VX-5 Tracking Test

[MTLabrador]

I hit the range this evening to test out the tracking on the VX-5 2-10x42 I mounted on my .280 Rem. Before I bought the .280 the scope spent two years on a .300 win mag, so it has been well used. Started by verifying zero at 200, then dialing up to 10 MOA and back down to zero, tracked perfectly the whole time.

Shot 8 inch gongs at 330 and 420 with no trouble, then moved to a 16” steel ram at 560. The ballistics calculator I used was off by about 1 MOA at that distance, I made my correction and went 10 for 10 on the ram after that.

I had 10 rounds left and decided to go for the bison at 1000 yards, which was my first attempt ever at shooting past 800. Dialed for 24 MOA and held at the top of his back based on being a touch low at 560. For my first try at 1000 with a stock 700 Mountain Rifle I was happy, went 5 for 10. Dialed back down to zero and shot one round to verify, spot on again.

A beautiful night in the Red Desert.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

A positive post, I dig it! That is a fine looking rifle and good shooting!

 

[MTLabrador]

A positive post, I dig it! That is a fine looking rifle and good shooting!

Thanks! There’s a lot of talk about the scopes, so I figured I’d share some real world results.

 

[noharleyyet]

Not too shabby of a gear to form collaboration.

 

[Fire_9]

So in my mind that’s not really a tracking test. Either you put garbage into your calculator and got garbage out, or your scope adjustments weren’t correct.

 

[El Jason]

Good stuff. I’ve been eyeballing the same scope for my twin to your rifle.

 

[ida homer]

Good shooting. I also much prefer a simple non-cluttered reticle.

10x at 1,000 is impressive.

 

[Jasher]

So in my mind that’s not really a tracking test. Either you put garbage into your calculator and got garbage out, or your scope adjustments weren’t correct.

Or he could have been using the information on the side of the box of ammo and didn't verify it to be correct out of his gun and adjust accordingly.
Box says 3120 fps but actually 3060 or bc .525 and actually .505

 

[Fire_9]

That’s exactly what I’m saying. Garbage in, garbage out....

 

[npaden]

I hit the range this evening to test out the tracking on the VX-5 2-10x42 I mounted on my .280 Rem. Started by verifying zero at 200, then dialing up to 10 MOA and back down to zero, tracked perfectly the whole time.

Dialed back down to zero and shot one round to verify, spot on again.

I took the fact that after all the adjustments that it tracked back to zero is what the OP meant as a tracking test.

Thanks to the OP for posting, I'm anxious to be my the new VX-5 for my son's new rifle today and get it mounted and then start sending some rounds down the barrel.

 

[MTLabrador]

So in my mind that’s not really a tracking test. Either you put garbage into your calculator and got garbage out, or your scope adjustments weren’t correct.

I chrono’d my load, 3060 fps with a 143 Hammer Hunter. It tracked perfectly up to 10 MOA and back to zero when measured on my target at 100 yards. In my (limited) experience, the various ballistics calculators have always been close, but never exactly accurate when calculating come ups as the distances stretch. I always use them as a place to start and verify my actual drops at the range.

 

[cahunter805]

I chrono’d my load, 3060 fps with a 143 Hammer Hunter. It tracked perfectly up to 10 MOA and back to zero when measured on my target at 100 yards. In my (limited) experience, the various ballistics calculators have always been close, but never exactly accurate when calculating come ups as the distances stretch. I always use them as a place to start and verify my actual drops at the range.

More than likely you just need to modify your inputs a little to match your actual drops. Usually a little tweak to the velocity/BC and you are good to go assuming your other inputs are good such as atmospheric conditions and scope height.
What ballistic calculator are you using?

 

[MTLabrador]

More than likely you just need to modify your inputs a little to match your actual drops. Usually a little tweak to the velocity/BC and you are good to go assuming your other inputs are good such as atmospheric conditions and scope height.
What ballistic calculator are you using?

Just the Hornady app on my phone, I’m far from a long range shooting expert. It’s certainly possible that my cheap Caldwell chrono is off a bit as well, it’s been a long time since I verified that.

 

[Fire_9]

I’m trying to bash you or your scope or anything but you’re making a pretty bold statement by saying your scope tracks ‘perfctly’. It may be acceptable for what you’re doing but you have a flaw in your system somewhere is all I’m telling you. It’s either in the data you’re putting into your calculator or your scope. I think the VX5’s are a great option for us as hunters but I’d be really surprised if the adjustments were 100% correct

 

[MTLabrador]

I’m trying to bash you or your scope or anything but you’re making a pretty bold statement by saying your scope tracks ‘perfctly’. It may be acceptable for what you’re doing but you have a flaw in your system somewhere is all I’m telling you. It’s either in the data you’re putting into your calculator or your scope. I think the VX5’s are a great option for us as hunters but I’d be really surprised if the adjustments were 100% correct

I didn’t take it as bashing at all, and maybe perfectly wasn’t the right word. I was basing that on measured adjustments on my target at 100.

 

[Fire_9]

Just the Hornady app on my phone, I’m far from a long range shooting expert. It’s certainly possible that my cheap Caldwell chrono is off a bit as well, it’s been a long time since I verified that.

I would most definitely question your chrono. Unless it comes off a magnetospeed or lab radar, I take every chrono with a grain of salt...

 

[MTLabrador]

I would most definitely question your chrono. Unless it comes off a magnetospeed or lab radar, I take every chrono with a grain of salt...

My thought as well. I need to track down my friend with a mag speed and check mine again. Or just upgrade.

 

[Fire_9]

Or tune the velocity in your calculator until your drops match up. That’s where I would start

 

[Jasher]

My thought as well. I need to track down my friend with a mag speed and check mine again. Or just upgrade.

Most of the time with the Caldwell it reads a little slower than actual mv. Normally about 5fps. I quit using the one I have just for the fact of more errors than it actually reading

 

[N2TRKYS]

I would most definitely question your chrono. Unless it comes off a magnetospeed or lab radar, I take every chrono with a grain of salt...

I've set a LabRadar up with my Caldwell several times and the LabRadar read the same as my Caldwell. I haven't seen any reason to question mine.