I've seen mention of a "load tape or drop tape" mounted on the elevation turret to facilitate quick range adjustments.

I envision a tape with hash marks or something that allows quick zero changes on your scope without having to count clicks.

I have the M1 ele turret on a Leupold Vari X III 2.5x8.
How would this work on this set up? Pics would help..?

Thanks in advance.

This?

Exactly!

So, just mark the tape while checking zero @ each range?

And what is it commonly called?

Why count clicks?

I used a sierra reloading label on my m3 cam back in the day. It worked well for what it was.

Agreed

For intermediate ranges, it may be more accurate to count clicks unless you have the tape so marked...you know, like 427 yards rather than a nice round 400...
But I see a huge speed advantage with the tape and with a drop chart taped to the stock, you can gauge the number of additional clicks needed to add or subtract.
Me likey!

Thanks guys.

No, I meant why count individual clicks? The numbers are on there for a reason...

The idea of having some tape on there with like 25yd increments is a great one for hunting...

You don't even really need 50 yard markings, especially on that Mark AR... your brain can do simple arithmetic pretty fast... even with a liberal public education getting in the way.

Tanner;
I understood completely.
I'd heard about the system before, just never seen it applied.
Great idea and so straight forward....

Dogshooter:
Good pic. Thanks!

Ya'll would laugh at my experience at shooting beyond 300 but I made this tape last year after choosing a hunting load for my 300WSM. I used the average velocity for the 180 DC's and it was right on a 325 and 500 but off a bit at 700.

Now I just need room to practice!

What's the difference in having a turret taped with yardage marks or a CDS or equivalent turret, laser etched in yardage?

MOA, Mil Dot, etc. systems are good, but often require a card or "cheat sheet" along to set the turret, unless the shooter is smart enough to do the math in his head...

For plain ole hunters, using a dedicated load in a specific rifle, yardage turrets are the easiest, least complicated way to go. And they're "prettier" than tape.

IMHO, of course...

DF

How did you do that? I have a zeiss with the same turret and i would love to do the same

I don't think yardage turrets are any prettier than the tape RDW is using! That is a very nice job. I prefer to use MOA, but that turret tape is the best I've seen.

Yeah, that looks really well done.

I'd have to agree that RDW's tape is about the nicest I've seen.

In general, a professionally etched turret is prettier than most tape jobs. And for sure, will last a lot longer.

DF

love the tape job, do u want to make another?

Thanks guys.

I want to use a rangefinder and quickly spin the dial to the yardage reading and not convert from yardage, to MOA. I also wanted inexpensive and the ability to easily switch between loads.

Multiple etched turrets will get expensive quick especially with multiple rifles and loads.

I just tape a sheet to the buttstock. Yardage turrets do nothing for me.

I like both... I've had situations where I misread my chart... can't say I've had that problem with a yardage turret. For longer range I prefer the precision of a chart.

Except cutting out the step of going to the chart.

Now, if you're using a bunch of different loads and bullets in the same gun, I can see that.

If you settle on one load, the yardage turret makes life simpler.

IMHO,

DF

I believe the precision is the same between the chart and the tape, I used my spreadsheet in 25 yard increments to create the tape. Drop in inches is converted to clicks at 1/4" per click. I simply took the data and put it where I need to see it and I don't have to think about it when I turn the dial.

With a chart or the turret tape, something will get taped to the rifle, both can be easily modified for different loads, I just prefer the turret tape.

You have obviously never hunted at different elevations, temps etc.

Take you Louisiana yardage turret and play ball at 7000 feet.

I agree! and well done, RDW.

It's only a problem if shoelaces give you fits and feel the need to run velcro, just saying.

NM at 4,000'. I just remember the difference and dial accordingly. If I was all over and using different loads, sure I'd probably go that route. But my life and my turret system are both pertty simple...

I kinda like it that way...

DF

This is what I do. That's a Conquest turret.

Post a picture of the "sheet" taped to your stock, I don't understand how it would work differently than a yardage turret.

Taking my 7mag, 3021 fps, 200 yd zero, 168gr VLD Hunting, 1000 ft elevation I show a drop @ 500 yds of 34.1", at 7000 ft elevation @ 500 yds jbm shows a drop of 32.5". It appears almost irrelevant me, but I may be missing something.

When I go to NM, which is 4,000' compared to 100' elev. in LA, I look at the ballistic programs and make note of the change. It's usually a click or two difference at 400-500 yds. Not enough to worry about at lesser distances. It's not hard to remember the difference and dial accordingly. I could have turrets made for each elevation, but have never seen the necessity to do so.

DF

You're not. There are several reasons that BDC turrets might not be the best choice for true LR work but sub 600 and one load/one rifle isn't it.


The biggest problem with the popularity of BDC turrets/reticles is that a great many believe they are all they need to kill reliably out to whatever marked range without actually learning to use them correctly or even learning how to shoot correctly.

RDW

Tape looks great, what did you use to print it out?

thanks

That was my initial reaction too; 500 yards isn't yet to the range that the little tiny stuff starts mattering-- or at least that's my experience. But I'm not really qualified to say it. So I'm glad to see it said by someone who is.

I think folks would be:

A) pleasantly surprised how easy it is to become reasonably proficient out to 500 yards, given decent gear and a good rifle, and;

B) very UNpleasantly surprised at how squirelly chit gets out past 625, 650 yds or so. There's a real line in the sand there- again, in my fairly limited experience.

Jeff, neat fix on the Conquest.

I'll be looking at my other brands of scopes to see if they can be labeled in like fashion.

Again, my shooting range is limited: 500 to the furthest butt and gongs out to 600... after that an occasional rock will get a good drive by strafing, but that's about it.

On game: Each opportunity is a law unto itself and any shot that isn't right, will get a pass.

I had the opportunity to shoot a rather unique (to me) rifle a couple of weeks ago. It was a MG Arms Ultra Lite in 7mm Dakota. I was so fixated by the rifle I didn't notice what optic it wore.
I ran the trigger once to get the feel and then painted the 300 yard gong and rocked it. It was almost too easy! It made me want to play with my old .270 a whole lot more!!

I realize this is a little bit of an old thread, but how exactly did you make that tape? I can get our CAD guy @ work to make something similar I think. Mine would be std Zeiss turrets, not the target turrets. I can measure the O.D. of the turret, but how many clicks are there to a revolution on a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40?

RDW, I'm loving the hell out of your yardage tape as well. My Zeiss 3.5-10 is also lacking in the turret department. I like what you did there. You could make money selling those

I just stick with MOA, and write it on a waterproof label that I hook to my sling.

Not exactly an M1, but this is how I have a few Conquests, a Swaro AV, and a 2.5-8 Leup set up:

18MOA per rev on a Conquest 3-9, so 72 clicks.

Whoops! Old thread.

BSA, I am not sure I could sell one turret tape but I could sell the chit outta MOA printed index cards