Thread: Leupold VX5 CDS Advice needed please.

I have bought a vx5 off Trademe today.

Its going on a Sako 85 in 30/06.

24 inch Shilen Select Match barrel 1-10 twist. Titanium bedded.

I want to order a CDS dial, using Hornady Precision Hunter ELDX factory ammo.
Box states 2750fps.

I wish to be able to hit a gong at 500m and a deer at 350m. No further.

If I order the dial using stated BC and stated velocity, will it be usable?

I do not have a chrony so have no idea whay the actual muzzle velocity is or the Standard Deviation.

Thoughts and advice please.

Shoot it out to 500m and actually see how much you have to dial for zero. Then get the custom dial made.

PM @Trout on here. He doesn't live far from you and I'm sure will help get you sorted.

Just use the standard elevation dial in MOA and an app on your phone to turn your shooting data ( range, shot angle, air temp and pressure) into a MOA value that you will use to hit your intended aim point


Most anyone on the forum here can make you up a dropchart with an average temp of 16 deg Celsius and an average air pressure of 28 inhg

A custom CDS elevation knob restricts you to one load and projectile, and only uses one temp and air pressure.

It also restricts you to horizontal shots as well unless your using angle compensating software in your rangefinding device

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

It also restricts you to horizontal shots as well unless your using angle compensating software in your rangefinding device

I should have added, I have a Leupold RX1300 TBR rangefinder.

Get some real world data first. Pretty simple to do out to 500m.

Buy the ammo, put a bit of masking tape on your turret cap. Zero at 100m and mark the tape, then zero at 200m, mark the tape, then at 250m, 300m,350m,400m, 450m, 500m

Send it in and get a custom one made. Will work fine till 350 as there is bugger all adjustment needed anyway.

Originally Posted by Tussock

Buy the ammo, put a bit of masking tape on your turret cap. Zero at 100m and mark the tape, then zero at 200m, mark the tape, then at 250m, 300m,350m,400m, 450m, 500m

Send it in and get a custom one made. Will work fine till 350 as there is bugger all adjustment needed anyway.

Thats sorta what I was hoping for.

I figured it might be doable with factory ammo, as I wouldn't call 3-500m pushing the envelope too far.

They can be useful, but I have never bothered with my VX6 as there are too many variables. As others have said, atmospheric changes below your CDS atmospheric best guess will affect drops. Shooting up or down hill have a big effect too, esp when shooting at 20 degrees or more. I prefer to use more precise data and dial in MOA using a drop chart for the actual conditions and with figures for slope effects (true ballistic range). All of that said, your ranges are sensible and you should be fine as long as the temp, altitude and angles are not too different from your CDS dictated settings. See if you can borrow a chrono to get accurate muzzle velocity, which will really help.

Hi Tribit,if you want to drive a 100ks on a none windy day,get the weather right most important.Bring a box of ammo,i have a crony and a good size target.I can help you out to 800yds,easy as.Clean yr rifle befor you leave town.When you leave my town,a deer at 350 mtrs will be a slice of veni on your plate.PM me,Trout

Originally Posted by Trout

Hi Tribit,if you want to drive a 100ks on a none windy day,get the weather right most important.Bring a box of ammo,i have a crony and a good size target.I can help you out to 800yds,easy as.Clean yr rifle befor you leave town.PM me

I would love to take you up on that.
Will do

Originally Posted by Trout

Hi Tribit,if you want to drive a 100ks on a none windy day,get the weather right most important.Bring a box of ammo,i have a crony and a good size target.I can help you out to 800yds,easy as.Clean yr rifle befor you leave town.When you leave my town,a deer at 350 mtrs will be a slice of veni on your plate.PM me,Trout

What a GC

+++++1 for what @7mmsaum stated above. And dont believe the fps stated on factory ammo. Get real world data, turret in moa and you're set.

Can you keep the moa scale as well as meters range visible ?
I've found a turret tape a nice reality check to avoid silly mistakes. " Have I dialled 1 3/4' or 3 3/4' ? . YES its 350m but a little bit less as I'm at 1500m altitude and 20deg slope."
Nice all round 500m rifle set up by the way

And make sure when you order your cds, that you specify yards or meters for each marking distance you are going to shoot at.
On my last order I specified a 170m zero, thinking that they would logically put the rest of the distances in meters. Guess what they put the rest in yards :-(