Meters,Yards and Mil-Dots,tricks of the trade,add yours!!!

Excel and .pdf files

I have built an excel spreadsheet that to print out range charts using a known target size and size in mil-dots. anyone interested just pm me. You can fit multiple target sizes on an index card sized sheet.
Happy shooting
Mason
 
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Hey guys,

I was just reading all the info on milldots but I was wondering how the TMR differs? I have a couple MK4's and have been using them for a couple years but all I've done was click it. Its exact but its slow. I have one on a 6mm Rem and I have shot out to a km; but thats on milk jugs. I use it for coyotes too and would like to use the TMR rather than waste time figuring out clicks.
 
Which is better to use, MOA or MIL reticles? I hunt and long range target shoot as a hobby. I currently have a Leupold VX-III long range in MOA with the varmint reticle.
 
logan1080 said:
Which is better to use, MOA or MIL reticles? I hunt and long range target shoot as a hobby. I currently have a Leupold VX-III long range in MOA with the varmint reticle.
Click to expand...

It depends on many factors listed below, in order of importance (according to my personal opinion):

  1. The one thing I've found which makes a real difference is to have a reticle that uses the same units as the elevation and windage adjustments on your scope. So if your scope has MOA adjustments, get an MOA reticle. For example, I have a Falcon Menace with MIL-dot reticle and 1/10th MIL turrets. It makes things a whole lot simpler when dialing in post-shot adjustments using the MIL reticle.
  2. Another important factor is the unit system that you're use to using. I personally prefer metric since I can relate better with meters and miliradians (and the math is a whole lot simpler in my opinion), but many prefer imperial (because of the 1 MOA = ~1"@100yrd rule). Choose your unit system, and stick with it... You don't want to be going back and forth between both systems, since you'll definately make mental calculation mistakes.
  3. Kinda related to the 2nd factor, but another important factor is the distance units that you generally work with at the range, either imperial (yards) or metric (meters). Most ranges in North America are in yards, so if you want to make it easy to convert from range to drop, use MOAs... I personally prefer using meters since it's simpler and more precise for ranging guesswork (for example, you can estimate the range of a 305cm object much more precisely than if you were to use 12" for the same object).
  4. It also depends on the caliber of ammo that you're shooting, since some calibers can benefit from using the finer MOA units, unless you work with decimal or small fractions of MILs...
Many other factors as well...
 
HyeProfile said:
I have a Tasco 6-24×42mm Varmint/target mil-dot scope (I know:runaway:) but the reticle is calibrated at 8×... Makes for confusing mental conversions...

Anyhow, if you think you're any good, try your hand at this:
http://www.shooterready.com/lrs.html

If you don't hit any of the targets, try your hand at :50cal:
Click to expand...


I have found that If you use a second focal plane scope at a power other than the Mil dot actual power the math is not hard at all.

For example my Bushnell 2.5-16x50 Mil scope is a Mil at 10 power only. Often for accuracy I am observing and measuring at 16 power.

If it 16 I observe a 1m target at 1 mil(16 power) then 1Mx1000/1 which says 1000 then multiple by observed power/Mil power 1000X16/10 = 1600 m
Or 1000x1.6

Another example through 16 power my scope shows a 30" target tall an measures 1.4 "mil" (16x)

Range in Meters as follows
30"/39.37" = .762 meter .762x1000= 762 / 1.4(observed "mil) =544.3x 1.6 (scope factor) = 870 M

Same for range in yards. 30"/36" = .833 .833x1000= 833 / 1.4 = 595 x 1.6 =952 yards.
(any error is due to rounding off)

For you tasco scope example here is an example at 24 power.

30" target observed at 24 power shows 2 "mil"
Note Mil factor is Power observed/ Power Mil correct for scope
24/8 =3 Mil factor
Range in Yards

30/36 =.833 x1000 = 833 / 2 = 416.5 x 3 (mil factor) = 1249.5 yards

In Meters same

30/39.37= .762 x1000 = 762/2 = 381 x 3 = 1143m

Also if you want to hold for drift at that power then

If drift is calculated at say 40" then 40/12.495/1.047=3.05757 MOA / 3.438
= .889 Mil x Mil factor 3= 2.667 Mil hold at 24 power.
(Note: the .3438 number is 3.6/1.047)

Meters is a little easier
40" drift x 2.54 = 101.6 cm / 11.43 (range) = 8.888 (.1 mil) /10 =.888 Mil x 3 = 2.66 Mil Hold at 24 power.

Or skip the /10 step and
40" x 2.54 =101.6cm / 114.3 = .888 mil x 3= 2.66 mi

I have a Vortex Viper 6-24 PST FFP (First focal Plane) on order so soon I will also be able to drop the extra step of the "mil power factor" because the Mil will subtend correctly at all scope powers.

I own the shooterready program and love it. The math gets real fast with it. I like using the 20 power and doing the 20/10=2Mil factor calcs all the time.

Hope it helps.
Cheers
 
Ice-Pick said:
if your using a 2 M sized man for ranging, how do you know he's 2 M tall?
Would you have to run up and measure him first? If so, while your up there couldn't you just hit him with something and save money on ammo?
What if once your there and you get him measured he turns out to be a real nice guy, now your gonna wonder, gee, why was i thinking of shooting this guy anyways, he's a nice guy. It gets really confusing and brings up some tough decisions..... wouldn't it be better to NOT range him accurately and just fire close and scare him off,,,,, I mean, he COULD be a real nice guy.... laff.

Besides shooting at people is just mean.

M.
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Yes, but if you can estimate the range accurately, you can hit him from a distance, saving yourself spiritually and emotionally draining soul searching, by assuming he was a jerk. In fact, if you can do this from a great enough distance, you can convince yourself that he was suicidal and homocidal psychopath, foaming at the mouth and fumbling for the switch to the bomb planted underneath you. See: your teacher was right, math could save your life one day!:sniper:

Good stuff here. So, I guess it's safe to assume that all mildot scopes made in the US are calibrated for yards (turrets, I mean.)
 
not so much just the ones made in the US but the mil dot reticule in general.

Yards are pretty convent over meters tho. 3 feet exactly is 1 yard and just about all range finders are in yards. ... cus we dont always know exactly how big a target is.

Because we live in Canada and 1 km is 1000m tho..... It would be nice if it was the other way around.
 
I have a set of Bushnell "Fusion" range finding binoculars that are very accurate. I carry a Kestral 3500 hand held weather station as well. Now by first doing the mildot calculations, then comparing to the range finder, I am getting better at guessing how big a target is. Then it all comes down to shooting and recording. And shooting and recording... and shooting. You get it.
I also set out a bright orange 2 litre Tide laundry jug which is 12 inches tall. I put it beside things I want to range with the mildot after I guess. This way I get a visual refference with real data.
Then I perforate the tide jug!!
... and record, then shoot and record...
 
I make my own range book, Call my shots place them,weather temp and what not,range and rifle ammo combo
 
5440fight said:
Good stuff here. So, I guess it's safe to assume that all mildot scopes made in the US are calibrated for yards (turrets, I mean.)
Click to expand...
I don't know about the turrets, but the 'mil-dot' is a metric measuring tool.
One "mil" (milliradian) is one metre at a distance of 1000 metres. Or it's 10cm (0.01 m) at a distance of 100 metres, and all the equivalents
[E.G. at 100 km, one mil is 100 metres and at 1 metre, one mil is 1 mm (0.001 metres)]

I'd think that using mils and making it work for yards would involve no small amount of "cyphering" as Jethro Bodine would call it.
 
Simple way to use mil dots for yards is the # 3.6

@ 100y the space of 1mil is 3.6"

Take that and multiply it by what ever range your shooting.

ie. 500y is 18" here is the math, 5 x 3.6 = 18

ie again. 1000y is 36" ------- 10 x 3.6 = 36


now if you wana aim off your mil dots, find out what your drop is from your 0 to what ever range.... take that # and divide it by the space between mils.

Ie. my rifle has 61.8" drop @ 500y. so the math is 61.8 / 18 = 3.4 --- I half to aim up 3.4 mils @ 500y.

* note * using mil dots in the first place is only accurate if you have a fixed zoom scope , a front focal plane scope or a scope that allows you to lock on a fixed setting.
 
excellent formula. millimeters off the bat instead of meters x 100? breaking down the mils too. you say its 3.6 mils? how about 3.575?
probably old news. its newish to me.
 
I have a question that maybe some can answer :) i have a bushnell 6500 2.5 to 16 power scope on my .308 and it has a mil dot reticle now on the scope the 10 on the power is red... does that mean i can only mil targets and use the mil dots for bullet drop on the ten power and not full 16??
Thanks Guys.
 
Yes the Mil dots only work on 10X for ranging but if you set the power on 5X then the spacing between each mil dots = 2 mils instead of 1 if you put it on 16X then the spacing between the mil dots = .625 Mils, 2.5X = 4 mils. Divide 10 by the power your on to get the distance between mil dots.
 
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