Average elevation of eastern cape for cds scope?

[johnnybow]

I'm going to order some custom turrets for leupold cds scope. Google is saying the average elevation in the eastern cape is 2500 feet. Does that sound right? Thanks

 

[Altitude sickness]

Sounds about right. A turret engraved with that input will cover you at most locations on the cape.

 

[grand veneur]

When it comes to zeroing differences because of the altitude, 2500 feet is not significant. I have only noticed very significant differences at very high altitude, meaning 10000 feet and above.

 

[BryceM]

Depends on the range. Inside of 400 yards, the difference is negligible. For long-range shooting it can be a valid consideration.

 

[Altitude sickness]

If you want the free CDS turret Leupold offers and are building it anyway. May as well have the capability to range and dial.

 

[Firebird]

Mine is engraved for 1500 and I had zero issues with it. Elevation in South Africa is a much different factor than where I normally hunt. Don’t sweat the small stuff, just pet the sweaty stuff. . .

 

[Firebird]

And by that I mean you should practice extensively on shooting from sticks. . .

 

[Mizzou100]

I just got back from Eastern Cape on Monday, Hunted Elan, Kudu, bushbuck, Black Impala, Zebra and Nyala. Shot distances 192 yards, 348 yards, 498 yards, 178 yards, 245 yards, 268 yards. I expected shorter shots, just fyi!

 

[Graham Hunter]

I have hunted the Cape 3 times from 800ft to 4000ft. Maybe 1 to 2 inches different. Unless your hunting 10000ft+ it won't be the CDS you can blame if you miss!

 

[112Savage]

I used a rented rifle with rented ammo Hill Country Rifles 300WM. On the shooting range at lower elevation I shot at 100 and 300yds and was perfect with 178ELDX precision. Hunter. I did notice that my shots over 300 yds tended to land higher than expected on game. Now this could have been a zeroing error with the ammo. It could have been shooter error. It could have been elevation. But with the ammo I shot at sight in and at most animals, all died. I will say that the 178 ELDX that I zeroed with wasn’t always available and I used 180SST at one point and 180 S&B SPCT at others. So I would say your turret with your ammo is likely fine using a 2500ASL baseline because even with rented rifles and mixed ammo I was able to kill very well out to 550yds with mixed ammo

 

[CloudySkies]

2500 ft is about right for that region. Lands on the average.

@112Savage, yep that is the expected behavior. You should see bullets go high at about 300yd once you have elevation for a rifle dialed at lower elevation. I wouldn't blame the shooter. Does it matter...probably not overly for reasonable ranges.

Also important to remember that part of the reason for most rounds not showing elevation differences until further is that ballistics trajectories are often somewhat positive for the first 100 yards, and drag is all a factor of duration of flight.

Always interests me that people think about altitude first - but temperature is a significant factor (and to a lesser extent humidity). I run my CDS dials at 5000 ft and 50F to accommodate typical hunting season temperatures, and split the altitude I hunt (5000 ft is roughly 1.5-2 inches high in most rounds between 2500-3000 FPS) - the thing that tends to get you on bullet drop is lower temperatures as it increases air density and hence drag. Depending on your round (drag profile, and hence ballistic coefficient and overall size of round), you may see more of an effect. For larger calibers/slower rounds this will be most pronounced.

Another fun one...shooting in a strong head wind makes for fun ballistic guesses.

 

[Hunt anything]

I hunted from just above sea level up to about 3,500 feet I believe.
If I remember correctly Leopold CDS has a base altitude. I don’t remember what it is though. I live at about sea level where the vast majority of my hunting is done and when I called in my information I told them I was headed to Wyoming for a mule deer hunt they told me that the difference in altitude was negligible to around 5,000 if I remember correctly. It was back in 2012 or so not 100% on that.
It did work perfectly on a buck across from one mountain to another at 457yds. I hit the exact spot I had dialed to.

 

[Noah Hutchens]

I just got back from Eastern Cape on Monday, Hunted Elan, Kudu, bushbuck, Black Impala, Zebra and Nyala. Shot distances 192 yards, 348 yards, 498 yards, 178 yards, 245 yards, 268 yards. I expected shorter shots, just fyi!

498 yards is crazy in my book! That’s definitely some skill there! What rifle do you use? I get worried at anything over 150-200 lol!