Recently bought a Leupold VX-5HD CDS-ZL2 scope. Unless I'm missing something, the Zero Lock dial on the elevation adjustment won't allow the user to adjust the crosshairs for bullet impact down without using the little allen wrench. Didn't see anything in the manual about this, at least in words I understood, and didn't expect such when I went to the range for initial sight-in. Everything was hitting 6 inches high. Of course I didn't have the little wrench with, so I spent the day shooting at the bottom of the target to put the holes on paper.

I understand the design for this. Allowing the shooter to quickly return to original zero elevation if needed, but just never had a scope where I couldn't adjust elevation both ways. Being able to go a few clicks past zero and return to it, to remove backlash is not possible with this system.

Trying to decide if I like this or not. I guess there's not many hunting situations where one would need to dial twist to bring the bullet down once the gun is zeroed. Not a hunt, but once I was shooting a muzzleloader 300 yards across a canyon and the wind up the canyon far slope was taking my bullet 30 inches high instead of the 30 inches low I was expecting. But I'm not that good at estimating wind effects to have anticipated that and dial twist for it. Really not much of a dial twister anyway, I would rather try to get closer.

Anybody think of a hunting situation where not being able to adjust bullet impact lower would be an issue? Sighting in at sea level (where I live) and traveling to the mountains to hunt? But that would just make my zero yardage further? Maybe I just need to put that little allen wrench in my pack in case.

if you are sighted in to be say 2 1/2" high at a hundred yards.....I can not think of any time you would even contemplate needing to dial down..... use a heavier load that has lower POI from same scope setting YES but dial down no.... my .308 is set up like this...sort of...sighted it in 2" high with 150s and the 180s were bang on so now its set I DONT TOUCH A THING..... the dials on the loopy on my .223 could well be siezed,they havent been moved in 15 years.....the older loopies are like that...zero just doesnt move.

Like.358s wrote:

to remove backlash is not possible with this system.

If you have a quality scope with precision clicks, one shouldn't need to click below to remove backlash.

I'm like Elvis. For a hunting situation, I don't touch the adjustment knobs. When I'm shooting long range in snipe competitions, I would love to have a scope with a zero stop.