Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold VX-3HD CDS-ZL B&C reticle

I purchased one of these and now I am second guessing myself. Intended to install it on a factory 700 7mm-08, but thinking the 4.5-14 power range is more than what I need for the ranges I will see here in Texas. Then there is the B&C reticle, before I rip the wrapper off, wondering if I should sell it or trade it for a 2-10 or maybe a 3-9 or 3-12 with a plain old duplex reticle?

Anyone using this version or the B&C reticle with a 7mm-08 using factory 139gr/140gr ammo?

If that's the model without adjustable parallax I wouldn't have it anyway.

What ranges do you anticipate for your shots?

I like the B&C reticle, myself. That reticle, along with the others Leupold makes that have similar subtension values will work pretty well with full-power 7mm-08 140gr loads at 2,800fps+. It may take a 220yd zero or so to get the 300/400yd bars to line up. It's really set up for something around a .475 BC doing about 2,900-2,950 to use a 200yd zero. Anything slightly slower or less slippery may need a zero of greater than 200yds or a slight reduction in magnification to make it work. It's just math.

If it were me, I'd really prefer the 2-10 version. The 300/400yd bars should would be "killing close" if left on 9 or 10x.

Edited to add that I like these reticles for big game hunting, when they fit the load I want to shoot and the conditions in which I hunt. They work pretty well for that role inside 500yds. In many other instances, you're possibly better off with an FFP reticle with MOA or MIL markings, as they can be applied to a wide variety of ballistic profiles by following your dope chart.

Sub 300yds at the lease with this factory rifle, I have a APR 7mm-08 custom with a Leica ER 5 2-10x50mm for anything beyond that.


It's this one:

Leupold VX-3HD 4.5x14x40 CDS-ZL - Boone & Crockett #180620




Thanks Jpro, that is helpful information.

I don't want anything over 10x without an adjustment for parallax.

Sub 300 yards you could grab any one of many 3-9x40 scopes and have plenty of glass.

I think you did fine. 4.5-14x usually works out around 4.2x on the low end. That's basically a 4x .. there isn't much point in going lower for a deer cartridge. 14x is good for testing loads. You don't have to change scopes between development and hunting, just turn the knob.

I wouldn't normally do both B&C and "twisty knobs" but for max versatility on a very accurate rifle, nothin' wrong with it. Use the B&C out to 300 or so yards in a hurry, take time to dial shooting further if you have time.

I have a non AO 4.5-14X40 with VH 'hairs on my .204 and a non AO 4.5-14X with B&C 'hairs on my 6.5 CM 700 mountain rifle. Nothin' against AO, just don't always need it and if the gear is more complicated than it has to be, it's more likely to fail than it should be.

If I'm testing loads in a rifle that's capable of seeing a difference between 9x and 14x then I prefer the additional refinement allowed by dialing out the parallax when the scope is set to 14x.

Not arguing that. What I was trying to say was the OP did not necessarily make a major blunder with his choice. I don't see a lot of difference between 3x, 3.5x, 4x, and 4.5x on the low end, after all, a lot of people seem to think a fixed 6x is the cat's meow, brush or not. On the high end, I'd at least partially agree with you .. if you need the difference between 9x and 14x to make a shot, then AO is handy. For the most part, at the distances I shoot (out to 300, maybe 320) I don't necessarily need the extra magnification for the shot, it is merely handy for spotting bullet holes in the paper on range day.

Starting from scratch, there might well be better choices of scope, but his was not horrible .. IMHO. I'd hunt the hell out of it.

Tom

Thanks for the replies, I mounted up the original Leupold VX-Freedom CDS 3 - 9 x 40mm that came with the rifle. I still haven't ripped open the new VX-3HD.

I had intended to put the VX-Freedom on the kids 6mm Creedmoor, but I found another Burris Fullfield II E1 4.5 - 14 x 42mm new in the wrapper in the container. So I mounted that on the 6mm. I also found another Leica ER 5 that I didn't know I had.

If it proves to be reliable that 3-9x40 is more than enough for the scenario you described. Just this afternoon I was shooting well below MOA at 300 yards using a 3-9x36 scope set to 6x.