load development / accuracy testing scopes

Offroad Gary

Well-Known Member
i was just wondering what scopes you guys use for your load development, and are they the same as your hunting scopes?

i'm currently useing S&B 8 * 56 hungarians on my .243 and .308 for hunting and load testing having just got rid of a fantastic 6.5 - 20 * 50 leupold fine duplex which was great for targets but lacked light gathering capability and always had me wishing i had the S&B when out hunting.

with my .243 i can shoot 1/2 moa @ 100m with my homeloads which is the thickness of the cross hair (14mm), but i dont think i will be able to shoot much better with the S&B, with the leupold i could shoot single hole groups with premium factory ammo, never really used it in anger with the reloads

i think i need another targetty scope - now that the reloading bug has bitten :evil:

so any reccomendations for a good (cheap) targetty scope?
 
scopes

I use the same ones- i dont want to rezero all the time.... however if you trust your qd mounts, both rifles are a short action, how about equipping both rifles with qd mounts and all three scopes. it doesn't matter if your nice luepolds zero is somewhere between the two as long as you can see where the rounds land and how tight the groups are. so then you can put the hunting scope straight back on and just carry on

swampy
 
swampy - dont have the leupold any more :cry: it had to go to fund the second s&b (may regret doing that :rolleyes: )

do i trust the qd mounts? of course, they have "blaser" written on them :D

love the 8x56's but they are definately not target scopes.

perhaps its justs the blasers inherrant accuracy/ability to shoot all loads, but with some batches i've been testing i cant find the sweet spot, they are all pretty much about moa or slightly less - i think i need more magnification to eliminate my error?
 
scopes

Surely it is better to work with the same scope you will use in the field? The higher the magnification may also magnify your errors. moa is good

steve
 
If you are developing hunting loads then use the scope that is on the rifle, there is little point in developing loads using a fine reticule target scope and then going back to a thicker reticule for your day to day use, you will be back to square 1. If you are trying to develop a load for some sort of target / competition shooting then that is different. I can understand you searching for improvement but if the load is the same one that you could shoot single hole groups with using the Leupold, you already know that the load is good but the reticule is holding you back.

What would you say your average distance is for usual hunting shot? Have you tried beyond 100 yards with your 1/2 MOA load? it would be interesting to see how you do there.

Have you tried using one of the corners where the cross hairs intersect, put this onto the target as opposed to the thick central point, that may help.

John
 
The other alternative os to customise a target to suit your reticule at 100m.

I adapted this target so that the cross hairs on a Swarovski no4 reticule perfectly fit into the white cross against the black background. These cross hairs block out a square of 12mm at 100m. I can regularly shoot groups smaller than that against this Target:
IMG_0327.jpg
 
I use a swartz scope with a standard ret and like CD it covers half inch at one hundred yards i use a thick black line and hide it behind the cross hairs and can get just about an inch but would not try to get less as i really cant see any more and what you cant see you can hit. The first scope you had would have certainly been the beter scope for load development were pinpoint accuracy was concerned.I also can see that the light gathering of the Leupold was in any way different to the SB IN FACT AT 6.5 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY BETER.

PS AN INCH AT 100 IS MORE THAN WHAT IS NEEDED FOR DEERSTALKING
 
To boost confidence. Put a target out to your zero distance 200yds??
Use a 2" orange circle or a 2-3" white bull with a black ring around.
Zero the rifle at that distance and try a few groups with your 8x56.
I checked the drop value at 212 yds with my 308 factory ammo and 8x56 S&B off the car hood. Good enough for standard stalking.
edi
DSCN0674.jpg
 
JAYB said:
Have you tried beyond 100 yards with your 1/2 MOA load? it would be interesting to see how you do there.

14mm group at 100m, opened up to 30mm at 160m - bear in mind that it was at a 6mmbr target - 1" pinkish circle - i could hardly see the bloody thing behind the cross hair :rolleyes:

23102008441.jpg

23102008442.jpg
 
6.5 x 55 said:
I also can see that the light gathering of the Leupold was in any way different to the SB IN FACT AT 6.5 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY BETER.

maybe in the classroom but definately not in the field!trust me, it wasnt.
 
You are right bucks den the Leupold would have a better light gathering factor than the SB and in real life if the glass is better on the SB Then it wont .What has surprised me over the years is how the German scopes have stud stil while the Leopold's and bushnell's etc have moved on in leaps and bounds. I have shot through a lot of scopes and would say with hand on heart the Leupold is a match for the sb,s in every way. I wont comment on the new ones just out as i am told they are fabulous but at 2000 pounds they should shoot the deer as well :lol:
 
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