Making a Load to Match a Reticle

[Demaiter]

I have edited this post many times and now did some more research/added it and I have answered my own question. Thank you.

Has anyone ever tried making a custom load to more precisely match those reticles such as the Leupold Varmint hunter reticle? The reason why, I am in the market for a new varmint scope and I'm wondering how well factory ammo matches this reticle.

I understand that Leupold has grouped certain cartridges, their speed and relative drop into three groups(there are about 10 different loadings in each group)

Each group has a specific magnification in which the aim points are pretty close to, however it being group of about 10 loading, it will be more of an average for all 10 then an "exact" match for 1 of the loadings... So my question is does anyone or has anyone made a load that almost matches this reticle or similar reticle designs more precisely?

If you give Leupold Custom shop your your load data (Bullet diameter, the bullets BC, and the bullets fps)they can make you a reticle that will match that specific load's trajectory, so I am saying is it possible to do the reverse. You have a reticle, now can you make a load that will match the hold over points more precisely then the "average" it is more so set for.

The closest I have come to matching it is about a .223 55 grain v max @ about 3240 - this is hornadys load and Federal's Sierra Gameking's 55grainer(also about 3240 fps) also matches the drop almost identically, however the windage is inches off, for example the drop is within a quarter of an inch at 200 and the drop is only an inch off at 500 yards... which is very close, however the windage starts 1"(@200) off and ends 7" off at 500 yards which would be a miss.

The reason why is that I want to do this is that I want to start hand loading a load that is spot on with this reticle - or find a factory load that is damn close and just copy it however the windage seems to be the problem. I just can't find bullets with a BC high enough to match it for .223 loads. I guess I'll just use the elevation aim points because they match, however what Leupold says is the aiming point for a 10mph cross wind really is about the aim point for a 12-13 mph cross wind and the 20 mph hold over points are really about 25+ mph crosswind.

The load should match these numbers then

[GeekWithAGun]

How do you match a bullet to a crosshair? I don't think I understand the question. *EDIT* I'm not a rifle guy, so I probably don't have an answer for you anyway, the reason I replied is that I am just completely lost trying to understand what the two have to do with each other, and I would like to find out what the relation is.*/EDIT*

[zoomie]

GWAG: Here's the reticle he's talking about.



He wants to make the bullet drop match the reticle profile. So that when the rifle is zero'd at 200 yards, the bullet will hit a bullseye at 300, 400, 500 yards using the respective horizontal crosshairs.

[HOGGHEAD]

Yes, what you are requesting can be done. However it is much easier to make the scope compatable with your load. The main variable in the Leupold reticles is the power of the scope. All I have done to get the VH and B&C reticle to match my load was to adjust the power of the scope until it matchs the load. It takes a little shooting to do this, but I really like doing a little shooting. So where is the problem??

It takes a couple of hundred rounds to feel fully comfortable with the Leupold reticles, but once you are there-then the reticles are fantastic. Just get out and shoot. It will come.

The reticles are not a quick fix for the guy who shoots a box of ammo every other year. But for the guy who knows his cartridge, and gets out and shoots it...... Well I think you know where I am going with that statement. Tom.

[crowbeaner]

I thought of making a 30/06 load to duplicate the terminal ballistics of the Federal .308 match load to coincide with the reticle on a Springfield Armory 6x scope that had the markings on the reticle for the .308 load. I missed out on the scope as it sold before I could save the money up for it, so the research fell by the wayside. I figured on WW760 at 52.5 grains and a Sierra 168 MK bullet. This would have had almost the same MV and trajectory as the Federal load.

[GeekWithAGun]

Wow. I had no idea that existed. Now that you explain it that way, it makes complete sense. Thanks, "you learn something new everyday".

[nate45]

The easiest way to match the drop built in to the reticle would be to sight in for a distance other than 100 yards. Just play with your ballistic program and try different sight in values from say 75 to 180 yards, with a load that has less drop than is built into the reticle you will probably need to be a little low at 100.

As far as the windage goes I'm going to have to think about it, probably some experimentation will be in order. If your load is 4 or 5 inches different from Leupold's estimates, then you will have to find out by trial and error exactly how much left or right past the mark you will need to hold.

[Loader9]

Skip trying to match the ammo to the scope. Buy a scope that you can adjust to the ammo.
http://www.leatherwoodoptics.com/

Leatherwoods cam mount works and works GREAT! I also have one that is removable and is guaranteed to go back on at dead zero. It works GREAT too. FWIW, the inventor, Jim Leatherwood, was the guy that invented the CamArt scopes and mounts for the military. He passed on last year but his scopes and mounts are second to none providing you understand the difference between a target and a tactical scope.

[HiBC]

I have built a rifle beginning with a bullet,a BC,a realistic velocity,and the values of a Leupold B+C reticle.
The bullet is a .30 200 gr accubond and I would have to go look up what I used for a BC.I get 2900 out of a 26 in bbl.
Of course,altitude,scope height,etc must be considered.
I have Sierra's ballistic software and a place I can shoot over 1000 yds,a chronograph and a laser rangefinder.
Its all just theory at first,in design.What is real fun is when it works!
Another application,a 6 x 42 mm Leu M-8.It has a duplex that spans 2 mils,tip to tip.It comes out real close with my .257 Ackley and 115 Balistic tips that the hanging verticle post of the duplex(upper) is dead on at 100 yds,the center crosshair at 300,and the lower post tip is something like 430yds.For rangefinding,tip to tip is about 21 in at 300 yds.
But,yeah,you can vary bullets and velocities and BC's in the computer,running range tables with Sierra's softwear and get her done!
Minor corrections can be made shifting from yds to meters.
Its also(reasonably) true that the reticles slice a trajectory up in intervals.If the interval is 80 yds or 130 yds,no big deal,long as you know.One can make a large dinner plate size drawing of a reticleand note values,then use a copier to reduce it to the right size to fit in the ocular scope cap.
Another path,if you have the right scope with target knobs and gather good data,Kenton industries will make you a custom knob .You can just dial a range.

[HiBC]

Thought I'd add a bit more,for fun.
You have a reticle with known MOA values.Unless you change the values with the variable power setting,lets callthem fixed values.
So what can you vary?
With bullet selection,you can vary BC.Typically,(not always) a lighter bullet will have a higher velocity initially,and a lower BC.So,imagine the trajectory curve.Flatter at first,then falling off a bit quicker.A longer,higher BC bullet will be launched slower,but stretched a little further by the BC.You may also select between flat base and boat tails to influence trajectory.Perhaps a 147 gr 308 won't fit the reticle as well as a 165 or 168 gr will.

Another variable you can work with is zero range.This is how you "position" the scopes trajectory over the bullet's trajectory.

Another factor:range multiplies error.So,as you won't get a perfect match,consider compromise.To be dead on at 200 with a reticle feature may mean you are off 7 inches at 500 yds,but you may find that if you accept a one and on half inch compromise at 200 you will be within 2 inches at 500.
All of this can be studied with ballistic software,loading data,bullet data,scope height,etc in the computer .
Then,of course,set up targets and shoot!!I have been very happy.If I put in good data,it works