question on reticules

[carrollshooter]

What is the practical difference between using Mil dot reticules and MOA graduated reticules? I am referring specifically to MOA such as the NightForce NP-R1 vs. Mil dot.

 

[Travelor]

A mil is approximately 3.7 MOA or about 3.7" apart center to center.

A reticle graduated in MOA would have a mark every MOA or aboit 1" apart center to center.

To me the MOA reticle is MUCH better as I tend to think in MOA not MILS.

 

[carrollshooter]

I understand and use MOA for my shooting but I know that military use the mil system. You can estimate range by the stadia principle with either system. Is there an advantage to using the mil system?

 

[Travelor]

Only if you are using them to "range" a target and know the size of the target and have a mil-dot master scale to convert the mils to distance. The military trains with mil dots for ranging , but then uses a laser range finder in the field with the mil-dot system as a back up should the laser fail.

The National Guard training facility for all their school trained snipers is 15 minutes from my house. I watch them train when we are on the range and they also teach using mil dots for leading a moving target - I think this method is a great use of mil-dots , but I don't shoot moving people or vehicles so not of much use to me.

George

 

[sscoyote]

It also probably depends on what u wanna do with your reticle. If u wanna rangefind with it then I prefer the mil system since there are a number of optics out there that have .2 mil stadia lines (.72 inch per hundred yds.), and there is one that uses .1 mil lines--Vortex. This reticle should allow for ~.01 mil rangefinding accuracy.

 

[RJinTexas]

Unless your scopes reticules are located in the first focal plane or you have a fixed power scope mil-dots can get confusing to use for ranging. One mil represent 3.6" at 100yds and 36" at 1000yds.

R.J.