What does Dead-Hold BDC mean?
Dead-Hold BDC reticle is designed to minimize/eliminate bullet hold-over guessing at long distances. This reticle is used in a wide variety of rifles such as slug shotguns, high-powered rifles, black powder rifles, and rimfire rifles.
With this reticle, you choose the appropriate hashmark for reliable bullet-drop reference for all distances.
To get the most out of a BDC riflescope, make sure that it’s mounted correctly and that crosshairs are exactly vertical.
Dead-Hold BDC Reticle
BDC Reticle Chart
| Rifle & Range | Bullet Drop |
| High Power Big Game Rifle (100 to 400 yards) | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 200 yards – 3-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 300 yards – 13.5-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 400 yards – 30-inch drop top of Bottom Post – 500 yards – 55-inch drop |
| High Power Big Game and Magnum Rifle (100–600 yards) | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 300 yards – 4.5-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 400 yards – 18-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 500 yards – 37.5-inch drop top of Bottom Post – 600 yards – 66-inch drop |
| Modern Blackpowder Rifle (50 and 200 yards) | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 125 yards – 2-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 200 yards – 9-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 225 yards – 17-inch drop |
| 22 LR Rimfire Rifle | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 60 yards – 1-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 90 yards – 4-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 120 yards – 9-inch drop top of Bottom Post – 140 yards – 16-inch drop |
| Slug Shotgun and Traditional Black Powder Rifle | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 75 yards – 1-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 100 yards – 4.5-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 125 yards – 9.4-inch drop |
| High Velocity, Small Caliber Varmint Rifle | Bullet Drop 1st Hashmark – 300 yards – 4.5-inch drop 2nd Hashmark – 450 yards – 18-inch drop 3rd Hashmark – 550 yards – 37.5-inch drop top of Bottom Post – 650 yards – 66-inch drop |
High Power Big Game Rifle
Examples- (223, .243, .25-06, .260 Rem, .270 Win,
7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .30-06)
Range–(100 to 400 yards) with 100 yard zero on the main crosshair
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 200 yards – 3-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 300 yards – 13.5-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 400 yards – 30-inch drop
top of Bottom Post – 500 yards – 55-inch drop
High Power Big Game and Magnum Rifle
Examples-25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win
Mag, .300 Remington Ultra Mag, .338 Win Mag
Range-(100–600 yards) Use 200 yard zero on the main crosshair.
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 300 yards – 4.5-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 400 yards – 18-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 500 yards – 37.5-inch drop
top of Bottom Post – 600 yards – 66-inch drop
Modern Blackpowder Rifle
Range– 50 and 200 yards with 100 yard zero on main
crosshair
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 125 yards – 2-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 200 yards – 9-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 225 yards – 17-inch drop
22 LR Rimfire Rifle
Range– 25 and 150 yards with 50 yard zero on main
crosshair.
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 60 yards – 1-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 90 yards – 4-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 120 yards – 9-inch drop
top of Bottom Post – 140 yards – 16-inch drop
Slug Shotgun and Traditional Black Powder Rifle
Range-25–150 yards Use 50 yard zero on main crosshair.
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 75 yards – 1-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 100 yards – 4.5-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 125 yards – 9.4-inch drop
High Velocity, Small Caliber Varmint Rifle
Range-100–600 yards Use 200 yard zero on main crosshair.
Bullet Drop
1st Hashmark – 300 yards – 4.5-inch drop
2nd Hashmark – 450 yards – 18-inch drop
3rd Hashmark – 550 yards – 37.5-inch drop
top of Bottom Post – 650 yards – 66-inch drop
Vortex BDC Reticle Manual
Check out the Manual Here
Ranging a Coyote with a Dead-Hold BDC Reticle
Coyotes run about 3ft in length. Let’s say you notice a coyote and range using a (6x24x50) scope, use the 18x magnification. When using your scope the coyote’s body covers the distance from the center crosshair to the edge of the (8 MOA) horizontal crosshair.
Using the above formula, you will convert the length in ft to inches and estimate the coyote’s distance to 450 yards.
Ranging a Deer with a Dead-Hold BDC Reticle
If you spot a deer at 18x magnifications with a 6–24×50 riflescope. While looking through the rifle scope, the distance from the deer’s top back to the bottom of his chest spans from the center crosshair to the 2nd hashmark(4.5 MOA) on the reticle.
With the above formula, you are able to estimate the deer’s distance at 400 yards.
Dead-Hold BDC Rifle Scopes
| 1. Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 40 mm Magnification: 3 – 9 x Tube Diameter: 1 in Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 4.4 – 13.3 mm Field of View, Linear: 14.8 – 44.6 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 3.3 – 3.5 in |
| 2. Vortex Viper HS 4-16x50mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 50 mm Magnification: 4 – 16 x Tube Diameter: 30 mm Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 1.13 – 12.5 mm Field of View, Linear: 7.4 – 27.4 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 4 in |
| 3. Vortex Crossfire II 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 40 mm Magnification: 3 – 9 x Tube Diameter: 1 in Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 4.4 – 13.3 mm Field of View, Linear: 12.6 – 34.1 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 3.8 – 4.4 in |
| 4. Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 44 mm Magnification: 4 – 16 x Tube Diameter: 30 mm Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 2.75 – 11 mm Field of View, Linear: 7.4 – 27.4 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 4 in |
| 5. Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 32 mm Magnification: 2 – 7 x Tube Diameter: 1 in Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 4.57 – 16 mm Field of View, Linear: 12.6 – 42 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 3.9 – 4.7 in |
| 6. Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44mm Rifle Scope
|
Objective Lens Diameter: 44 mm Magnification: 2.5 – 10 x Tube Diameter: 30 mm Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP) Exit Pupil: 4.4 – 17.6 mm Field of View, Linear: 10.9 – 47 ft at 100 yds Eye Relief: 4 in |
Final Thoughts
Hope you found this piece enlightening and comprehensive enough in all matters Dead-Hold BDC reticles.
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