Help With Long Range Hunting Reticle

Clint E.

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Calgary
Hey GunNutz,
I need help choosing a reticle for my new long range hunting rifle build.

I am going to purchase a March 2.5 - 25x42 http://marchscopes.com.au/hunting-25-25-x-42-scopes.html

What I need your help with is choosing a reticle. I would really like get the MTR-3 or MTR-4 reticle.
My concern is that the reticles will be too thin in a close range hunting situation in heavy timber??????
Take a look at the specs below and let me know what you think. These specs do not show the line thickness but as far as I can tell it is 0.08 MOA.

More info on the reticles can be found here:
http://www.deon.co.jp/march/Reticles.htm

r-MTR-3-size-2.jpg

r-MTR-4-size-2.jpg
 
You're planning a long-range hunting rifle, but are also concerned about close-range black-timber capability. Let's face it, these are very different requirements, for both rifle and scope, so some compromise is inevitable. Don't expect your dream gun to be ideal for both uses...you're in for disappointment.

Are March scopes known for durability? The 1-10x24 model looks like an interesting choice for an all-around scope.
 
MTR 3

If you need the top part of the reticule its there. when your not using it, you wont even think about it. better to have it than not.
 
You're planning a long-range hunting rifle, but are also concerned about close-range black-timber capability. Let's face it, these are very different requirements, for both rifle and scope, so some compromise is inevitable. Don't expect your dream gun to be ideal for both uses...you're in for disappointment.

Are March scopes known for durability? The 1-10x24 model looks like an interesting choice for an all-around scope.

A compromise is exactly what I am after, maybe I should have described the gun as a 'hunting rifle with long range capabilities' If the reticle is not ideal for close range that is fine, but it does need to be usable close range.

All reviews I have found on March have been positive, but I cannot comment on their reliability personally as I do not own one yet.

You could get the tactical version of the same scope and get illumination.
I would prefer to stay away from the tactical version because I would like to have covered turrets, which means illumination is not available.

I have a 5.5-22 NF NXS with a NPR-2 reticle that as far as I can tell has a reticle thickness of 0.06 MOA (slightly thinner than the March), and sometimes I completely loose the reticle in close range situations. However I have been reading about this problem and it appears that I may have the focus adjusted incorrectly. So I am going to try and adjust the focus on my NF correctly and see if it would be acceptable at close range, if it is then the March being slightly thicker should work, if not the I will settle for the March Duplex style reticle.

If anyone has any expereince using a reticle in this thickness range at close range, your input would be appreciated.
 
Based on the thickness of the 1 MOA windage tick marks in relation to the thickness of the thin crosshair, it looks to me like the crosshair is about 0.3MOA thick. That's about the same as a standard Leupold duplex reticle on about 2.5-3x magnification.
 
can I ask why you want your turrets covered?
Sure, in my experience with my NF I have found that they can move fairly easily, I just do not want to have to worry about them when taking the gun out of the gun boot/scabbard/backpack. It is a minor issue, and I know lots of people hunt with uncapped turrets, but it's just my preference on a dedicated hunting rifle.

Based on the thickness of the 1 MOA windage tick marks in relation to the thickness of the thin crosshair, it looks to me like the crosshair is about 0.3MOA thick. That's about the same as a standard Leupold duplex reticle on about 2.5-3x magnification.

Jordan,
That is an interesting observation, I see what you mean. I am starting to question the accuracy of the reticle images. I found reticle images that show the zoom range that the measurements are at.

These two reticles below are the MTR-1 and MTR-2 and the Deon website states that the MTR-3/4 reticles are twice as thick as the MTR-1/2. But the image for both the MTR-2 and the MTR-4 shows the dot in the center as 0.25 MOA, I would have thought that if the MTR-4 was twice as thick as the MTR-2 the dot in the middle of the MTR-4 would be 0.5 MOA????

I have already called Kellby's (the only North American dealer for these scopes) and they could not answer my questions. I will try and send an email directly to the manufacture (Deon).

Jordan
What reticles do you have in your March scopes?

MTR-1-size1.jpg
MTR-3-size11.jpg

MTR-2-size2.jpg
MTR-4-size1.jpg
 
The March scopes that I've tinkered with had thin BR-style reticles- nothing that would be appropriate for a hunting scope.

I would go with the MTR-3, if I were going to order that scope today.
 
Ok,
So I have been doing some more research on this, and I have a new theory.

The tables below show what the distance between the reticle hash marks at varying magnification levels.

For the MTR-1 and MTR-3 reticles a 2MOA value at 20X becomes a 16MOA value at 2.5X, so it changes by a factor of 8. So if the line thickness is 0.08 at 20X the line thickness should be 0.64MOA at 2.5X.

For the MTR-2 and MTR-4 reticles a 2MOA value at 10X becomes a 8MOA value at 2.5X, so it changes by a factor of 4. So if the dot in the middle of the reticle is 0.25MOA at 10X the dot should be 1MOA at 2.5X.

Not sure if this is correct but if it is the dot in the middle of the MTR-4 reticle at 2.5X would be about the same as a Leupold Duplex at 2X.......so I think it might work???????

MTR-1_3.JPG

MTR-2_4.JPG
 
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