Calibrated Ballistics Turret is NOT Matching POI

[8andbait]

Best thing to do is use a ballistic calculator and get the drops from there with the same atmospheric input on your turret. Then, count the clicks on your scope to see if they match.

An example would be...calculator says 700 yards is 12 minutes, start at zero and count to see where 48 clicks ends up, if it's right at 700 you know the turret is correct.

 

[bigngreen]

You can take and zero it at the farther range then your error is decreasingly significant as the range gets closer where you have more room for error.

 

[Braunschweiger]

Have you TALL target tested the scope to verify it IS dialing correct?

This is also my very first question. Verifying optic crosshair/stadia is symmetric with axis of bore.

 

[Wedgy]

I would have done it backwards; measure your drops at 400, 600, 800, 1000 then plug those numbers into the calculator and alter the speed/BC so the turret comes up with the same drop those yardages.
I can plug my numbers into any calculator and they're somewhat close but the further out the worse they get and that's why you verify and adjust accordingly. I'm not a fan of ballistic turrets, as others stated they don't account for angle and other weather/altitude conditions, and if you change loads/bullets your stuck with a useless turret.
https://bergerbullets.com/ballistics-calculator/

 

[JAYgs8163]

I was out shooting last week and I live in Arizona. Humidity that day was in the area of 70%, very high but it's our rainy season. My prior time out humidity was under 15%. At 450 yards my poi was off 9" from my prior settings in my shooting app I have on my phone. I updated my atmospheric conditions using the app and I needed .5 moa or 2 clicks. Next shots were dead on. Just shows how much one variable can change your setting on a preprinted turret. This is why I've gone to using a app on my phone or using the Kestrel shooting meter.

 

[waveslayer]

Sorry you have had to learn this important lesson the hard way. Ballistic turrets are only as good as the data you make them for.. meaning...
The velocity has to be single digits in terms of SD, bullet has to have the same BC (but BC's change with velocity) atmospheric data has to match otherwise your data will be way off, etc...

Best thing to do is build a DOPE card and have it velcro to the side of your rifle. No different then dial a yardage on your custom turret, you just dial for the stated distance from your DOPE card.

I never ever understood the Ballistic turrets and scopes with recalculated dope built into the reticles... they are almost always off and are guesstimates.

Also, another lesson you learned is angle shooting. Get an angle compensating range finder, because it matters a lot.

Are you reloading your ammo?

 

[DSheetz]

Another hard earned lesson . All this info is very interesting and good info for people new to the long range game , as I am , get a good app and use it to calculate the clicks needed on that day instead of buying a turret is what I came away with for me .

 

[Deleted member 8840]

Sounds like it was made for sea level and your at a higher altitude. What bullet and how fast were you shooting.

 

[Nitrosteel]

Environmental factors seem to be the biggest issue that changes my POI - I shoot a Swarovski x5(I) myself and it has always tracked well. I have two friends with them and they track well also.

As someone else said when the temp or humidity changes - the bullets fly differently, but also when the temp changes many times the velocity of your rounds will change also.

I've never been able to make myself buy one of those $200 turrets - knowing they aren't going to be perfect. I created a tiny chart with excel and stuck it inside my rear lens cover. It is a good guideline, but if shooting at distance I just make time to check my app (verify temp and humidity). It is almost always within 2 clicks. I like seeing it in MOA - not just a yardage number - like it is on a turret.

With your turrets - how many "clicks" are you off? Can you adjust your zero to make it matchup better at distance (where a couple clicks are more critical)?

 

[dougduey]

I agree with a lot that has been said here. Just my own experience to go off of. I had a long range shooting class (instructed by a former Marine sniper) last week using my 6.5-284 Norma and 7 STW. Both rifles zeroed at 200 yards and both have hand loads with single digit ES/SD and velocities verified the day before. No issues noticed until we got out to 650-1060 yards. In my 6.5, I am shooting the 140 gr Berger hunting VLD. It was consistently high by 2 moa at the longer distances, which we really noticed at 885. Using the instructors Kestrel, he said either the velocity increased from 2980 fps to 3200 fps, or the BC is off. He plugged in G7 of .363 from .307 (listed on the Berger box) to get everything to align. It was dead on the next 10 shots as far as vertical was involved. If I missed, it was now due to an incorrect wind dope. As you can see, that's a huge difference in BC from what is actual compared to what is on the box of bullets.
In contrast, the BC of the 175 gr ELDX I'm shooting in my 7 STW was correct and no adjustments were needed.
I have a field shooting follow up course in a few days, and I'm going to verify the BC for the Berger bullets. I want to make sure that it wasn't caused by the ambient temperature (it was 103 degrees) and/or a hot barrel.
What I'm taking away from this experience is that you really need to verify your drops once you get out to and beyond 500 yards. So, I'll have data for these 2 rifles, but I'll need to test all my other rifles if I ever want to stretch them out to longer ranges. For now, I'm not going to shoot any game animal past 500 yards, unless it's with my 6.5 or 7mm and the situation is perfect. I always try to get as close as possible.

 

[James L Holzhauer]

I don't have a range past 200 yards. I buy my ammo from
Superior and just use the velocity on the box. This works very well to 400 yards but I will not shoot past that distance. Lazy way to do this but I didn't have a chrono or a longer range with which to do a better job. I am sure there are a lot of hunters like me without the means to do the meticulous work that many readers here are able to do. I salute you for your dedication.

 

[GMHVAC]

I agree with a lot that has been said here. Just my own experience to go off of. I had a long range shooting class (instructed by a former Marine sniper) last week using my 6.5-284 Norma and 7 STW. Both rifles zeroed at 200 yards and both have hand loads with single digit ES/SD and velocities verified the day before. No issues noticed until we got out to 650-1060 yards. In my 6.5, I am shooting the 140 gr Berger hunting VLD. It was consistently high by 2 moa at the longer distances, which we really noticed at 885. Using the instructors Kestrel, he said either the velocity increased from 2980 fps to 3200 fps, or the BC is off. He plugged in G7 of .363 from .307 (listed on the Berger box) to get everything to align. It was dead on the next 10 shots as far as vertical was involved. If I missed, it was now due to an incorrect wind dope. As you can see, that's a huge difference in BC from what is actual compared to what is on the box of bullets.
In contrast, the BC of the 175 gr ELDX I'm shooting in my 7 STW was correct and no adjustments were needed.
I have a field shooting follow up course in a few days, and I'm going to verify the BC for the Berger bullets. I want to make sure that it wasn't caused by the ambient temperature (it was 103 degrees) and/or a hot barrel.
What I'm taking away from this experience is that you really need to verify your drops once you get out to and beyond 500 yards. So, I'll have data for these 2 rifles, but I'll need to test all my other rifles if I ever want to stretch them out to longer ranges. For now, I'm not going to shoot any game animal past 500 yards, unless it's with my 6.5 or 7mm and the situation is perfect. I always try to get as close as possible.

I have to agree. Went through the same thing with my rifle. Bang on for the 1st 400 yds then it went haywire. The Kestrel fixed it though. Did the muzzle validation and used the custom pre loaded AB bullet profiles and not the G7
That fixed everything right out to 1000 yds. And I mean it's dead frickin on.

 

[lyotehunter]

when ever I have a new turret I shoot and mark the number of clicks or minutes I move the turret out to 100yds. was that part of your info also?

 

[newmexkid]

Once again...Have you done a test to make sure your scope is dialing correctly?