204Ruger

To get the BC Reticle to work with the 204 I had to sight in at 10X (on the small triangle, if you're familiar w the BC Varmint reticle) so using a 20X scope at 10X just wasn't cutting it on sage rats. Leopold is installing an MOA reticle which will allow me to use the 20X, as those squirrels looked kinda small at 10X out past 200 yrds.

Will be interesting to see how that works for you. My shooting partner and I both favor sticking at around 12X even with our variable power scopes. Seems to work best for us. Bill K

another and equal factor in my decision was that there were only two different power settings (2nd focal plan) to fit a whole bunch of calibers, and I was never really zeroed at any range and for instance, on the 204 Leopold figured ballistics at just over 4200 fps. When the scope was on the 22-250 I never used the tables, I just sighted in at max power and adjusted the turrets or held over as necessary, but as you said I also didn't use max power too much, 14X mostly.

I used to use the max dead on sighting and then held over/under as I thought needed. However when Varmint Shooter got me into dialing and having a chart for my given rifle/s, caliber and load. I have just about went 100 % dialing now. Overall my hit ratio has gone way up. Not at all dissatisfied that he got me into it. Bill K

IRT reticles and dialing, a very long time ago in a galaxy far far away (Vietnam 1966), a Marine sniper friend showed me "the way" to make long first shot hits on targets. I've used it ever since with excellent results.

He showed me his "come-up" chart, tailored for his rifle and load. In that case, it was a Win M70 in .30-06, and he was very effective with it in the bush. The same drill works for our varmint rifles (just different varmints) and loads, as long as you have a chronograph and know how to use it.

As an illustration, here's my come-up chart for my Sako 75 Varmint 204R showing both bullets I shoot in that rifle, the 32gr NBT and the 39gr SBK. I also have the Varmint Hunter Reticle, but seldom use it, as dialing puts me dead nuts on at every range, making the first shot hit almost a certainty. The reticle is nice for those quick shots though, when the rat is about to bail down his hole. Of course all this assumes the use of a laser rangefinder.



You still need to pay attention to the ever present wind and make the necessary hold-off corrections. This can only be learned by time in the field, as not too many shooters I know dial for the wind, as it changes constantly and dialing only makes the equation more complicated. Dial for range, hold off for wind, make the shot. Works as advertised and Skippy files!.

(On all my rat rifles, I ether order my scope with Leupold's excellent M1 elevation turret, or send it back to the factory to have that installed. This modification turns your scope into an instrument of long range death for varmints, and is worth the price of admission, usually around $75 or so.)

A few of my Cooper rat rifles all set up with M1 elevation adjustments:



Now I just wish rat season was not so far away!

Exactly Rick.. Like you said, we just adjust for the wind, never try to dial it up, at least I, as others I know, don't. Bill K

I agree, I've been using the MOA hash marks for wnd hold on my non Leopold optic along with the Shooter app to good effect.

BTW I'm in Trinity Co. after the wiley buck.

Sounds good, have not hunting the Trinity are (Alps) for a good number of years. Like to fish Trinity lake also. Nice bass. Bill K

brooks, good luck on Mr. Wiley! Hope you remembered that camera too.

Forgot to add on my post above that those wind hash marks on the Leupold VHR reticle sure do work!

Maybe a bit off topic but I just got back from Plumas County chasing the elusive blacktail buck. Scouted 2 days, hunted 2 days and only saw a handfull of does. There was way more bear and lion sign than deer sign. Probably why we didn't see that many deer. Thanks for the good info on the scope. Randy.

Bear and the wolves they have brought back into the state are taking a large toll of our game animals and also the domestic stock, cattle, sheep and some dogs, in various areas of Lassen and Plumas county Randy. And nothing we can do about it, as they put the wolf on the endangered list. Bill K

Rancher we shoot on near Bieber (Lassen Co.) has tr cam footage of Black wolf recorded recently.