CDS vs CDS-ZL on Hunting Rifle

Joined
Dec 28, 2019
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There are plenty of Leupold’s with the CDS turret available online at discounted pricing. The CDS turrets with the zero lock feature are much more pricey. Anyone hunt with the regular CDS turret without much issue of the turret moving?


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Joined
Apr 14, 2015
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506
I have two 4.5 x 14 CDS scopes that I have never ordered the CDS dial for. I have them both zeroed in at 200 yards and set the dial to zero. I have hunted with them for four years and although I check them regularly I have not had them to turn on me. Mississippi woods and two trips to Utah.
 
OP
General RE LEE
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
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1,582
I have two 4.5 x 14 CDS scopes that I have never ordered the CDS dial for. I have them both zeroed in at 200 yards and set the dial to zero. I have hunted with them for four years and although I check them regularly I have not had them to turn on me. Mississippi woods and two trips to Utah.

Good deal. Is there a way to check and see in the worst case scenario if the turret made a full turn? Crazy that would happen but heck who knows.


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Joined
Nov 25, 2019
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Wyoming
I have a CDs on my primary elk rifle. It has been in and out of the saddle scabbard, on four-wheelers, through some reasonable mount of hell and back. I haven't had an issue with it accidentally being spun. With that said it, if it did, it is easy enough to spin it right back to the zero stop. Plus a good habit to be in is to check your yardage dope before any shot.
 

mtnkid85

WKR
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Jul 31, 2012
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917
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Beartooth Mtns, MT
I run one as well. I make it a point to look at it often. I feel like Ive caught it being turned a few clicks from going in and out of my soft case, but its never been more than a few clicks.

It stays put better than some of my other scopes with larger turrets on them.
 

amassi

WKR
Joined
May 26, 2018
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3,658
There are plenty of Leupold’s with the CDS turret available online at discounted pricing. The CDS turrets with the zero lock feature are much more pricey. Anyone hunt with the regular CDS turret without much issue of the turret moving?


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Different scopes
The cds with zero lock zl2 and zl3 will be on vx5hd, vx6, vx6hd, mark 5hd.
The plain cds is in the vx3i, vxr etc.

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IDMONK

FNG
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
80
I have two VX-3is with the CDS, they have never moved on me, but once Leupold completes a custom dial for you they do have a zero stop (not a zero lock) and it works wonderfully well.
 
OP
General RE LEE
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Dec 28, 2019
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1,582
Different scopes
The cds with zero lock zl2 and zl3 will be on vx5hd, vx6, vx6hd, mark 5hd.
The plain cds is in the vx3i, vxr etc.

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The CDS-ZL is now available on the VX3i line.


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Good deal. Is there a way to check and see in the worst case scenario if the turret made a full turn? Crazy that would happen but heck who knows.


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The proper way to check for this is to know how many revolutions from bottomed out your zero is. Then you spin down until it's bottomed out and back up X# of revolutions. Now you know with confidence. This only works if you have a scope that always returns to zero correctly.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2012
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1,847
Location
Fishhook, Alaska
I have a regular CDS on one gun. It has turned on me many times, mostly while strapped to a pack. One particular time it turned almost 360 and when I adjusted it to "zero", I was a full revolution off using the stock turret. Luckily the game was already in the bag that trip, and I caught the mistake later at the range.

The zero stop fixes the 360 issue, but I still have to check it regularly. Not a fan myself and it's now on a non-primary rile. I get another leupold it will have the lock.
 

RAM190Hog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
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Location
Boise, ID
The CDS-ZL is now available on the VX3i line.


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He's right. Just visited Leupold @ DSC Expo. The CDS-ZL will only be avail on certain SKUs in the VX-3i line, but I did get to hold one. 30mm tube and parallax adjustment as well. Seems to be a nice value.
 

Shotshill

FNG
Joined
Jun 22, 2019
Messages
84
I have a couple VXRs with cds...
What i did is once it was zero’d I placed red
Electrical tape on top of the turret (1/2 moon shaped) at the zero point. Its an easy visual to see if it got moved and you can dial up no issues..
just a thought.
 

catorres1

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 25, 2015
Messages
279
I have had both a 3xi and also have a vx6 with the two turn locks. On the 3i, we did have it turn several times through rough handling while hunting. We subsequently ordered the CDS dial, as it can get it in MOA with a zero stop.

If you get the free cds dial , it can come with a zero stop that allows you one turn. Upside is, you can not get lost, and you can quick check it to make sure you are always on the bottom.

Downside is you only get one turn (like on a Zeiss HD5).

On my VX6, it has the actual locks like what is in the link above, but allows two turns. The Mark 5's allow 3.
 
Last edited:

RazAlGhoul

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Messages
111
The ZL is a zero stop on the vertical turret. It's a locking turret which also prevents the turret from being accidentally turned.
 
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