Can I Zero Ballistic Plex at 200 yards 4 .308?

[Northslope Nimrod]

Looking at buying a Burris 3x9x40 Ballistic Plex (or a Leupold LR) to put on my .308. I have read that they calibrated the scope to zero .308's in at 100 yards and then have Bullet Drop marks out to 500 yards. The scope is calibrated for magnum calibers from 200 to 600 yards.

My question is this: Can I zero my .308 (165 gr 2700 fps) at 200 yards and still have the BDC marks be accurate? (ie: next one down is 300, next one 400, etc)

I would rather zero at 200.

Also, any reason NOT to go with the Burris? Work as well as Leupold? (the reticle system not just the glass)

 

[dmazur]

From the Ballistic Plex instructions -

http://www.burrisoptics.com/pdf/BALLPLEX.pdf

For those who subscribe to the 200 yard zero, a bit of work with the Sierra Infinity Ballistics software program (or other similar ballistics programs) will still allow the shooter to calibrate and optimize the reticle to his particular cartridge, environmental parameters, and shooting style.

Because you can't change the subtension of the reticle, the best answer to your question is "no". What the manufacturer is trying to say in the above excerpt from the instructions is, if you don't like the idea of a 100 yard zero, you can (with the help of software and some info on the ammo you're using) calculate the range where the reticle marks will line up with the various POI's, but they won't match the factory ranges. Ranges might be 246, 375, etc. instead of 200, 300, etc. So, yes the reticle marks will be accurate, but not at nice round numbers.

What Burris is trying to tell you to do is to zero at 100 (because the scope is designed around that), and just use the next mark down for 200 yds.

From the Leupold Ballistic Reticle Supplement (which includes the LRD reticle) -

To use the Long Range Duplex reticle, zero your rifle at either 200 yards (183 meters) for Group A cartridges or at 300 yards (274 meters) if your rifle is chambered for one of the Group C cartridges from the Long Range Duplex table below. If you are using a Group A cartridge, this will make the dots below the horizontal crosswire be zeroed for 300, 400, and 500 yards

While the .308 isn't listed, the .30-06 is and I'm fairly certain these are close enough in performance to 400 yds to use the .30-06 data as "Group A". So, the Leupold LRD reticle is set up for the 200 yd zero you prefer.

You might check out the Zeiss Conquest Rapid-Z as an alternative. I like this better than the Leupold LRD's I have.



This is also designed around a 200 yd zero, but the reticle is clearer than the LRD because it is etched glass rather than a wire type.

 

[telemark]

You can zero at 200, but the ranges would be ~ 200, 250, 350, 435, 525.

I have the Fullfield II ballistic plex for my 300 WM, and I zero my rifle at 250 which puts my marks at ~350, 450, 550, and 680 yds. For me it is very hard to hit a 8" circle past 500 using the ballistic plex because the drop between the marks is just too much to accurately estimate where to hold. The only reason I did it this way is for hunting, 95% of shots I use the main x hair, IF I need to take a shot longer than 300 yds, I don't lose much over sighting in at 200 as the numbers are still pretty even and I can either hold a little high, a little low, or center my target between marks.

 

[elkman06]

You know, I hate to state the semi-obvious but you guys may be overthinking this. The whole purpose of this scope(and others like it) is to give a simple point and shoot reference to your rifle. My Father, who is up there in age w/ 65ish yrs of hunting, is no longer able to guesstimate range and hold like he used to. In order to help him, I rebuilt his semi-screwed up .300wm and used a Bplex Burris I had purchased. I set it up just as the range reference for that caliber said, and still had to do some extensive coaching w/ him to get him to just trust the scope and his rangefinder. It will hit dead on at 500yds on the 500yd line mark.
FWIW, there is a sticker set which comes w/ the rifle that you can stick onto your rifle or a range card type thing to carry w/ you. There is a .308 sticker card w/ it.
To each his own, you will use it as you choose, but the question was asked.
elkman06

 

[telemark]

You know, I hate to state the semi-obvious but you guys may be overthinking this. The whole purpose of this scope(and others like it) is to give a simple point and shoot reference to your rifle.

I don't think I thought too much, I turned the reticle from simple reference to a simpler reference. When zeroed at 200, the marks were off a little at 300,400, 500, but when I zero at 250, they are dead on at 350, 450, and 550. It make it easier for me to hit a 8" target at any range inside of 500 yds than the way the reticle is "supposed" to be used. Isn't making long shots easier the point of the ballistic plex reticle?