Anyone ever dope their variable mag scope at less than full magnification?

[Hop]

If you're going to turn a dial, might as well be one that's well regulated right?

 

[jrh84]

Yes, yes, I know, natdscott made me realize I was doing my typical issue of waay over thinking the problem. This is how most of my threads go. :-)

For shooting past the BDC's capability at max magnification, I'd 100% reccomend dialing your elevation (and your wind, too, for that matter, but that's more debatable). I had tried using a BDC at the Wolf sponsored Atterbury event (back in 2013 I think it was), and it cost me bigtime. I had been using it at max magnification and figured out the holds at 100-400 yards, but obviously that goes out the window when you change magnification on a SFP scope. Result was putting a nice group downrange, about 3 MOA over the my intended POI at 400 after I went from 9X to 5X magnification between AQT's.

I'm shooting highpower with a Vortex PST 1-4 now back to 600 yards, and I want to see an identical sight picture every time. That means once I'm behind the rifle, I only want to focus on the reticle being exactly in the dead center of the black. My sight picture is the same at 200, 300, or 600 yards. Very occasionally I've shaded to the right or left of the 10 ring during rapid prone if the wind switches or let's up during the string, but it's been rare. Elevation is always dialed. Just know your come ups, and dial to them. For me anyway, that's more fail-proof than sorting out the BDC holdovers, that may or may not be good enough to hold the 10-ring, especially at 600 and back.

I've not heard any reports of a StrikeEagle's turrets not tracking well. I know my Vortex Crossfires track very well, even though they are more of a set and forget style of scope....I've dialed them to 28 moa and back many times without issue. I'd assume the Strike Eagle is as or more capable. Like Hop said, I'd trust the regulated dials more than the mag ring.

 

[Goodcat]

May I recommend a Diamondback tactical FFP? Great features for the cost. Just zero to 200 and memorize easy holdovers if you usually like BDC, it’s not that much different to remember holdover. Or, dial up to a new 300 yard zero from there and memorize your holdovers. Or just always dial.