Thread: VX3i CDS scope advice please

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I bought a VXIII 4.5 - 14 with the SOD off a forum member in very good condition at a very good price. It is very clear - bullet holes are easy to see on targets. The field of view seems small on 4.5, I got a fright when it arrived and then compared it to other scopes I have and found it is actually much the same.
I could do with some advice on setting it up. I fitted it to a Chamois laser which has been resting in the safe. Bore sited it, then found that I couldn't screw it down on the SOD and it shot 6" high. After a lot of fluffing round trying to remove the SOD I got a 50 thou allen key which is a very odd size and took it off and put the original adjuster back on. I have been able to adjust the scope down and put the rifle dead-on at 100mtrs.
So now I am wondering what is the best way to set up the SOD ? Do I sight in at 200 or leave it Dead-on at 100 and dial. What is the best way to use it ?

Except for my rimfire I sight all my rifles in for 200 yards seems to be pretty standard practice, generally anything inside 250 yards is in trouble without having to worry about dialing or hold over too much, you could leave it dead on at 100 but it's not hard to work out how high it should be at 100 to be dead on at 200, then just confirm it at 200 once you have it right.

Originally Posted by 30late

That is exactly what put me off buying a vx3i 4.5-14x40 ended up getting a Zeiss hd5 3-15x42 it has a very large FOV and very happy with it.

...and in to the rabbit hole I go!

Originally Posted by dannyb

Except for my rimfire I sight all my rifles in for 200 yards seems to be pretty standard practice, generally anything inside 250 yards is in trouble without having to worry about dialing or hold over too much, you could leave it dead on at 100 but it's not hard to work out how high it should be at 100 to be dead on at 200, then just confirm it at 200 once you have it right.

^^^ What he said, for most situations zero at 200, dial for shots past 250.

Originally Posted by dannyb

Except for my rimfire I sight all my rifles in for 200 yards seems to be pretty standard practice, generally anything inside 250 yards is in trouble without having to worry about dialing or hold over too much, you could leave it dead on at 100 but it's not hard to work out how high it should be at 100 to be dead on at 200, then just confirm it at 200 once you have it right.

I have never really heard of 200 yards being a standard zero distance but if it works for you all good.
Before dial up became a thing a lot of people would sight in a standard centre fire to have a + or - 3" point blank range. This generally put a rifle around 2.5" high at 100 yards with a zero in the late 200s. The flatter shooting cartridges could go out to over 300 before they went more than 3" low. One of Nick Harveys books has a good table for 3" and 4" PBRs for different cartridges.
I really liked the VX3 I had but I don't consider a 6.6m FOV @100 yards (on 4.5x) great. I used mine on a 300wm and only ever shot one animal at less than 300 yards with it but still was not that happy as the country I hunted could occasionally offer a surprise shot at much closer range. Personal preference of course but I feel a lot more comfortable with what I am using now which has nearly double that FOV on it's lowest power.

I used to have this rifle sighted for 250 metres with a non dial scope. So is what you guys are saying that I should just count clicks for a shot at 400 ?

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I used to have this rifle sighted for 250 metres with a non dial scope. So is what you guys are saying that I should just count clicks for a shot at 400 ?

That's what I do, personal preference I guess. I'll catch up with you about it when your other scope arrives

Originally Posted by Shearer

I have never really heard of 200 yards being a standard zero distance but if it works for you all good.
Before dial up became a thing a lot of people would sight in a standard centre fire to have a + or - 3" point blank range. This generally put a rifle around 2.5" high at 100 yards with a zero in the late 200s. The flatter shooting cartridges could go out to over 300 before they went more than 3" low. One of Nick Harveys books has a good table for 3" and 4" PBRs for different cartridges.
I really liked the VX3 I had but I don't consider a 6.6m FOV @100 yards (on 4.5x) great. I used mine on a 300wm and only ever shot one animal at less than 300 yards with it but still was not that happy as the country I hunted could occasionally offer a surprise shot at much closer range. Personal preference of course but I feel a lot more comfortable with what I am using now which has nearly double that FOV on it's lowest power.

Ok so what if I sight in at 200 then make a custom dial sleeve out of a piece of polybutylene or PVC pipe or end cap and scribe and mark the ranges - 300, 350, 400, 450, 500. Glue that over the existing dial and 'Presto' customised, personalised and protected ?.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I used to have this rifle sighted for 250 metres with a non dial scope. So is what you guys are saying that I should just count clicks for a shot at 400 ?

With the SOD i find it easier to work in MOA rather than clicks, because that what marked on the dial. E.g. 3.25 MOA rather than 13 clicks for 300m, I just dial to one click past the 3 on the dial.
You probably just need to know how many MOA to dial at 50m intervals.

I might have to have a look in the safe later, there may be room to mark/write/engrave distances on the dial itself, especially if doing 3 for 300m, 4 for 400m etc.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Attachment 125069

Hm the .308 seems to travel in a dead flat line from 100 to 150.

Thanks for all the replies. The VX3i is going cheap at the moment, but considering the Zeiss at nearly double the price.

Originally Posted by MB

Thanks for all the replies. The VX3i is going cheap at the moment, but considering the Zeiss at nearly double the price.

As I said, the VX3 is a great scope wanting something with a larger FOV was just personal preference. If you can get one for the right price go for it.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Attachment 125069

That's a very nice old chart

All based on assumed distances as pre range finders.
But it would have been a whole lot better than guessing

Originally Posted by MB

Thanks for all the replies. The VX3i is going cheap at the moment, but considering the Zeiss at nearly double the price.

@MB I would press you to see if a non h and F will match you given the way they tried to have all online firearms sales banned after the Chch Shootings. I do understand its a good buy. Also buy the Windplex reticle as then you can dial for drop and use the reticle for windage.

Originally Posted by MB

Thanks for all the replies. The VX3i is going cheap at the moment, but considering the Zeiss at nearly double the price.

The Zeiss scopes have great glass, but the lower end ones do seem to often have mechanical problems and are not that robust. This is only from a very small sample of the guys who have come to use my range.