HELP: Want to put turrets on my scope...

[NewHunter]

I have a Leuopold Vari-X III 4.5-14x40 and want to put turrets on it. Is it as simple as calling up Leupold, sending my scope off, having them send it back and then having it remounted?

 

I'm somewhat new to hunting (only 2 hunts in my experience bag), so not sure exactly what to ask for. Any idea on cost for this? I was guessing about $50 for the turrets, but not sure on having it remounted?

 

Thanks!

[youngbuck]

I dont have any experience w/ leupold. I know Kenton industries will make you a turret. You will have to provide MV, bullet weight, BC altitude, average temp and maybe some others. I'm guessing you want a bulllet drop turret. They will send you the turret and you put it on your self. You dont have to send the scope in.

[Red Rabbit]

Here is the Leupold custom shop webpage. You can also call them and inquire about options for turrets. I like the M1 turrets.

https://customshop.leupold.com/custom_shop.php

[DUG]

I bought one of the CDS scopes from Leupold last year. It came with 1 Free turret. You just call them and give them your caliber, bullet weight, velocity etc. and they will make a turret for it. They don't need your scope as far as I know. You sight in for a 200 yd. zero and then install the turret. Comes with all the instructions. Costs about 60 bucks.

[c-ne-elk]

Here is more than you probably want to know about Leupold turrets and turret caps.....

 

I currently have a 4.5x15-40 that came with Leupolds CDS turrets and I sent a 6.5x20-40mm to Leupold and had them put an elevation turret (CDS) turret on it for my 280AI for Coues deer hunting. They charge $90 to put a turret on one of their scopes and that includes the 15 moa regular turret cap and 1 custom turret cap. You don't have to order the custom turret cap when you have the turret installed, you can do it later. Leupold will keep track of how many turrets you have ordered by your scope serial number. Additional turret caps are $50.00 each.

 

The 1st thing you need is to have a rifle that will shoot accuratly at the range you are planning to shoot. Just because a gun shoots 1/2"moa at 100 yards does not mean it will shoot well at 400 yards and beyond. Most of the time a gun that shoots good at 100 yards will shoot ok at longer ranges but not always. Once you settle on a load combination for your gun then give Leupold a call to build your scope turret.

 

When you order a custom turret, you have to give Leupold some information.

 

1) what you want your starting point to be. DUG said 200 yards but you can make it what you want. I make mine 100 yards, you get 15 moa in a complete revolution which will give you at least 700 yards for most calibers starting at 100 yards and that's futher than most people need to be shooting at an animal and I like being able to verify that my scope is still on by shooting at an exact spot at 100 yards not guessing that my shot at 100 yards is 1 1/2" high or having to have 200 yards at hunting camp to verify I am still on.

2) Velocity of your load - need to chronograph your load to give them this information

3) Elevation where you were at when you took that velocity

4) Temperature when you took the velocity

5) BC of the bullet you are shooting

6) Brand and type of bullet

7) Serial number of your scope

8) You have to let them know if you want a "stop" at your starting point. I highly recommend this, what this stop does it keeps you from going past your starting point so you don't look down and go, am I at 100 yards or have I spun it a complete revolution and at my maximum range PLUS 100 yards. The factory 15 moa turret cap does not have a stop installed on it.

 

Your turret will only be as good as the information you give them. You can give them a factory load and they will make a turret cap for that load but there is no way i would trust that information.

 

Once you get your turret you need to try it. BC's given by bullet manufactures are an average BC, the turrets from Leupold will not be "perfect" they will be close but you may find that you may be one or two "clicks" off for a certain distance. Changes in any of the information you use to build your turret cap will change your bullet impact and will change your turret settings. If you base your turret cap around a velocity, etc. taken at sea level and go to 8,000 ft. to hunt, you gun will impact at a different point. Some powders used in loads are temperature sensetive and will shoot considerably slower in colder temperatures giving you 100 fps less velocity when the temperature drops 50 degrees.

 

While turrets are a great aid in shooting long distance, they are NOT magical! It scares me thinking people believe they can get a turret for their scope and just spin the dial to the yardage they want to shoot and hit at medium to long range without LOTS of practice. Sure it may happen SOME of the time but there is a lot of work to long range shooting and lots of practice and customization that needs to go into making a turret system work right. A $90 turret cap is NOT going to make you a long range shooter!

 

You also seem concered about remounting your scope. Remounting a scope is no big deal to someone that has even a little experience in doing it. I don't want to belittle your experience, we all started somewhere at sometime but if mounting a scope seems daunting, having turrets for hunting may not be the thing for you at this point in your hunting/shooting career.

 

The one exception to all of this is if someone purchases one of the "package deal" that are out there from companies like Best of the West. There is a reason their gun/scope/ammo combo's cost so much money. They have done all the work for you and built the scope around the gun and what it is capable of doing. With one of their combo systems it is possible for just about anyone to dial in the distance and do the shooting. But building this sytem by yourself is a whole different animal.

 

 

I shoot EVERY week at long ranges, out to 1300 yards and the one thing it has taught me is that LOTS of little things can go wrong when shooting long distances and I personally would not try a 600, 700 yard shot at an animal even under ideal conditions. For me personally, I'm all over 500 yards for shots while hunting GIVEN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, practicing at distances well over 500 yards makes 500 yards seem like a chip shot. BUT..... give me a 50 yard shot ANY DAY!!

[CouesWhitetail]

Here is more than you probably want to know about Leupold turrets and turret caps.....

 

I currently have a 4.5x15-40 that came with Leupolds CDS turrets and I sent a 6.5x20-40mm to Leupold and had them put an elevation turret (CDS) turret on it for my 280AI for Coues deer hunting. They charge $90 to put a turret on one of their scopes and that includes the 15 moa regular turret cap and 1 custom turret cap. You don't have to order the custom turret cap when you have the turret installed, you can do it later. Leupold will keep track of how many turrets you have ordered by your scope serial number. Additional turret caps are $50.00 each.

 

The 1st thing you need is to have a rifle that will shoot accuratly at the range you are planning to shoot. Just because a gun shoots 1/2"moa at 100 yards does not mean it will shoot well at 400 yards and beyond. Most of the time a gun that shoots good at 100 yards will shoot ok at longer ranges but not always. Once you settle on a load combination for your gun then give Leupold a call to build your scope turret.

 

When you order a custom turret, you have to give Leupold some information.

 

1) what you want your starting point to be. DUG said 200 yards but you can make it what you want. I make mine 100 yards, you get 15 moa in a complete revolution which will give you at least 700 yards for most calibers starting at 100 yards and that's futher than most people need to be shooting at an animal and I like being able to verify that my scope is still on by shooting at an exact spot at 100 yards not guessing that my shot at 100 yards is 1 1/2" high or having to have 200 yards at hunting camp to verify I am still on.

2) Velocity of your load - need to chronograph your load to give them this information

3) Elevation where you were at when you took that velocity

4) Temperature when you took the velocity

5) BC of the bullet you are shooting

6) Brand and type of bullet

7) Serial number of your scope

8) You have to let them know if you want a "stop" at your starting point. I highly recommend this, what this stop does it keeps you from going past your starting point so you don't look down and go, am I at 100 yards or have I spun it a complete revolution and at my maximum range PLUS 100 yards. The factory 15 moa turret cap does not have a stop installed on it.

 

Your turret will only be as good as the information you give them. You can give them a factory load and they will make a turret cap for that load but there is no way i would trust that information.

 

Once you get your turret you need to try it. BC's given by bullet manufactures are an average BC, the turrets from Leupold will not be "perfect" they will be close but you may find that you may be one or two "clicks" off for a certain distance. Changes in any of the information you use to build your turret cap will change your bullet impact and will change your turret settings. If you base your turret cap around a velocity, etc. taken at sea level and go to 8,000 ft. to hunt, you gun will impact at a different point. Some powders used in loads are temperature sensetive and will shoot considerably slower in colder temperatures giving you 100 fps less velocity when the temperature drops 50 degrees.

 

While turrets are a great aid in shooting long distance, they are NOT magical! It scares me thinking people believe they can get a turret for their scope and just spin the dial to the yardage they want to shoot and hit at medium to long range without LOTS of practice. Sure it may happen SOME of the time but there is a lot of work to long range shooting and lots of practice and customization that needs to go into making a turret system work right. A $90 turret cap is NOT going to make you a long range shooter!

 

You also seem concered about remounting your scope. Remounting a scope is no big deal to someone that has even a little experience in doing it. I don't want to belittle your experience, we all started somewhere at sometime but if mounting a scope seems daunting, having turrets for hunting may not be the thing for you at this point in your hunting/shooting career.

 

The one exception to all of this is if someone purchases one of the "package deal" that are out there from companies like Best of the West. There is a reason their gun/scope/ammo combo's cost so much money. They have done all the work for you and built the scope around the gun and what it is capable of doing. With one of their combo systems it is possible for just about anyone to dial in the distance and do the shooting. But building this sytem by yourself is a whole different animal.

 

 

I shoot EVERY week at long ranges, out to 1300 yards and the one thing it has taught me is that LOTS of little things can go wrong when shooting long distances and I personally would not try a 600, 700 yard shot at an animal even under ideal conditions. For me personally, I'm all over 500 yards for shots while hunting GIVEN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, practicing at distances well over 500 yards makes 500 yards seem like a chip shot. BUT..... give me a 50 yard shot ANY DAY!!

 

 

Thanks for all the info!

[firstcoueswas80]

Sell the Leupold, get a Zeiss, PM me.

[NewHunter]

Here is more than you probably want to know about Leupold turrets and turret caps.....

 

I currently have a 4.5x15-40 that came with Leupolds CDS turrets and I sent a 6.5x20-40mm to Leupold and had them put an elevation turret (CDS) turret on it for my 280AI for Coues deer hunting. They charge $90 to put a turret on one of their scopes and that includes the 15 moa regular turret cap and 1 custom turret cap. You don't have to order the custom turret cap when you have the turret installed, you can do it later. Leupold will keep track of how many turrets you have ordered by your scope serial number. Additional turret caps are $50.00 each.

 

The 1st thing you need is to have a rifle that will shoot accuratly at the range you are planning to shoot. Just because a gun shoots 1/2"moa at 100 yards does not mean it will shoot well at 400 yards and beyond. Most of the time a gun that shoots good at 100 yards will shoot ok at longer ranges but not always. Once you settle on a load combination for your gun then give Leupold a call to build your scope turret.

 

When you order a custom turret, you have to give Leupold some information.

 

1) what you want your starting point to be. DUG said 200 yards but you can make it what you want. I make mine 100 yards, you get 15 moa in a complete revolution which will give you at least 700 yards for most calibers starting at 100 yards and that's futher than most people need to be shooting at an animal and I like being able to verify that my scope is still on by shooting at an exact spot at 100 yards not guessing that my shot at 100 yards is 1 1/2" high or having to have 200 yards at hunting camp to verify I am still on.

2) Velocity of your load - need to chronograph your load to give them this information

3) Elevation where you were at when you took that velocity

4) Temperature when you took the velocity

5) BC of the bullet you are shooting

6) Brand and type of bullet

7) Serial number of your scope

8) You have to let them know if you want a "stop" at your starting point. I highly recommend this, what this stop does it keeps you from going past your starting point so you don't look down and go, am I at 100 yards or have I spun it a complete revolution and at my maximum range PLUS 100 yards. The factory 15 moa turret cap does not have a stop installed on it.

 

Your turret will only be as good as the information you give them. You can give them a factory load and they will make a turret cap for that load but there is no way i would trust that information.

 

Once you get your turret you need to try it. BC's given by bullet manufactures are an average BC, the turrets from Leupold will not be "perfect" they will be close but you may find that you may be one or two "clicks" off for a certain distance. Changes in any of the information you use to build your turret cap will change your bullet impact and will change your turret settings. If you base your turret cap around a velocity, etc. taken at sea level and go to 8,000 ft. to hunt, you gun will impact at a different point. Some powders used in loads are temperature sensetive and will shoot considerably slower in colder temperatures giving you 100 fps less velocity when the temperature drops 50 degrees.

 

While turrets are a great aid in shooting long distance, they are NOT magical! It scares me thinking people believe they can get a turret for their scope and just spin the dial to the yardage they want to shoot and hit at medium to long range without LOTS of practice. Sure it may happen SOME of the time but there is a lot of work to long range shooting and lots of practice and customization that needs to go into making a turret system work right. A $90 turret cap is NOT going to make you a long range shooter!

 

You also seem concered about remounting your scope. Remounting a scope is no big deal to someone that has even a little experience in doing it. I don't want to belittle your experience, we all started somewhere at sometime but if mounting a scope seems daunting, having turrets for hunting may not be the thing for you at this point in your hunting/shooting career.

 

The one exception to all of this is if someone purchases one of the "package deal" that are out there from companies like Best of the West. There is a reason their gun/scope/ammo combo's cost so much money. They have done all the work for you and built the scope around the gun and what it is capable of doing. With one of their combo systems it is possible for just about anyone to dial in the distance and do the shooting. But building this sytem by yourself is a whole different animal.

 

 

I shoot EVERY week at long ranges, out to 1300 yards and the one thing it has taught me is that LOTS of little things can go wrong when shooting long distances and I personally would not try a 600, 700 yard shot at an animal even under ideal conditions. For me personally, I'm all over 500 yards for shots while hunting GIVEN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, practicing at distances well over 500 yards makes 500 yards seem like a chip shot. BUT..... give me a 50 yard shot ANY DAY!!

 

Good info to think about... still want the turrets on there because I have shot with both, and I am much more confident being able to dial in a distance than make and educated guess about how high I need to aim at a given distance. I don't plan on shooting over 400 yards at anything... again, good info. I'll give you an update on how this goes once I get around to doing it...

 

Dale

[c-ne-elk]

Dale, if you want to keep your shots under 400 yards, turret caps in any form will help you and will be accurate enough to do the job. I agree with you, I would rather be able to just dial in the yardage when in the heat of the moment not having to hold an estimated 7" high or look at a chart and having to dial in the corresponding moa. But if you want to do that the scope comes with a moa turret that you can reset to zero and dial in the moa just like on the Zeiss scopes.

 

I would also suggest having your turret start at 100 yards. When you go out hunting, you can set your turret at any distance you want (say 200 yards) while walking around and then if you have that quick shot between 0 and 200 yards you are ready to just put the scope on the target. Usually when you need to make a 300 or 400 yard shot you have time to make corrections to your turrets. It is also nice to be able to dial it to 100 yards so when you sight in your rifle in camp after traveling (if necessary)you can put a target up at 100 yards and KNOW your rifle is hitting where you want it to hit. By starting your turret at 100 yards you lose a little on the upper end. With most calibers you will still get about 700 to 750 yards on a turret starting it at 100 yards -vs- about 800 yards if you start at 200 yards. Like I said in my earlier post, I am not planning on shooting at an animal at 800 yards anyway.

 

I highly encourage you to go out and test your turrets even at 300 to 400 yards once you get them. You may find that you need to go an extra click (or you might not have to)to make that perfect shot.

 

I had the B&C reticles on scopes before turrets and found that even at the correct scope setting they were not perfect. With a 300 wby set at 10x (which was what Leupold said the setting should be) my 300 yard crosshair was a little low and my 400 yd crosshair was a little high.

 

Bottom line is there is no one setting/turret that works for every caliber other than using the standard MOA turrets and having a cheat sheet to make the conversion from distance to scope setting.