mil dot works on what zoom setting with bushnell legend?

spenom

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mil dot works on what zoom setting with bushnell legend?

Usually mil dot scopes have an indexing dot or the number in a different color that one is supposed to set the scope on to use the mil dot ranging system of the mil dot reticule. I have an elite 3200 that needs to be on 12X I believe and the number 12 is red. Today I purchased a Bushnell legend with the mil dot system and there is no instruction or indication as to what zoom level to use the mil dot on. The bushnell website has documentation for 12X an 9X. Does anyone out there know what the proper zoom setting on a bushnell legend 5X15X40 is to use the mil dot system?
 
my elite 3200 is on the max setting of 15X but all the bushnell info is on 12X or 9X. My new legend has no indication at all? Hoping someone has the same scope and knows for sure.
 
I can find documentation on bushnells site for 9X 12X and 15X. This is so frustrating! Anyone out there with a bushnell lagend 5X15X40 know what magnification setting is correct to use the mil dots?
 
Well, if you have a second at the range, take a measured 3.6" circle or square and put it at 100yd. Then, dial the scope until your mils line up... and scribe a calibration mark.

That'd give you an ultra-precise setpoint too, if you scribed it properly.

-M
 
Hey that is a great idea! I will probably end up doing that. Just so I have it right I simply have to put a 3.6" circle out at 100 yards and then dial my zoom until my mil dots are equal in size to the 3.6" circle. Is that correct? or is it 3.6" from mil to mil?
 
Why on earth would you buy a mil-dot scope and have no idea about what the dots mean?

mildot%20reticle.jpg


Start with that, and see if you can figure out what I meant. If you can't, I don't think mil-dots are for you... :D

Put as simply as I can, put a 3.6" circle or square out at exactly 100yd. Adjust your dial until the space marked "1 mil" on the above picture perfectly brackets the 3.6" distance. Use something sharp to etch a witness mark between the zoom ring and the scope body. Then, when you need to range, dial the witness marks together and calculate.

-M
 
Why on earth would you buy a mil-dot scope and have no idea about what the dots mean?

Unfortunately I am one of the unlucky people that was not born with the natural ability to fully understand mildot reticles. So call me old fashioned but I figured I would buy a scope or two that had that reticle and learn how to use them by reading the instructions. Problem is mine didn't come with instructions so I mistakenly thought I could get a nice answer from someone who would not be a #### about it on Canadian gun nuts:). That being said your post was actually very helpful and I thank you for it. I am really excited to use it now. Plus Your method will provide me with a totally accurate indexing mark.
 
Unfortunately I am one of the unlucky people that was not born with the natural ability to fully understand mildot reticles. So call me old fashioned but I figured I would buy a scope or two that had that reticle and learn how to use them by reading the instructions. Problem is mine didn't come with instructions so I mistakenly thought I could get a nice answer from someone who would not be a #### about it on Canadian gun nuts:). That being said your post was actually very helpful and I thank you for it. I am really excited to use it now. Plus Your method will provide me with a totally accurate indexing mark.

Hahaha... well, I hope I provided enough information that my half-moment of "####" was worth it! :D

The scribed calibration line is the best way to go, for sure - but as mentioned above, make sure your range is in YARDS... otherwise the 10cm at 100m has to be used.

A really good way to learn mil-dot ranging is to just sit in a field and put some sheets of 8.5x11" paper out at different ranges. Put them on a stick, for example; any mounting method where they won't blow away will work. Then attempt to range them, and without even shooting you can pace off the distance to see if you're in the right ballpark.

The BEST way to do this is do as above, but then use a laser rangefinder as a backup. If you know someone who has one that you can borrow, then you're in great shape.

Then, to practice, get a ballistics table from your range. See where your favorite rounds shoot at 100, 200, 300 yds, and generate a ballistics table that fits your observed data - using the BC of your bullet and the listed/measured muzzle velocity should help. If your range goes to 400, 500, 600yds or more then you'll be laughing - the more data points you can fit, the better. Now, after printing out a range card with your calculated table of "drops," do the same thing with the paper like above.

If you've made a good table, and your ranging skills are accurate, you should be able to hit the paper vertically centered - don't worry too much about wind for now, that's a bit trickier and you can work on that once you get your ranging/drop figured out.

It's a fun afternoon of shooting, AND it's really practical - having drops figured out for 100, 200, 300yd is great... but what if the target is only 4" high (say, half a gopher) and 267yd away? :D

-M
 
And... this might be of some great use to you, if you're interested in the math:

http://www.mil-dot.com/Mil_Dot_User_Guide.htm

Taking those calculations, and plugging them into a spreadsheet, you can make a custom table for all sorts of things.

At one time, with my Savage 10FCP HS Precision in .308, I put a quick-ref table for ranging gopher/coyote/deer (3 separate columns) inside my rear flip-up cover. Right in front of my eye when I flipped up the cap, you couldn't beat it.

Then, for holdover, I had a piece of tape on the top of the stock's "wrist" which was written on and over-laminated "ghetto style" with clear scotch tape - so my finger wouldn't rub it off. It had the holdovers in mils/drops in MOA for different ranges out to 600yd, by 50's.

Hard to beat that for a "ghetto range computer."

-M
 
This information is great! I took your advice and used the 3.6 inch square and found out that 15X is in fact the correct distance for using the mil dot's on my bushnell legend. That "ghetto range computer" is a really good idea! The 10fcp with the hs precision stock is the perfect gun to tape that to as well since the butt stock is so fat. Believe it or not I have the exact gun as you mentioned. It is not the gun I have the bushnell legend on though, it is a stevens 200 project I have been working on. I broke 2 ribs at work a few weeks back so I guarantee I will be sitting in a field with pieces of paper and ranging them out using the mil dots on my scope. I figure by the time they are all healed up I will have a good understanding of how to range estimate using them. I saw a piece of paper called the "mil dot master" on a website during my reading on mil dots etc that looks pretty interesting as well. Might have to tape that to my rifle for reference. Again thanks for more good info.

Here is my savage 10fcp
10fcpsized.jpg


Here is my stevens
stevensproject14.jpg
 
Hahaha! Well, we have basically the same model 10's! Yours looks like it has a Bushnell Elite (6-series? 6200?) though; mine's got a 4.5-14x40 Side AO Leupold MR/T with M1 knobs.

And yes, the mildot master is a great investment - but for quick field shots, I like the "ghetto dope." The MDM is definitely an awesome piece of kit to have in your goodie bag though. Get one if you don't have one! :)

-M
 
Spenom, isn't there some sort of mark or highlighted number on your power-selector ring to indicate the setting on which the mil-dots work? I ask because I have a couple of Bushnell mil-dot scopes (the first of which I bought knowing nothing about mildots but wanting to learn;)) and they each have one number on the zoom ring in a different colour to indicate this.
 
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