 2 shots at the left at 100 yard. It was about 70 degrees, elevation was about 6200', load was 105g BH209, 300g Deep Curl, Harvester short black sabot, and STS primer. In all, 21 shots were taken. This ended my shooting in Montana, and the rest of my stay was spent scouting for the boys, so they wouldn't have to hunt where there was no elk.




Then i returned home 2 days ago. Yesterday was spent cleaning the trailer, and doing other chores around the house, which included fixing this dang computer with a new video card, and getting the chipset fan to spin more better, by blowing out spider webs. This morning i went up to shoot some more with the new/old CDS, and used the same load.

It was 45 degrees when i started shooting at 265 lasered yards, and elevation was 4900'. Set the CDS dial at what seemed to be 265 yard, and commenced to shoot 6 time.










Then a move of about a mile was made to shoot at 100, and 200 yard. Elevation there was 4700' and temperature was 55 already. Breeze was still minimal. At the top target, 2 shots were taken at 100 yard, then 3 dyed red taken at 200 yard. This involved resetting the CDS dial to the appropriate range.









Then it was decided to go back up and shoot again at 265 yard, because there was no breeze. However upon arrival at 4900', there was a definite right to left breeze. Three shots were taken with their holes/dents dyed green.







At 265 yard the 300g Deep Curl bounced off the tube steel leg. When the shooting ended, the temperature was 65, and there was a breeze. The flame channel was quite carboned up after 35 or so shot, and a 5/64' drill was the largest that would fit into the opening that began at 5/32".

My 3X9 ultra-light was mailed to the custom shop to get fitted for a CDS dial and to replace the BDC reticle with a wide duplex. Cost is $210. This scope will be mounted on the Knight 45 Disc Elite; watch out prairie dogs.






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[ronlaughlin]

The ring base used to mount this scope on the rifle was purchased from Arthur Brown.



Both ends of the base bothered me, so i did some material removal. The back end i found irritating when installing and removing the primer. It seemed the front end was crowding the front bell of the scope.








Since the scope, rings, and base had been removed from the rifle, i had to sight it in again. This was done this morning. It was quickly done because things went back very close to where they were the first go around. Again the bullet was the 300g Deep Curl; sabot was short black Harvester; primer was STS. Since it has cooled some here and hunting season begins the first of October, the powder used was what will be the hunting load this year--110g BH209. The main object this morning was to get the rifle ready to use this coming hunting season, but i also wanted to change ranges, and see if turning the cds dial up and down would show repeatability.





The holes dyed blue were made after the sighting in process was near completion at 99 yard. Then the scope was clicked left a couple of time. Everything was packed up and hauled about a mile, so a target could be shot at 270 yard. I forgot the camera, and so have no picture of those shot, but they are the ones taped over to the right side of the middle target.

Then we came back to the first location, and a shot was taken at the bottom target at about 100 yard. OOPS! The CDS dial was still set for 270 yard, and the red dyed hole a way up at the top of the middle target was made. The CDS dial was turned to 1, and a shot taken at the lower target again. The hole dyed green was the result.

Then a move was made out to 200 yard; the dial was turned to 2, and the 3 holes at the right of the upper target were made. A couple clicks left, and a move back to 100 yard resulted in the hole in the bottom target dyed orange. There was a breeze by this time, and i figured to come home, but the breeze wasn't too bad. About a mile move was made to set up at 270 yard again. Up there in the open, the breeze was a wind, but the vector was mostly from behind, with a little right to left.

The 3 hole at the left of the middle target were shot at 270 yard with a strong tail wind. Then the mile or so move was made, and the yellow dyed hole was punched at about 100 yard.

Some of us wondered whether the cds dial would work on this model scope. Moving from 100 yard to 270 yard to 100 yard to 200 yard to 100 yard to 270 yard to 100 yard seemed to be a fair test of the cds dial.





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[HEAD0001]

It appears as if the CDS dial worked the way it was suppose to work. Or at least it looks that way to me.

I also bought a scope with the CDS for my Knight LRH. However I have only been able to shoot mine at 50 yards off the front porch. My leg has been giving me trouble the last few days. So I have been unable to shoot at longer ranges. However I have no doubt it will work perfectly.

Is there a reason why you didn't order a new scope instead of spending over $200 to have your scope changed from a different reticle and new dial?? Or does the scope have some sentimental value??

Personally I sold my old VX-III with the B&C reticle for $400, and bought a new VX-3 4.5X14 with the CDS dial already on it for $480.

I hope to shoot at longer ranges before next Monday. And I want to make sure I get some pictures like you did. Tom.

[ronlaughlin]

Originally Posted by HEAD0001

.............................Is there a reason why you didn't order a new scope instead of spending over $200 to have your scope changed from a different reticle and new dial?? Or does the scope have some sentimental value??.....................

This scope cost me $149.98 to get retrofitted to a cds dial. It has no sentimental value to me. I had the scope; i don't need any more scope is probably the main reason i invested in it. Also, i am partial to fixed power scope, and that is what this one is. Makes no sense to sell it and purchase another. Also, i am guessing a fixed power scope in this day and age wouldn't get too very much interest in the classified.

The over $200 figure you mention is for the ultra-light, sent in for a cds dial. It required a reticle change, because it had one of them reticle with the dots and such. That 3X9 power scope will go on my Knight 45 caliber when it comes back from the custom shop. More than 4 power will be fun to have for prairie dog shooting in particular, and could turn out to be handy for antelope, and prairie deer.

[HEAD0001]

The reason I said that was because I have sold alot of Leupold scopes on the net. And Leupold really holds their value very well. I would bet you could have sold your older 3X9 and bought a new scope for less than it cost to do the over $200 rework of your scope. Plus you could have upgraded to a better scope.

Like I said I bought the new VX-3 and sold the older VX model and it cost me less than sending the older model in for a new dial. Tom.

[ronlaughlin]

Originally Posted by HEAD0001

............................you could have sold your older 3X9 and bought a new scope for less than it cost to do the over $200 rework of your scope. Plus you could have upgraded to a better scope.

Like I said I bought the new VX-3 and sold the older VX model and it cost me less than sending the older model in for a new dial. Tom.

Before i sent my scopes to the custom shop, i looked long and hard for a new scope that could be a replacement for what i had/have. There just isn't a scope available, that was better suited for my needs/wants, than the ones i already owned.




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