Full Version: Sheperd Scopes
I've heard these scopes are good quality but is the range finding system good for tactical shooting?
Ask DT20 what he feels about these scopes. He showed up to Verns the first time with one and couldn't get it to zero the clicks wouldn't move the reticle if I remember correctly. The next trip out he was using an IOR and the problems ceased.
Tim
Tim
My shooting partner has (and is replacing) two Shepards, and I have two similar scopes, a pair of Leupolds with custom dot reticles set up for my trajectories and I'd recommend against them if you're shooting past 500 yards.
Optical quality? To me, they look almost as good as my elderly VX-III 6.5-20x & 8.5-26x Leupolds at the same magnification settings.
Adjustment 'repeatability' aside, the clicks are in inches, not MOA, so one has to be careful when transposing data from software, etc..
Assuming your selected bullet's BC and velocity matches the reticle fairly closely, the big problem is at longer ranges, past 500 or so, when environmental factors have more influence on your bullet's trajectory. Changes in altitude, temperature and departure angle cannot be accounted for by the Shepard system, or any reticle system using fixed reference points to represent POI's. For example, shooting at Quantico in July, the impact points may be 'close enough', but when you move into the mountains a little or the temperature drops, you're not going to hit in the same place and there is no way to make it better unless one fudges inpact points all the way back.
For example, using a similar system to Shepard's, my 6.5-300 Weatherby drives a 140 bullet at 3,400fps and my VX-III 8.5-26x has dots every hundred yards out to 1,000. Premier Reticles set up the reticle to my rifle's (sometimes) trajectory. In the summer, the rig shoots fine and I can nail stuff regularly at distance. Cold weather, I shoot as much as 2 MOA low at 1,000, or, one might say that my reticle is suddenly over 20" wrong. No way to get it right either, since adding the 2 moa makes it shoot 4" high at 200, etc. . . . My buddy has the same problem with his Shepards, but worse, since his bullet never really matched the factory curve perfectly anyway, they are sorta 'generic' and cover BC/velocity ranges - you pick one as close as you can get it.
Inside of about 500 yards, these environmental factors and minor ballistic deviations aren't so bad, but at longer ranges, they DO stack up quickly.
If one shoots one load with bullet at one altitude at uniform temperatures . . . .maybe . . .
I'm eventually replacing my dot reticles, and my partner is already replacing his Shepards with adjustment turret models. I'm a little weak on my reticle rangefinding (hail Leica!!), but I have two adjustable turret/mildot style scopes; a Leopold and a Nightforce and I much prefer those types. If anything ever changes; bullet, velocity, altitude, anything, I just flip to a different page in my data book and carry on.
YMMV.
Optical quality? To me, they look almost as good as my elderly VX-III 6.5-20x & 8.5-26x Leupolds at the same magnification settings.
Adjustment 'repeatability' aside, the clicks are in inches, not MOA, so one has to be careful when transposing data from software, etc..
Assuming your selected bullet's BC and velocity matches the reticle fairly closely, the big problem is at longer ranges, past 500 or so, when environmental factors have more influence on your bullet's trajectory. Changes in altitude, temperature and departure angle cannot be accounted for by the Shepard system, or any reticle system using fixed reference points to represent POI's. For example, shooting at Quantico in July, the impact points may be 'close enough', but when you move into the mountains a little or the temperature drops, you're not going to hit in the same place and there is no way to make it better unless one fudges inpact points all the way back.
For example, using a similar system to Shepard's, my 6.5-300 Weatherby drives a 140 bullet at 3,400fps and my VX-III 8.5-26x has dots every hundred yards out to 1,000. Premier Reticles set up the reticle to my rifle's (sometimes) trajectory. In the summer, the rig shoots fine and I can nail stuff regularly at distance. Cold weather, I shoot as much as 2 MOA low at 1,000, or, one might say that my reticle is suddenly over 20" wrong. No way to get it right either, since adding the 2 moa makes it shoot 4" high at 200, etc. . . . My buddy has the same problem with his Shepards, but worse, since his bullet never really matched the factory curve perfectly anyway, they are sorta 'generic' and cover BC/velocity ranges - you pick one as close as you can get it.
Inside of about 500 yards, these environmental factors and minor ballistic deviations aren't so bad, but at longer ranges, they DO stack up quickly.
If one shoots one load with bullet at one altitude at uniform temperatures . . . .maybe . . .
I'm eventually replacing my dot reticles, and my partner is already replacing his Shepards with adjustment turret models. I'm a little weak on my reticle rangefinding (hail Leica!!), but I have two adjustable turret/mildot style scopes; a Leopold and a Nightforce and I much prefer those types. If anything ever changes; bullet, velocity, altitude, anything, I just flip to a different page in my data book and carry on.
YMMV.
QUOTE
If anything ever changes; bullet, velocity, altitude, anything, I just flip to a different page in my data book and carry on.
One of the best statements I have seen here in a while! Not only totally true, but a testament to the importance of your data book.
actually that was a leatherwood that I had out there tim but your rignt I went to IOR and will never own another leatherwood. I havent heard any bad things about these scope more of hunting type scope if Im not mistaken.
OOPs my bad. All these non IOR scopes sound alike to me 
QUOTE (Hardcore357m @ Nov 1 2005, 22:43) 
OOPs my bad. All these non IOR scopes sound alike to me
Even Swarovski?
you will have to forgive tim he's been whacked over the head with a fry'n pan one too many times from the wifey!
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