Author Topic: Mildot reticle (Read 910 times)

Rimfirekid1022 · « **on:** December 01, 2005, 02:05:33 PM »

Im about to be gettin a new .243. Its gonna be a remington 700 vls model. Ive been looking at scopes for it. I know its gonna be a leupold VX-III 6.5-20X50mm or a Mark 4 with the same dimensions as the last. The VX-III comes in wide duplex, fine duplex, target dot, and varmint hunters reticle. The Mark 4 comes in a mildot. My question is, Is the mildot a good reticle for a small caliber like the .243? I really would like to get it in a mildot but i just wasnt sure how good it would be for a small bullet caliber like the .243 where the bullet is gonna start to drift pretty good around 500 yards which is about where the mildot really comes into play. Let me know if you think that the Mildot would be a good choice or if id be better off with one of the other reticles that the VX-III comes in. Also, i know the formula for how to use the mildot reticle to compensate for bullet drop. But what is the formula for using the horizontal dots to compensate for bullet drift in the wind? (Or is there even a formula for it?) Thanks!

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2005, 11:36:21 AM »

Anybody home???

jamie · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2005, 03:16:41 PM »

So just you not confusing things, the mil-dot recticle is to help with judging distances and is not the same as say the ballistic-plax or other drop compensating recticles. With that said I have a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5x14 SF mil-dot on my 700 VLS in 6mm Rem and I love it. Everyone that has looked through that scope has loved it.

I know some people are brand loyal but I had a Leupold 3.5x10x50 (mil-dot) on a 300winmag and after seeing the quality of the new Nikons and the Elite series from Bushnell, I won't throw extra money away to pay for the name Leupold.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2005, 04:38:04 PM »

You've really provided no information to help anyone to help answer you. And this is NOT live chat. Just because it isn't answered immediately doesn't mean it won't eventually turn into a long thread. Be patient if you want help.

What do you plan to use it for? In other words what is the purpose in life of the rifle/scope combination? What is it you think the Mil-Dots are supposed to do for you? What do you really think the others will do?

The primary purpose of a scope is to help you aim precisely. Trying to turn it into a multi-function instrument is usually doomed to failure.

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 03, 2005, 06:32:11 AM »

Sorry graybeard i just get a little impatient sometimes. I'll try to provide you with some information now. I will be using the gun and scope mainly for deer hunting and target shooting mainly at 1 and 200 yards but will just for fun shoot at some steel plates at 3, 4 and 500 yards. I will also be going on a p. dog hunt or 2 with the rifle and scope. The mildot reticle is supposed to help you be able to hit targets at long ranges by using a formula with the range of the target and how much the bullet will drop to tell you how many mils to hold over your target to compensate for the drop of the bullet. I hope this helps! Thanks!

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2005, 10:00:48 AM »

Quote

Sorry graybeard i just get a little impatient sometimes. I'll try to provide you with some information now. I will be using the gun and scope mainly for deer hunting and target shooting mainly at 1 and 200 yards but will just for fun shoot at some steel plates at 3, 4 and 500 yards. I will also be going on a p. dog hunt or 2 with the rifle and scope. The mildot reticle is supposed to help you be able to hit targets at long ranges by using a formula with the range of the target and how much the bullet will drop to tell you how many mils to hold over your target to compensate for the drop of the bullet. I hope this helps! Thanks!

Those are some rather widely disparate uses to which you intend to put the gun. With the deer hunting at 100 to 200 yards in the picture I feel your choice of scope power range is a poor one. You'd do better with something lower on the bottom end. Not more than a 4.5-14 and a 4-12 would be better still.

Dunno the size of the steel plates but 12X to 14.5X is more than adequate for any size I suspect you'll be shooting. I find 16X plenty even for prairie dogs out to over 400 yards. Surely you won't be shooting plates smaller than that.

If it was a pure target ie., paper punching gun I think your choice would be excellent and even if it was paper punching and plates the choice would still be fine. But with deer in the picture I think it's too much.

The MilDot reticles commonly sold today are not really the same MilDot reticles the military started years ago. The most useful purpose they serve is to give you multiple aiming points of equal precision to use as the distances increase. Best used by shooting and finding at what distance each puts your load at the aiming point each dot provides. They are of little to no use in telling you the distance. Get a range finder for that. I do like them and for a general use gun like yours will be they are a nice choice.

If it was for varmints only I'd chose the Varmint Hunter reticle they offer. For deer hunting only I'd go with a standard plex.

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2005, 10:36:54 AM »

Thanks graybeard! So for my uses you think i should get a 4.5-14? What reticle are you saying i should get for it? Thanks!

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** December 03, 2005, 10:50:34 AM »

Yes in the Leupold VX-III line the 4.5-14 would be a wiser choice for your uses in my opinion. I think the Mil dot reticle would be a good choice for you also.

Shoot it extensively on paper with the load you end up deciding on to determine where each dot is dead on and record that info. Then when you range the target it will tell you which dot to use. They can help you hold into the wind also once you learn how much each dot represents in wind deflection at the various distances and wind speeds. This is much less precise as you have no good way to KNOW what the wind speed is even if you know the distance. Learning to dope the wind is as much art as science.

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2005, 11:02:31 AM »

Thanks Graybeard! So you think the Leupold Mark 4, 4.5-14X50 with the side focus knob and Mildot reticle would be the best choice for me? The reason why I chose the Mark 4 instead of the VX-III is because none of the VX-III's come with a Mildot reticle. What do yall think? Thanks!

Dirigo · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2005, 01:02:57 PM »

do you enev know how to use a mildot?

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 03, 2005, 02:07:41 PM »

Ya i do know how to use a mildot Dirigo. What makes you think that i dont? Heres an example of how it works: There are 3.6" in between each mil at 100 yards. So say you are shooting a .300 win mag with a 180 gr. BTSP. Your target is at 500 yards. So you take 3.6 and multiply it by 5 (for 500 yards. this will get you how many inches are inbetween each mil at 500 yards) and you get 18. Then you find out how much that particular bullet will drop at 500 yards. In this case the bullet will drop 36 inches. So then you take 36 and divide it by 18 and you get 2 which means you need to hold over your target 2 mils or put your target on the second dot. Does that prove to you that i know how?? Now, graybeard do you think this is a good scope choice for my uses? Oh and also Dirigo dont make accusations. I don't know how yall do things up in Maine but down here in the south we think that its kinda rude! Thanks guys!

Graybeard · « **Reply #11 on:** December 03, 2005, 05:31:11 PM »

Yup I think it will do as good as any for your use.

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 04, 2005, 03:17:51 AM »

Thanks Graybeard!!

Dirigo · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2005, 05:59:00 AM »

well, i thought that if you knew how to use a mildot, you wouldnt need anyone to tell you to buy one

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2005, 11:14:40 AM »

Well ya know if ya read my first post for this thread i say in it "I know how to use the mildot reticle to compensate for bullet drop!!" I wasnt sure if it would be very good for a small caliber like a .243 because the bullet will start to drift a lot once you get far out. :evil: This is the exact reason why God gave us 2 ears and 2 eyes and only one mouth. Fr you to look and listen more careful before you say something inconsiderate or rude!!!

Dirigo · « **Reply #15 on:** December 04, 2005, 11:37:13 AM »

i didnt mean to be rude. you dont have to throw a fit.your imaginary friend gave you 2 eyes and ears because two work better than one

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 04, 2005, 01:03:11 PM »

#1-I'm not throwing a hissy fit.#2- I dont like it when people accuse me of things that i didnt do because they spoke before they thought. Oh and also if youre calling God my imaginary friend then you're half right. He's my friend but hes not imaginary. He is real and is with us every second of every day!

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** December 04, 2005, 06:04:10 PM »

Enough guys. Let's not let this get out of hand.

Rimfirekid1022 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 05, 2005, 04:37:59 PM »

Lo siento (I'm sorry in espanol) Graybeard for takin it too far.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #19 on:** December 06, 2005, 02:25:29 AM »

Just a little advise from an old geeser for you two young men.

1. Not everyone that disagrees with you or has a different opinion is attacking you. There is no need to be offended.

2. The best offense is a good defence. When you are attacked, you gain nothing by going on the offensive and attacking you adversary. When you do this you lower yourself and become what you don't like......

3. Never argue with a fool......those of us watching, although sometimes amused, often can't tell the difference.

4. Don't expect to be treated any better than you treat other people. You gain by building people up, not by tearing them down. When you make others look good you benifit by the process....

I, myself an delighted to see some young blood in the field. I welcome both of you!

Mueller Optics · « **Reply #20 on:** December 06, 2005, 01:04:59 PM »

The .243 is one of my favorite calibers and exactly what I use for deer hunting here in Michigan. I also like to spend time at the range with the same rifle because its so accurate and has minmal recoil so I dont run out of shoulder after shooting all day. A mildot would also be a perfect match for the rifle (I have a 3-10x44 with mildot on mine). My suggestion would be to get the mildot and use it for ranging but use the provided target turrets on the Mark 4 for BDC (hense the reason for both on the Mark 4). I think using the two in conjuntion with each other will yield better and easier results. If you use the reticle itself for hold overs, you may find in many cases that your point of aim may be somewhere on the reticle where there is nothing to use, such as half way between the dots. You will also find that one mil @ 500yds will cover 18" of your target.

MO