Kenton Custom dial questions and suggestions needed

[excaliber]

I just bought a Zeiss V4 6-24x50 and want to have Kenton build me a custom dial for it. I was looking at two dials. The first one is the LR Hunter which will go out to 1200 yards. The Military dial has the increments for yardage like the LR Hunter dial but also has moa on the bottom so I could use both.

http://kentonindustries.com/custom-turrets/zeiss-2

I'm looking for some info on these two dials so I can make a more informed decision before I order the dial. I'm used to a CDS dial so I like the yardage markings for quick dialing and ranging. It's what I know.

 

[Bucklowery]

Just shoot them an email they are very helpful. I Can't remember his name to save my life but a great guy and they sent me a set to try for my scope that had really small turrets Great customer service

Thanks

Buck

 

[eklarsen]

These things are great especially the one you noted with both yardage and MOA except they are only good for the elevation they are made for, if you travel you will need multiples. I used to go this route but changed to the G7 BR2 rangefinder, that solved my issue for everywhere. No, it doesnt pencil out to a better buy but I like it for me.

 

[Bucklowery]

These things are great especially the one you noted with both yardage and MOA except they are only good for the elevation they are made for, if you travel you will need multiples. I used to go this route but changed to the G7 BR2 rangefinder, that solved my issue for everywhere. No, it doesnt pencil out to a better buy but I like it for me.

That is why used the moa label. I can just dial. I can move scope to another rifle or change loads

Thanks

Buck

 

[excaliber]

I asked specifically about average elevation and average hunting temperature. People say this type of custom turret is only good for one load at one elevation and temperature.
My CDS dial was dead center accurate out to 600 yards on this rifle in temps from 35-64 degrees. I know that's only half as far as the new turret will go out to.

Kenton said the temperature is good for +/- 20 deg. F and I was also told the Elevation is good for +/- 2000'

The areas I hunt and plan to hunt are from 6500- 9500' Temps could go from single digits to 40+ degrees.

After talking with Kenton they will not accept any calculated drops unless I give them every measurement in 50 yard increments from zero to max range. I do not have a place to do this kind of setup without some serious homework.
I don't have the multiple targets to set this up either.

I'm really not sure what to do to get the best accurate data for the turret.

"For those of you that wish to use your own field data please enter it below.
If you choose to enter your data, DO NOT leave any fields blank between your zero range and maximum range."

 

[Axl]

Without actual drops from your rifle being shot at the ranges you want on your turrets it would not be very accurate. So really the "best accurate data for the turret" can only come from shooting at the ranges you want data for.

 

[eklarsen]

If you provide the velocity stuff it will be very good and close. the temp doesnt matter all that much but altitude does. going from sea level to 6000 ft will have an impact, if you dont ever need to do that you are golden

 

[Bang4theBuck]

While I agree that validating your drop at every yardage is valuable, I dont think that is necessary for developing a turret. Now, before anyone beats me over the head, here is my qualification to that statement.....be sure to shoot the farthest distance that you might take a hunting shot, and be sure you take very good notes. Once you know your drop at your longest distance, use a free ballistic app (like strelok) to reverse engineer your other drops.

I definately would not take short range data and assume the extrapolation of that data will get you good results at longer distances.

PM me if you need any help with that approach.

 

[Rick Richard]

I just bought a Zeiss V4 6-24x50 and want to have Kenton build me a custom dial for it. I was looking at two dials. The first one is the LR Hunter which will go out to 1200 yards. The Military dial has the increments for yardage like the LR Hunter dial but also has moa on the bottom so I could use both.

http://kentonindustries.com/custom-turrets/zeiss-2

I'm looking for some info on these two dials so I can make a more informed decision before I order the dial. I'm used to a CDS dial so I like the yardage markings for quick dialing and ranging. It's what I know.

With a ballistic calculator (free) such as the Berger one or any and some tape and fine sharpie,you can make plenty of what you need. This is what I have been doing for a long time and works great for me... See the picture below.

 

[Montana73]

Excalibur - if you know your bullet and your FPS, you can go to JBM ballistics and use their trajectory calculator to develop 50 yard increments of drop in inches and select click drops as well for a temp and an altitude. Then you can fill in on their web page or print JBM solution out and mail to zkenton.

 

[milo-2]

If you provide the velocity stuff it will be very good and close. the temp doesnt matter all that much but altitude does. going from sea level to 6000 ft will have an impact, if you dont ever need to do that you are golden

Could you expound some on how temps really don't matter.

 

[Bravo 4]

You mentioned a BDC turret with markings out to 1200 yards, you plan on actually hunting out to that distance with it? I would not trust a BDC turret out to that distance to be accurate enough to engage animals. Targets and steel...who gives a crap?! As mentioned by others, you can get away with quite a bit (elevation, temp, pressure, DA...whatever) out to 600, but past that you better start paying attention. At 1200 the conditions can change throughout the day, even if you do not change locations, enough to cause a miss or worse. If I were to get a turret I would get one that has the MOA markings so I could use it whenever/wherever. I do as Rick said, use blue painter's tape and a sharpie. Then I can change whatever I want-whenever I want.

 

[excaliber]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't plan on shooting past 600 yards at game. I only what to shoot out to 1200 yards for metal and paper. The farthest shot I've ever had to make on a deer is 250 yards and 80 yards is my longest rifle shot on an elk.
I'm a bow hunter first so I like to get close. My current CDS Leupold system is dead on when dialed out to 600 yards but it's not dependable in my eyes. 600 yards is just a chip shot I feel with my 300 Win Mag.

I'm no long range shooter but I want to have this dial accurate for banging metal out to 1000 yards.

Kenton makes the military dial that has both MOA and yardage. I'm leaning that way incase I actually want to learn how to use the MOA on the dial.

My plan is to use the Ballistic Calculator (Hornady) and shoot out to 800 yards to see how close their trajectory calculations are to what I'm seeing. I was hoping I could shoot at 300, 400,500,600 700 and 800 yards and if the drops matched the chart then go with it and order the dial with that info..
I've run my data through 4 different calculators and they are all basically the same.

Kenton said they would not accept my tested drops unless I gave them drops for every 50 yards out to my max range. I'm not going to be able to do that. I don't know why I can't give them 100 yard drops out to 800 and have them figure out the rest.

If there is anyone here in SW Idaho who would be willing to help me shoot these distance and figure it all out. I'm ready when you are.

I was hoping that if I go with the Kenton Military dial with MOA on the bottom and yardage on top it would be perfect out to my max hunting range and allow me to mess with MOA should I want to stretch it out from there.

Looking at the Ballistic chart at 1000 yards I'm supposedly 152.8" low or 14.6 MOA Maybe I need to just use the factory dial and learn to dial moa instead? It seems like it's allot of work to figure out in the heat of the moment opposed to just dialing to yardage on the dial and shooting.

There's a ballistic chart that Kenton has that can be used to adjust the yardage of the dial in different conditions ie: elevation, temp, humidity, wind speed and direction. Isn't that an option too.

 

[Montana73]

As I stated above, the JBM calculator will give you all the 50 yard increments you will need for Kenton.