Mil dots

[StormFX]

Hey all,  
I am in the market for a new scope for my 30.06, to hunt Deer & Elk. I've mostly been lurking here using the search engine and had decided on the new Buckmaster 4.5-14x40 until reading about the Mueller so I'm a bit up in the air again.  
Any way I was wondering about what others thoughts were on mil dots. I was kinda thinking that one could negate the need for a rangefinder or at least lessen the need. As always cost is the culprit.  
So what are your thoughts?  
thanks in advance.

[Mueller Optics]

I think if you can hold out for our new 3-10x44 that is currently in production (in Japan), you will be more than impressed. We hope to have them with-in the next 6-8 weeks. Although the specs from the factory said the eye-relief was 3.30", we are finding that is closer to 3.75"-4.00". We will be doing more testing this week to confirm it.

The mildots are very versitle and can be used in many different ways including ranging and hold-overs for longer range shots which makes it a great all-purpose scope for big game hunting. The more you get fimiliar with the reticle, the more you will realize the benifits. As we all know, wild game can catch you off guard so learning to range with the mildot can be a benifit over a laser (in some cases) which will limit your movement.

MO

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

...Any way I was wondering about what others thoughts were on mil dots....

I bought my first mil-dot scope 8 years ago when I put together a Remington 700 .308 sniper rig that I recently sold.  I bought a Leupold 3.5-10x with mil-dot reticle because that's what all the other sniper rigs I'd seen were topped with - not because I particularly knew anything about the reticle or its use.

After learning to use the Mil-Dot reticle on that rifle, I've since topped every rifle I've bought (with the exception of rimfires) with a mil-dot scope... they're just THAT useful.  Not only can you calculate range to a fair degree of accuracy, but you can also use the dots for windage correction, elevation correction, correction for moving targets, and measuring the size of objects at a known distance (an optical "tape measure" if you will!).  You can also use the dots to correct for range and windage to squeeze off a shot in a hurry without needing to adjust the target knobs, if the target is about to leave or be obscured by something about to move in front of it.

Don't get me wrong, none of this comes automatically - you need to put a LOT of time and practice into learning how to use mil-dots and memorizing the formulas, but it is DEFINITELY worth it if you are willing to invest the effort.  I now think the world of Mil-Dot reticles - I wish all scopes came standard with them.

Best wishes,
Bawko