Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Leupold CDS

What is your experiance with the Leupold CDS scopes? Are the dails accurate and repeatable? Never tried one and I'd like to try out the long range shooting. Maybe I should just spring for the Nightforce.

If you have money for the NF, why even ask about the CDS? I've had one and it failed big time. My only experience.

Differance in cost buys lots of bullets and powder! Always had good luck with Leupold and was curious, thats all. Looks like you need a hand truck to get the NF around.

Mine has worked well for what it is worth. I will add that before i mounted this scope i worked the the elevation and windage from one extreme to the other many times and the elevation broke sent it to leupold they fixed it at no charge and has worked ever since. tracking is good.

My VX6 CDS is spot on so far !

I like my CDS scopes for hunting. Mine are marked in MOA. I use them for my LR also as that is what I have and can afford for now. I know there is better, but the CDS is better than nothing, and I'm learning as I go. I have had no issues with repeatability and returning to zero so far. I have verified all my info in the field and printed my charts accordingly. mtmuley

No issues with any of mine. Track well and return to zero has always been spot on. I like the CDS system, it works for me.

I have ~ 50 good scopes.
I only have (3) CDS scopes, but I really like them:
VXIII 2006 3.5x10x40
VX3 2013 3.5x10x40
VX3 2013 3.5x10x40

I've had my CDS dial move without my knowledge several times.
Once while posting up on a saddle for elk for an evening hunt I checked it and was exactly 180` out. Didn't know which way to turn it back. Had to pull out the bolt and do the poor man's boresight trick to figure it out. Could have resulted in a missed or wounded elk.
I prefer locking style turrets now, like the Weaver Super Slam and Zeiss Conquest HD5.

The dial is only a mechanical representation of the info you give leupold.
That being said, you should absolutely get the NF.
It will do way more that you need and impress all the people at the range.

Mine works well but if you are going to twist turrets a lot, get the M1's on your Leupold.




Travis

I only have one issue with the CDS. On my VX6 the zero stop is held in place with a double sided adhesive tape. Probably not a issue here is South Texas but may be a problem in colder climates.

I've had a CDS dial on my 2-12x VX6 for a couple of years now. No issues. The zero stop is foolproof on any CDS dial.......you can dial clockwise back to zero in the pitch dark without even looking at the dial.

I have 2 VX-III 3.5-10x40's with the CDS and they have worked great for me.

I don't bother with the CDS custom dials as I am always moving scopes and changing loads. I like everything in moa from the manufacturer. I may mark the glow tape on the CDS turret in yards.

In 2014 I hunted with a Sightron SIII 3.5x10 with turrets. I lost the caps. Any hunting involving a belly crawl introduces entropy into my organization. Those turrets turn with such low torque that they change if my jacket touches them. Other than that, a great scope.

If they'd mark the dial right and make the stops more positive it'd be a schit-ton better...

16Bore,
Is that pic photoshopped? Did you make that change? Are those turrets available?

Yes. No. If you ask.

I called awhile back and its $60 per cap. Couldn't stomach being $150 into a CDS when I could have been into a M1 for less.

I have ordered all of my "custom" dials (via the free with scope coupon, haven't paid for any) as MOA with zero stop and every MOA marked - they look pretty much like 16bore's pic above.

Has anyone here tried the stick-on labels by Custom Turret Systems? A set of four for $24.99.

I have and I like them.

Just remember how far up from the bottom you are for zero, so you can reset.

Boxer/Big Stick writes the info with a gold paint pen on the scope, and that works for me.

Write-in-Rain paper and a Sharpie will get you pretty far.....

Note the turret....

I wrote a few things on white electrical tape. I was lucky the deer was at 435 meters.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FP8HSM?psc=1

Dogshooter - What kind of tripod is that in your last photo?

That's a BogPod tripod with a Manfroto 496 ball-head holding one of Big Stick's "SFT"s. Best non-bipod rest I've ever used.....



SFT Thread...
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8911403/SFT

I have 2 of them and they both work well. I shot my data and gave them that instead of them making a turret off the Ballistic app they have But for the $$ not to bad I Like my Vortex HS-T scopes better for the $$$ though

Not to hijack the thread, but I have a VX3 3.5-10 x 40 that has never been hunted. I thought I had to have it.

I have never taken a shot out to 300 yards. My 3-9 X 40 VX2 has never been adjusted after a 200 yard zero. The adjustmens have not been touched in 6 years. I completel satisified with the VX2.

Long and short of it. I have a like new VX3 CDS for sale in like new condition if someone will take it off my hands.

Am happy to move the post if it is out of place here.

GB

Take photos and put it on the Classifieds.

Priced right, it should sell pretty quickly.

VX-2 3-9x40 is a great scope, IMO, pretty close to the VX-3's.

DF

This has been my experience as well. Switched over to M1 turrets on my Leupolds.

Folks seem to like their M1's.

Never fooled with one. I've not had problems with a CDS, have several. To me, the CDS is the best buy in range turrets on the market.

M1 could be mo better...

DF