This is pretty much all that you need to read
First focal plane -> reticle marks measure same angle value at different magnifications
Second focal plane -> reticle marks measure angle value at a single magnification
Why make an mrad scope without 10X?
- Thread starter Scott Bear
- Start date
This is pretty much all that you need to read
First focal plane -> reticle marks measure same angle value at different magnifications
Second focal plane -> reticle marks measure angle value at a single magnification
Scott Bear
Regular
- Location
- Prince George
Thanks guys.
I had this notion that the power had to be 10X to work with the ratio of 1:1,000. As long as the scope maker has made the reticle work with the magnification everything should work out the same.
This is why I love my fixed 10X mil dot scope. Fewer moving parts, no parallax and no need to zoom to the power that the reticles functions with. Not sure why more manufacturers don't make them.
I had this notion that the power had to be 10X to work with the ratio of 1:1,000. As long as the scope maker has made the reticle work with the magnification everything should work out the same.
This is why I love my fixed 10X mil dot scope. Fewer moving parts, no parallax and no need to zoom to the power that the reticles functions with. Not sure why more manufacturers don't make them.
i was trained with a 3.85x sniper scope not that much long time ago or at least i like to think but you re right a 10x scope will give you all you need without strecthing your mind on changing the x power ...
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have no military background or training, but I suspect that the mil dot thing may had already had its time?? So far as I can figure out, it was all about coming up with a range estimate - quickly - then, adjust scope or hold off for a cold bore shot. Today, I hunt wearing a binoculars with built in laser range finder - takes a few seconds to verify the range. Of course, needs the batteries, can't have dropped it into lake, and so on. So, perhaps knowing how to use mil-dot to get a range is still important, for when all the electronic gizmos die. An acquaintance who plays with longer range gongs tells me that the crew uses mildot scopes to see the "splash" of a miss and then to count dots to hold off or re-adjust the scope for subsequent shots. Not real sure that was the original intent, but is being done..
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I think you have got it the way I understand it. Count so many mil-dot or parts of mil-dot on a target of known size, and your math works out the range to target. Does not matter from what did you get that mil-dot count so long as it was accurate. Could be from a fixed 20x SWFA mil quad scope; could be from a Bushnell 10X40, could be from a Second Focal Plane (SFP) scope at it's identified "ranging" magnification; could be from a First Focal Plane (FFP) scope at any magnification - in the end they will all get you the same mil-dot count, for the same target at the same distance. Then do the math - then have the range to target - as close as your estimate of the object's size was. No difference in the calculation, at all, about what kind of scope or what magnification that you used to get that mil-dot count, so long as that count was an accurate one. A milliradian (mildot) is a milliradian (mildot), just like a degree is a degree.
Similar was done in land surveys, etc. for centuries, with transit. If someone makes a scope with "minutes of angle" marked off in the reticle, could do exactly the same ranging exercise - math numbers would be different, but concept exactly the same. Know the angle that the target subtends (in degrees or milliradians), know (or guess) dimension of target, straightforward trigonometry to calculate distance. I suspect many find the milliradian / metric thing a bit easier to make work faster... Certainly does for me!
easiest training really is what was used by warsaw pact for the reticle. we shot easier than what we were trained for but it was before mildot spread that much ...
