Just sighted in my 204 with the new Leupold VXL 6.5 - 20 x 56 extreme varmint reticle.

A bit confused in regards to using the additional aiming points at different power settings. As per the instructions, I am supposed to have a 200 yd zero and because I am using the extreme varmint, I am supposed to have it set all the way to 20 when sighting in. Then I should have aiming points for 3, 4, 5, and 600 yds (roughly).

My question is if I try to sight in on a sod poodle out at 400 yds and I get mirage at 20 power and have to crank back down to probably 10 to 15 (which is very realistic), will the additional aiming points still be the same. It does not appear that way to me. Is there a chart available that can be used for the different power settings for use of the extra aiming points.

Gube204, I have the Leupold with the Boone and Crocket reticle (same principle)... Yes, the setting for "zeroing" is the required setting for using the ballistic aiming... You can use different weight bullets which will also change things... On the other hand you can vary your bullet weight/powder charge and work up loads to match the ballistic reticle at a power setting YOU are comfortable with...

Ken....

Thanks for the reply Heat. At the back of the instruction booklet they list another way to sight it in. Set up a large target and shoot a group at it from 500 yds away using the main crosshairs (200 yd zero) on the target. Impact will be signifacantly lower. Take a black marker and make a circle around the group of bullet holes and fill in the circle. Go back to the 500 yd mark and place the reticle back on the initial target spot. Now adjust the magnification until the 500 yd hold over is in the center of the black dot that you made with the felt marker.
This can be checked at all of the hold over distances.
I would imagine that by looking through the scope at the two reference points and changing the power, one could get a pretty good feel of where those hold over points will be at at the lower magnifications. I have a lot of testing to do.

Hey Gube

I have dealt with different reticles including the Burris Ballist Mil Dot, the TDS and the Multi-Zero.

One way of doing it at the 100 yard target is to chronograph the load and then run the ballistics. That will give you the drop at different yardages. You can then take a ruler and mark those on a target with the zero at the bottom mark.

For example my 280AI shoots 160 gr Accubond at 3125 fps and with a 100 yd zero drops 2.5" @ 200 yds, 9.6" @ 300 yds, 21.9" @ 400 yds and 40" @ 500 yds.

On a 100 yard target that would mean you put the first dot up at 1.25" (2.5" / 2), second dot at 3.2" (9.6" /3), 4th dot at 5.5" (21.9" / 4) and the 5th dot at 8" (40" /5). Looks like this



While at the bench you can either shoot it and see where the bullets land or gauge it in the scope.

Thanks Woods. I will definitely give that a try first and then confirm it out at the farther ranges.

Gube-- It's important to verify the x-hair zero itself then run a ballistics program for your load, and match up stadia subtensions (spacing) to drop data. Then check at at least 2 different ranges to make sure that the load's bullet BC/mv is correct. Here is the system i use--

www.ottllc.com/specialtypistols/sp20.pdf

If u go to the Burris website-- www.burrisoptics.com and read the info on the Ball. Plex Tech Notes it provides a lot of info on adapting ballistic/ranging reticles for LR zeroing.