Nikon is now offering Ballistic Match Technology Turrets
- Thread starter Bman940
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well, I'm new to the dialing the scope shooting thing, I was planning on setting up my scope for one load and ordering a Ballistic match turret setup for a different load. So I could start to teach myself how this all works. Before I set up my long range gun and waste $$ on ammo.
any info on secrets of the trade would be great.
any info on secrets of the trade would be great.
Definitely worth spending some time at the range to see what ammo your rifle shoots the best. Then check out Nikon's Spon On Ballistic Program to better understand what your bullet is doing after it leaves the barrel.
I do like the Custom Turret System but a shooter needs some understanding before they put one on. Just like the person using a Mil-dot or BDC reticle scope, there's a certain amount of prep work to get the most out of that optic , your rifle and ammo.
On that note, a guy told me he is getting 2 custom turret's for his .243. 1 for 55 gr. coyote bullet's and one for 90 gr. deer hunting bullet's. A lot of choices to make, pick what you think what will work best for you, not what someone else tell's you is the best for you.
I do like the Custom Turret System but a shooter needs some understanding before they put one on. Just like the person using a Mil-dot or BDC reticle scope, there's a certain amount of prep work to get the most out of that optic , your rifle and ammo.
On that note, a guy told me he is getting 2 custom turret's for his .243. 1 for 55 gr. coyote bullet's and one for 90 gr. deer hunting bullet's. A lot of choices to make, pick what you think what will work best for you, not what someone else tell's you is the best for you.
my biggest problem is that these are marketed to people who do not understand ballistics. for example they buy a turret marked for the elevation were they live lets say 2000 then go into the mountains to hunt at 6000 ft they then use there range finder and miss completely or worse yet wound an animal. there is no simple "just dial" solution as these new turrets would have the uninformed believe. I feel its best to leave them to minutes and mills so people need to learn the whys and what fors instead of a quick fix that doesn't really fix anythinggun)
I think if you run those number's you'll find the difference is very small and not enough to make a hunter miss a deer at 400 yard's, wind not considered.
No matter what, time behind the gun is important as is an understanding of your rifle's ballistic's if you want to be a successful hunter.
No matter what, time behind the gun is important as is an understanding of your rifle's ballistic's if you want to be a successful hunter.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I've seen far more new guys jack up inputs into a ballistics program than have issues with a BDC dial, you have to go through some involved steps to get your turret set up so it's not like you just roll into a store and pull one of the shelf.
400 is jacked if you set your gun up right your 0 will be around 300. go out to 800 900 or even 1000 like some of these guys are using on their advertising and the difference in not so small, infact very large, add in all the other elements and these new turrets are a formula for giving long range hunting a bad name
ha ha yah the same ones using the and thinking bdc turrets are a good idea! The reason ballistics programs are so complex is because LONGRANGE SHOOTING IS SO COMPLEX bdc turrets and reticals are no substitution for math and knowledge as they are being advertised (and I quote" Simply turn the dial to 800 yrds and boom'elk falls'.. dead on!") very irresponsible advertising!gun)
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I shoot using a ballistics programs and I don't even buy this, if I take my current hunting load and zero it at 2000ft then drag it up to 6000 ft and take the shot on a bull at 800 yards my bullet strikes about 4 inches low taking him in the heart verses just over the heart so sounds like a dead elk in my book.
We see a thread a week of guys not able to get their magical ballistics program to be that close and they are dumb founded. There is the potential for irresponsibility in any method!!
I don't shoot with a BDC system as my shooting goes well beyond there best range of use but I'm not so hung up on the way I do it to think it's the only way to put a bullet on target!!!
Amen Bign. As a long time hunter my longest shot on an animal is 427 yards and it was a kill shot. I have also had the pleasure of shooting steel out to 623 yards using a BDC Reticle and Spot On. I would hope no one would take a shot on an animal past what they feel is a makable shot no matter how big the trophy. Being a responsible hunter is about knowing your shooting capabilities and your ammo's capabilities. No one wants to wound an animal and I hoenstly do not think just because someone has a Custom Turret, BDC or Mil-dot reticle they will think they are a better shooter then they truly are. If someone has one of these shooting aid's perhaps they will have more time behind their gun and a better understanding of ballistic's.
Great to read all the comment's and to see that all thing's considered we all really just want to make an ethical shot on an animal.
Great to read all the comment's and to see that all thing's considered we all really just want to make an ethical shot on an animal.
These comments show just what it is i'm talking about. first if sited in with a .308 winney at 2000 ft and 70 degrees (we will leave out baro but this compounds things farther) at 800 yrds with a load of 2750 and 178 grain amax bullets your drop will be about 18.01 moa at 6000 (most likely if your hunting elk you'll be higher than this and the difference will be bigger) the same load gives 16.46 moa of drop or 12.55" if you aimed center mass of a deer than you just missed if your up were the elk are at 8000+ (around here anyway) ft than its 15.80 moa or about 17.9" if you aimed center mass of an elk you just missed! when you add slope angle, barometrics and other atmospherics into the equation its worse. I hear the guys at the gun counters and the ill informed at the desks all the time talking of stuff they know nothing about and I asked one guy behind the counter at cabelas what the retical was calibrated for he said "30.06" i then asked what load he said it "doesn't matter"gun) but go ahead buy your fix all just blame yourself when you miss or wound something
JackinSD
Well-Known Member
I sure hope that everyone, that doesn't do it your way, is not as dumb as you believe they are. No matter which way you do it, or who you are.
I would hope that those ordering the BDC type turrets, turning knobs, using mil or moa do not go about the process uninformed. Hopefully, they manage to develope their load profile correctly and completely.
That goes for "any" type of adjustment.
There are alot of ways to skin a cat. I could care less which way it is skinned. If it works and is done properly, great.
Having said that, will there be some that think they can take shortcuts? Sure
Will they spend the time needed to be correct and complete? Not all, but most.
I just don't think, I will bash or praise one way or the other. The results are what count. Of that, I am sure we can all agree.
I would hope that those ordering the BDC type turrets, turning knobs, using mil or moa do not go about the process uninformed. Hopefully, they manage to develope their load profile correctly and completely.
That goes for "any" type of adjustment.
There are alot of ways to skin a cat. I could care less which way it is skinned. If it works and is done properly, great.
Having said that, will there be some that think they can take shortcuts? Sure
Will they spend the time needed to be correct and complete? Not all, but most.
I just don't think, I will bash or praise one way or the other. The results are what count. Of that, I am sure we can all agree.
