mil-dot scopes

[rickyp]

what is the mil-dot scope used for and how do you use it.
the only thing I know about it is you see a several dots on the cross hairs.

[Bushnell Boy]

I never have fully understood how the mil dot works. On Bushnell scopes the dot size changes when zoomed in or out so you would have to figure on which magnification do the dots measure a mil. Some of our scopes are marked and other are not. I believe if you know the height or width of your target there is a formula that can tell you the range.

If you have a target thats X feet tall and it takes Y number of dots to reach from the top of the target to the bottom then you should be able to plug those numbers into a formula and it should give you distance. Unfortanitley I don't know the formula. I did find this while searching for a better explanation. http://www.impactguns.com/store/mil_dot_master.html

 Another way that the mil dot is used is as a hold over mark. If you are shooting at a target and your first shot is low you might use the next dot down on your scope instead of moving your eleavtion adjustments. I know that a lot of varment hunters use mil dots in this fashion.

[Nobade]

The easy way to remember how to use them is remember i mil=36 inches at 1000 yards or 3.6 inches at 100 yards. If you know how big your target is, you mil it to learn how far away it is. Conversly, if you know the distance you can determine the size. Stay away from any variable mil dot scope that doesn't zoom the reticle with power changes. They only work at one power setting, usually the uppermost. A few scopes, such as Zeiss, Weaver tactical, Leica, etc. zoom the reticle with power changes. Those are much more foolproof, but I only will use fixed power mil dot scopes - no guesswork. Once you learn how to use them they're wonderful tools but do take some practice to learn.

[jgalar]

If you do an internet search you will find some good articles on how the mil-dot is used. It is primarily designed for range determination. But to use it as such one must know the actual size of objects and use alot of mental calculations to determine distance. Snipers will memorize the sizes of things found at the shooting area. As an example you do not know how tall an enemy soldier is so the dots can't tell you the distance, but if you know the height of their helmet, you can range off their helmet.

We mortal shooters just use the dots for holdover and if the winds blowing we just shift over a few dots.

The dots are also only good for ranging at a fixed magnification such as 10.

[Dave in WV]

To use a mildot recticle you need to know the approximate distance and use a magnification devisable by 10. There are charts to go by instructing you which "dot" to use for hold over. You need to know the wind velocity to use the windage dots.

[Tomac]

Mil-dot & mil-line reticles (IOR's MP-8, std/USMC, Premiere Reticle's Gen-2) all work on the same principle. Distance to the target isn't needed (that's what you're trying to calculate) but you must know the height or width of the target or a nearby object at the same range. By measuring this height/width in mils then applying the correct calculations you determine the range to the target. To make the calculations easier you can pick up an analog computer like the "Mildot Master" which eliminates the need for a calculator or doing calculations. You just input the size of the target in inches and index it against the size of the target in mils and read the range. No muss, no fuss, fast & easy. However, ranging accuracy depends upon how accurately you measure the size of the target in mils. That's why I prefer IOR's MP-8 mil-line reticle or PR's Gen-2 mildot, I find them much easier to measure/range accurately with. Some scopes are set up so accurate ranging is possible at all magnifications (reticle seems to grow as you increase magnification) whereas others only range accurately at a single magnification (usually the greatest magnification, reticle stays the same size when you change magnification). HTH...
Tomac