Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold B&C reticle

Does anyone know the exact sustentions of the B&C reticle ?
I�m looking at VX-3, 2.5 X 8 and I�m wondering just how many inches low is the 3rd crosshair/aim point at 400 yards, or how many MOA lower than the main, 200 yards aim point.
I have looked all over the Leupold web site and can�t find it. I talked to some people at Leupolds booth at the RMEF Elk camp a few years back, and all they could say was;
What caliber are you shooting ? Oh it will work perfectly for that ! They didn�t even ask what bullet weight, in others words they didn�t know.

That's why i always get the catalogs.

Here's the subtensions at the highest power--

X-1st stadia=2.19 MOA
X-2=4.8
3=6.26
4 (post tip)=7.82

windage= 2.53 MOA, X-plex post tip (probably)
1st stadia=2.16 MOA
2=3.03 MOA

Anaconda,

For what it's worth, I've run a B&C with the following:

.308
7mm-08
30-06
.338 WM
.325 WSM

And in every case, it worked as advertised, giving hits to 500 yards. So... to some degree, what you ran into from the folks at the booth may have been correct.

Those Leupold B&C reticle's are so good that I now own five of them. I think they are a great idea.

On four of my guns I sight them in for 200 yards and then the lines are good for 300, 400, 500, etc. etc.

I shoot a 270 WSM with 110 grain tipped TSX bullets at 3600 fps. With that one the usual 200 yard sight in will not work, the speeds are just too fast. I sight it in for 300 yards and then the lines are on for 400, 500, etc.

For the 270 WSM I recently did a test where I sighted it in for 300 yards then shot groups at 100 yards using the 400 and 500 yard marks. I came home and put the heights of the groups into my Sierra ballistic program and found those lines are on for 410 and 510 yards. I think that is pretty damned close!

If you purchase one of these scopes it will come with a booklet that will explain where to sight in depending on your gun, bullet, and velocity. Really quite simple, and it works. With my 7mm WBY Mag or 300 WBY mag sighted in for 200 yards, I can easily center punch a 400 yard gong with that scope, no problem.

I killed a 6X6 bull elk last year in New Mexico using the 300 WBY Mag. I lasered the bull at 434 yards. I used the 400 yard mark in the scope turned up to 14 power and busted him right in the shoulder the first shot. He maybe made it 10 yards. This scope system really works, I have watched my dad shoot antelope at over 400 yards several times now.

Thanks everybody.
sscoyote, that's just what I needed;

I'm looking at putting a 2.5 X 8 on my .338
The gun is a bit slow since I bobbed the barrel to 22", and with 225 grain pills like 225 Partitions or Hornady Spire points, with a 200 Yds sight in it drops about 23"-24" at 400 Yds.

Based on Coyotes info, the second stadia is at 4.8 MOA, or about 19.2" low at 400 Yds. Not dead on, but close enough to just sight in at 400, and trust all the lines out to 500.

I'll add the 6.5-284 (129 Horn @ 3050), 270WSM (140 TSX at 3180) & 300WSM (180 Nosler PP Partition @ 3050). Scopes include the 2.5-8x36, 3.5-10x40 & 4.5-14x40. All these cartridges work well enough with the cross-hair subtensions that I use the nominal range designations.

I follow the process Leupold recommends of sighting dead on at 200 yds for the main crosshair intersection and then check the exact 300 yd zero with the first auxiliary crosshair. I don't have access to a 500 yd range so I can't check longer ranges, but checking that drop exactly vs the top of the lower post at that range will give greater precision to your sighting table. I've shot 427 yds in the field with the mid-point between the 400 & 450 yd designators, dead on. So, it works, at least for my uses.

Chronograph ANY chambering/boolit and run it through JBM to extrapolate the subtention holdoff's,given the subtention data cite and extrapolate in kind.

Speed and BC,very much sway the outcome and to muse differently,is well off the mark.

Except, those of us who've USED the reticle know that as long as you are in a surprisingly broad set of parameters... it just works. At least as far as hitting a vitals-size target.

The Zeiss RZ-600 is another one that works. Took 3 shots to sight my .338 in at 1.5" high at 100 yards. Then off to my long-range spot. Next shot, hit (10" gong) at 325 yards. Next shot, hit at 380 yards. Next shot, hit at 450 yards. Next two shots, hits at 600 yards.

Easy peasy. It ain't complicated, but some like to make it so- TryMe.

Noone can physically skew the subtention values,assuming it is at the highest power setting on the reticle. Those are CONSTANTS and in fact,literally etched in stone.

2.19MOA is 2.19MOS,regardless of boolit or chambering,as is the rest of the designators.

No chambering defies Physics. The better the launch speed and the better the BC,that farther downrange the boolit will intersect the 8MOA hashmark.

Humors me that you muse the notion that some arbitrary nonlineal extrapolations in a glass,constitute a "wonderous" aid in conjunction with distances hypothesized solely,to dupe the unknowing.

That is akin to musing that an 8MOA turret correction at the 600yd line,will put all chamberings/loads into the vitals at that distance.

In FACT,nothing could be farther from the truth.

TryMe, what chamberings/loads have you used the Boone and Crocket reticle with?

Dummy,the B&C reticle is akin to a scope with only 4 adjustment settings:(1) 2.19MOA,(2) 4.8MOA,(3) 6.26MOA,(4) 7.82MOA.

That is a CONSTANT and neither the headstamp or the boolit skew those things,so it is well beyond moot in that context.

Trajectory curves from a like zero range,vary hugely,even within the exact same rifle. With the aimpoint being a CONSTANT,all those trajectory curves cannot run in synch to a preordained yardage correlation.

Assuming like 225yd initial zero's,a 220RN 300Wby with a BC of .300 at 2845fps,will get to 460yds under the gracious above assumption of 8MOA.

A 7WSM shooting the 162 at 3150fps,will get you to the 590yd line,with the EXACT same zero and 8MOA subtention holdoff.

A 257Wby shooting the 100XLC at 3750fps and gunning the EXACT same zero,will burn that 8MOA at the 670yd line.


I can't believe subtention stumps you too,but really...what doesn't?!!?

Substitute a .505BC Lapua Scenar into the 300Wby at 3550fps and with that same 225yd zero,8MOA will then grant 665yds.

So a simple bullet swap in the exact same rifle,easily skews POI by over 200yds...because the subtention values are a CONSTANT.

Thank me later,for showing you how to run your own scope.

Jeff_O, Agree. As for other responses, I won't get into a theoretical argument, as that wasn't the question. Actually, hitting vitals-size target should be proof enough. However, since I've actually fired the cartridges I mentioned on real paper targets, where I can measure the holes and see the results, I'll stick by what I've said, solely based on the experience of having done it.

If that isn't sufficient experimentation to fit into esoteric theoretical explanations, go shoot the thing and post the results.

Is it possible to have leupold change the reticle to a b&c type? the scopes in question are a 6x42 and 2.5x8

Yes, the Custom shop charges $150 to retrofit Vari-X IIIs.

There is nothing Theoretical about subtention placement within a given riflescope,when the particulars are noted by the Manufacturer and correspond in synch.

The 6.5 129 SST at 3050fps and with a 200yd zero at 2500' elevation,will burn 4.9MOA to the 427yd line. 500yds is a 6.8MOA holdover. The "500yd pin" will put you dead on at 535yds.


Physics ain't a Theory and it is very easy to know the results,with a simple chronograph reading and software extrapolation...which is of course what Leupie did outta the gate to assign range guesstimates in the most general of ways.

What they didn't do,is explain how to extrapolate those constant subtention values to any/all chamberings/loads,as opposed to a lump sum warm fuzzy to soothe the clueless.

Most can't wrap their minds around the obvious,so poke their heads in the sand as a "remedy".

I don't think we disagree in most elements of your argument, except that the use of a single BC value and an absolute MV alone are insufficient to explain the behavior of the projectile over a relatively long range trajectory. Therefore, predicting how closely the actual trajectory will match the computed trajectory, without a firing trial, may not be enough.

I also agree with you that Leupold's explanation of the use of their multiple aimpoint reticles has been less than adequate.

Bullet selection,launch speed and atmosphere can wildly change the range designators of the B&C,just as it will with ANY other subtention reticle.

Knowing the subtention values and load particulars,are the only way to eek the max latitude afforded in any reticle system.

It is folly to muse a seperate approach.

Most would miss the obvious,in that 8MOA is rather paltry in the ele department,as even Old School mil reticles offer 5 Mils/18MOA. For conversation the Leupie SPR reticle boasts 15 Mils or 54MOA,none of which are obtrusive. As well as a windage scale that do not grow prouder at it's outer edges,to obscure victim surface area.

Now someone will lament that the SPR reticle is "heavier" or some other brainfart.(grin)

I picked up a B&C equipped scope a while back at a very nice price and it's been fun to play with so far.

I use it on a 308 and at my preferred magnification (which is less than max) the subtention is scaled so with a 200 yard zero on the crosshair the next two marks down give a good projected fit at 300 and 400 yards with a reasonable variety of 165/168 grain loadings. Actual firing has shown this to be quite accurate at 300 yards, but that's the limit of my rifle range.

SFP reticles induce woe,because subtle mag shifts skew subtention values.

Tough to beat fixed glass,if one wishes to hold under,over or off.