If you do decide to get into some long range shooting, you could play with your load and bullet choice a bit and increase the optimum magnification or perhaps go to a higher magnification scope.

Could do exactly the same with a Rapid Z if you wanted to dumb the reticle down.;)

I bought the Boone and Crocket VX3 for the BDC, but I'm thinking I talked myself into wasting some money. I have a good rangefinder as well that uses my calibre and computes angle and hold-over, so I don't really need the BDC.

I've got the VX3 with BDC too. I'd rather have a crosshair than try to judge a 49 inch holdover. Have Bushnell Fusion 1600 binos......using these for angle compensation is great too. Range a target 600 yards, the angle will be provided as well as the angle compensated distance in yards. No holdover.....just bracket the boiler room. The angle compensation feature is all but useless for archers..........but makes a big difference for long range rifle shooting.

I'll see what that Strelock app tells me. If max magnification is going to put me the same +/- an inch or two high for all hash marks that would be something easily remembered and okay for me. If the zeros at various distances are all over the board then I'd just as soon give up the x1.5 magnification.

I prefer accuracy over velocity so I doubt that I'll change anything up now that I have a load/bullet that I'm happy with.

All you'll have to do is increase your magnification to match the new load. The Zeiss calculator will do this for you. The secondary reticles will still be yardage indicated as they are now. It's unfortunate that a few people are trying to confuse the issue. Really nothing will change except you'll be able to utilize a higher magnification. The Rapid Z gives you yardage indicated secondary reticles in all but a few cases of extremely flat shooting cartridges. It's just a matter of using the appriopriate magnification. All you will need to remember is the 4 = 400 5= 500 6 =600 at the appropriate magnification. The Strelock app won't give you the info that the Zeiss calculator will for a Rapid Z.

LOL OK, there's your difference. No way am I gonna take a shot that requires a 49 inch hold over. :)

I bought a bdc because I like the feeling of aiming at hair and not air. The vast majority of the animals that I have shot have been 100 to 200 yds. I don't know if I'll ever take a shot at a deer at 500 yds but I'd like to know that I could if I really had to.

Is there a button that I missed on the Zeiss calculator site? Will Zeiss give me the zeros for shots taken on x9 power and how do I do that? All that I saw was a button for optimum magnification for a x9 power scope and it gave me x7.5.

No it won't.....what I'm saying that is if you change to a more efficient load and run those numbers that you will get a new, higher optimised power but your secondary reticles will still all represent actual yardages just as they do now.

Okay, I gotcha now. I think that the Strelock app that enhtr told me about has the option of checking the zeros on different magnifications. That way I can see what happens at x9 power. I'll play with it tonight and post what it tells me.

If only I could get rid of the yardage marks and have animals stand at exactly 400, 500, 600...............

Just run up closer....or run away further, they should stay still for you one way or the other :)

LC :)

Further evidence of the need for said "dumbing down". LOL :scared0018:

And therein lies one of the limitations of the ballistic reticle. At some point, the distance between the 100 and 50 yard denotations becomes too great to accurately place a shot at odd distances. 800 yards seems to be about the magic mark. After that you've entered the ballistic turret domain. Anything short of that is pretty simple.

According to Strelok, 7mm08, 140 grs, 2850 fps, bc .396, 500 yards = holdover of 45.51 inches...................or use the bdc reticle.

VX3 BDC reticle courtesy of Strelok ballistic app:

Are you a zeiss salesmen or something? I've noticed you have been trying to talk people into zeiss when they are incredibly over priced for what you get. Dont get me wrong they are quality scopes but you are paying for the name more then anything. There are plenty others just as good for half the price

LOL...nope. I'm very familiar with their operation and they sponsor a tv show I'm involved with so I've had the opportunity to use their product extensively.

A question was asked regarding how second focal plane scopes work and I was trying to share some insight. Some people need and appreciate the quality and innovations they bring to the market and others don't. I'm sure you are very happy with what you are using. :)

I am very curious on what you are basing your opinion of Zeiss scopes on. I have owned many scopes over the years, and I currently own six Zeiss Conquests, because I believe that they offer very good value for the price. Just how many Zeiss scopes have you actually used? How many quality scopes of any kind have you actually owned?

I wasn't trying to start an argument I was just curious

I think elk was just trying to determine what experience you were basing your opinion of Zeiss products on. You seemed to have pretty intimate knowledge of them.

That, as well as how many other quality scopes you have any real amount of experience with, in order to formulate your opinion. You avoiding answering my question, makes me wonder if your experiences with both Zeiss, and other quality scopes is very limited.

Ballistic Plex
Precision rangefinders, specialized rifles and more accurate ammunition have removed some of the variables in long-range shooting. However, with a basic crosshair reticle, calculating hold-over is a mix of art, science and just plain luck.
Which is exactly why Burris developed the Ballistic Plex reticle. The key is the copyrighted lower vertical crosshair. With most common hunting cartridges, a shooter can use the reticle to compensate for bullet drop and aim dead-on at targets from 100 to 500 yards out. The need for hold-over guesstimation is eliminated.
Using it is simple. Start by sighting-in your rifle at 100 or 200 yards at your scope’s highest magnification. Then, once you determine the distance to your target, select the appropriate ballistic line. Add slight hold-over or hold-under for in-between yardages and take the shot.

Some additional info on the Ballistic Plex

http://www.burrisoptics.com/pdf/BPlxlabl.pdf

We've made this is all far to complicated really. I've found with a modern cartridge launching a bullet between 2800 and 3100 fps a fixed six power scope whose reticle subtends 18 ish inches at 400 yds between the cross hair and the bottom post is just about all you need to take game out to 450 yds. Farther than many should shoot in the field anyway.

Yea, yea, if you have the equipment blah blah blah. It's nice to be able to blah blah blah. If things are right blah blah blah. I KNOW for a FACT that what you see on TV is not alway the "truth". Period.

The bottom line is you cannot control the animal. They are not an inert stationary target. I have seen it, I have experienced it, you cannot convince me that it is a good idea to shoot at game much past that. Ever. And I have killed several head of game beyond 375 yds and have taken game cleanly well beyond 450 yds.

I will agree with you on that one.

But you don't on the rest I see.

Nope...but it's good to stay within your limits for sure.

You obviously do not understand or care not to. I don't care how good you are, I don't care how good your equipment is, you cannot control certain things. The animal being the big one. As distances become longer that becomes even more of an issue.

It's funny how people can suddenly become experts. As an example I remember one individual telling me I was, for lack of a better term, stupid for suggesting attaching a bipod to the end of a rifle could change point of impact. Sometimes dramatically. Now I see he's suggesting same in print like he's an authority on the subject and has been forever. Amazing.

I understand that people have their limits and I respect the fact that you know yours.....with some more time under your belt or with different equipment, that limit may extend, if you wish to go there. If not, I respect that too. That's the very first things I stress when teaching long range shooting...know and respect your limits.

The other option is that this may just be one of those things we don't come to an agreement on and that's okay too :)

Wow. Maybe I should take your class. What are your credentials?