Leupold Boone and Crocket Reticle - Whassup with that?

[dan1953]

https://www.nikonusa.com/fileuploads/pdfs/BDC_manual.pdf
This nikon's rather long explanation.

 

[mmsports]

Love the B&C reticle!!

 

[J E Custom]

My buddy recently picked up a Remington LSS in 270 with a matching 4.5-14x40 VX-III in silver. He's not anything close to a long range guy and I doubt he's ever shot of 200 yards at anything. He's actually a Marlin XLR guy and bought the LSS because he got a decent price and likes the look.

Anyway, the silver Leupolds can command a little bit of a premium on the secondary market since they quit making them and he'll probably try to downsize to a 3-9 or maybe 3.5-10, but he asked about the B&C reticle. I know it's popular with some guys. Can someone give me the quick skinny on it's purpose and how it works in real life? Basically, gimmick or useful?

It works buy zeroing the Reticle at the distance you want (200 yards) and allows you to use the other marks for holdover if you know where they are. I zero and then check where the next one hits and then the third. Most zeroed at 200 yards will be somewhere around 400 yards using the second mark. the third mark will place you somewhere around 600 yards + or - depending on your load. When I used a mill dot reticle I found the zero for every dot, This way I could adjust to almost any distance with hold over If there was not enough time to adjust the reticle.

It is a good system if you know the zero for each mark.

J E CUSTOM

 

[3darcher2]

It sounds like he may be best served leaving the scope on said 270 if he wants to keep it as a big game rifle out to 500 or so, although he still might sell it. The 4.5 on the low end can get a little tight at 25 or 30 yards in the PA woods.

 

[sp6x6]

I packed a 5x in MT mountains for quite some time,also a 6.5,that extra 6.5 was to much in grizz woods.Im back to 3-5 on low end

 

[Rum River]

VX3 3.5-10x40 with B&C reticle on a 700 Classic in .300 Weatherby. Factory Weatherby ammunition with 200gr Partitions reliably prints groups just under a minute. Zeroed at 200 yds. at 10 power, POI was exactly spot on with 300 and 400 yard crosswires, haven't tried the 500 yard.

 

[Bingoc]

VX3 3.5-10x40 with B&C reticle on a 700 Classic in .300 Weatherby. Factory Weatherby ammunition with 200gr Partitions reliably prints groups just under a minute. Zeroed at 200 yds. at 10 power, POI was exactly spot on with 300 and 400 yard crosswires, haven't tried the 500 yard.

It works buy zeroing the Reticle at the distance you want (200 yards) and allows you to use the other marks for holdover if you know where they are. I zero and then check where the next one hits and then the third. Most zeroed at 200 yards will be somewhere around 400 yards using the second mark. the third mark will place you somewhere around 600 yards + or - depending on your load. When I used a mill dot reticle I found the zero for every dot, This way I could adjust to almost any distance with hold over If there was not enough time to adjust the reticle.

It is a good system if you know the zero for each mark.

J E CUSTOM

Has anyone used a combination of the BC reticle and a CDS dial on the same scope? What I mean is set up the load and zero to reflect the BC dial process and order a CDS dial to have the same zero for the same load. When the time is available use the CDS dial for a more precise shot. When time is limited use the BC reticle for an acceptable shot.

 

[sp6x6]

That is kinda how my son runs it as mentioned.He dials off the last small hash for longer shots.But with just moa dial. I have a old leo mil dot black ring tactical.Its basically 4.5-14x50,had tall turret.I had cds installed back when,can use the mils for quick shots,or dial.

 

[Swinehunt74]

There are 2 diamond shape marks on vari ring. One is smaller to signify high velocity bullet and larger is for using with larger/slower velocity calibers...Set your ring to one of those before trying to adjust impact using reticle. Also talked to Leupold rep at shot show yrs ago and he explained one other feature.. Set your very nob (protruding piece on vari ring) at 12 oclock, that is the greatest light gathering setting on Leupold scope.. When I started using that technique with B&C reticle usually about 6-8 power depending on power of scope, was so much easier to find my holdovers. Msg me for more explanations.....

 

[Bingoc]

There are 2 diamond shape marks on vari ring. One is smaller to signify high velocity bullet and larger is for using with larger/slower velocity calibers...Set your ring to one of those before trying to adjust impact using reticle. Also talked to Leupold rep at shot show yrs ago and he explained one other feature.. Set your very nob (protruding piece on vari ring) at 12 oclock, that is the greatest light gathering setting on Leupold scope.. When I started using that technique with B&C reticle usually about 6-8 power depending on power of scope, was so much easier to find my holdovers. Msg me for more explanations.....

Thanks for the information. When I set the protruding knob to 12 oclock, the resulting power indicator is at 6. My original question was to find out if anyone had obtained a CDS dial for the caliber/bullet they were using with the BC scope. Therefore with the CDS dial they would have the use of the original BC capability for a relatively quick shot when they didn't have enough time to range the animal and also had the use of the CDS capability when time perimiited.
Thanks for you time and opinions.

 

[Bingoc]

Yes its a preset christmas try reticle.I would never go back down from it to a 3-9.My son prefers it for quick shooting.Hes not overly picky,young wants some success.He also knows how to dial it off the last small hash as a reference.Same principle he used in his agoc sight in Marines.

What do you mean by "dial it off the last small hash as a reference"?
Thanks,

 

[Bingoc]

By today's standards, that is anything but busy. Look at an Horus H59 or TreMor 3 reticle and get back to me. This is the beauty of the B&C reticle.

As far as using it for really long range, I have found that the environmental factors become to dependant to really use it much past 450-500. It might work for a guy that only shoots one load at one elevation and in one weather. That isn't the case for me. Since it is a 2nd focal plane scope, you can cheat it a little to match up better with your load by dialing until it is where you want and making a mark to turn too.in this instance it has worked out well enough with my 260 AI at max power that I leave it alone. I have a 4.5-14 LR that has it as well. It is nice when you don't have time to dial and you need a 300 or 400 yard aiming point. I used it alot on coyote stands when we had a shotgun and a rifle for the ones that hang up way out there. Since I went to a Mod 600 in .223 for stands, I dialed the magnification way back.

I take a 12 ga and a rifle to every stand unless we have multiple shooters.

What do you mean by 'cheating it a little to match up better with your load by dialing until it is where you want and making a mark to turn to"? From this I interpret that you do not dial to the small triangle for high velocity cartridges and correspondingly dial to the large triangle for the slower cartridges after confirming the trajectory of the cartridge that you are using.
Thanks

 

[sp6x6]

It has the christmas tree cross hairs,have built in windage.The last small hash,before thick.My son uses that as hi dial off point.Lets say that 400 yrd,then for a 500 he ads x-moa,and so forth.Just a short cut in a way.Just different way of doing things.once you know scope can do alot with it.Yes you can run CDS dial,one rev gets you 700 close,they put stop w/200 zero.I go no stop,then get more dial.You not dial back to zero,HUH? Mess you up,ask my son,he not always listen,heh.Saw him miss speed goat at 100.I would right my turns to zero in bottom metal.I shot elk out to 800+ with my old 4-14 tactical,mildot

 

[Molonlabe63]

Another informative thread-thanks!