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Moa or mrad reticle? |
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Shooter31
Optics Apprentice Joined: September/26/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 79 |
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Posted: August/12/2014 at 20:35 |
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Ok here's my question. I'm not familiar with either moa or mrad recticles. Which would be better/easier to learn and any pros cons that I might need to know.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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This has been covered a few times you can use the search function and read numerous comment.
short version - If it is a tactical gun and distances exceed 300 yds a mil mil scope can be really nice because you use the reticle to measure from where the bullet strikes to where you want it to strike in Mils and dial correction in Mils. You can get a few scopes with MOA based reticles then do the same thing in MOA with those. When the reticle is in Mil and the adjustments are MOA then we tend to think in terms of inches like I want to move 6 inches left at 300 yds so one MOA at 300 is 3 inches that means I want to dial correction 2 MOA (8 clicks on a 1/4 MOA scope). If the scope is a hunting scope and all you are trying to do is kill deer then something like a Zeiss Rapid Z800 is a good choice if you work with it you will know what you are going to get at what power. With a second focal plane scope the reticle always looks the same size when you look through the scope but the marks represent different values at every different power. with FFP First Focal Plane scopes the reticle always corresponds to the measurement one mil is always one mil at 3x or 9x or 20x and at low powers the reticle will look quite fine and at high powers very large. Correct selection of a scope depends on what you intend to do with it. What it is going on how it will be used what type special need like low light or brush or long distance etc. be specific and the guys will try to give you sound advice. |
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ol0ko
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/25/2014 Status: Offline Points: 38 |
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It took me some time to figure this one out. I have a second plane scope with mil dots and I realized how important it is to know at what power I set the scope because I chose at various distances and some times in fact often I have difficult to hit the target because I change the power and the mil dot settings are no longer true. So then I started thinking about what kind of a scope I should get to replace the second focal plane scope with mil dots. I started thinking what if I was to get a second plane scope but with some type of a zero dot with a circle around it type reticle. I figured if the reticle always looks the same size then I could use that as an aide of some sort because of the way that I shoot where it is almost on an impulz. I am into varmin hunting and these birds and rats when I spot them they do not always hang around and I am thinking I do not have the time to start calculating the mil dots. Just measure up the animal, determine the distance and shoot. I do not know if that makes much sense but that is more or less my view of what would best suite me at this moment. |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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I suggest you select one of SWFA's SS scopes they are FFP like the 3-9x42 SuperSniper with mil quad reticle. Or the 3-15x42 or 5-20x50
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - August/13/2014 at 20:36 |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Be aware of 2 things:
1. Ranging with a mil or MOA reticle is a VERY PERISHABLE SKILL: if you don't practice, often, you will not be good at it. 2. Most scope manufacturers only calibrate a few points on the scale, not the entire magnification scale. If you scope is correct at 10X, do not assume you can double it at 5X and be on. Theoretically it works, but the scope might be calibrated at 10X and not at 5X. I don't range anything on an SFP scope, too many potential problems. When using FFP, it gets much MUCH simpler.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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With a fixed power it is also always the same . These come 6x 10x 12x 16x 20x and a 10x HD
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ol0ko
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/25/2014 Status: Offline Points: 38 |
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The sort of reticle that I had in mind I see for instance in the Trijicon ACOG TA33-H. Of course this is a zero dot but I have noticed also scopes with similar reticles.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Trijicon ACOG reticles are often "balistic drop compensated" and set to a specific cartridge out of a specific lenght barrel which works well if you are the US Military and all your ammo is consistently the same and your rifles have the same length barrel. Change that to the hunting world and you have reticles like Zeiss Z800 but every mark corresponds to something different when you change the power of the scope it is second focal plane and you have to use their calculator to figure out where your caliber and particular cartridge work best for me it is at about 10x on a 4.5-14 scope with a 300 WSM shooting 190 gr bullets 2900 fps.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Lets say we were hunting deer with a 6x SS which can be hand held and is the brightest of the fixed power SS scopes in low light. And since we wanted the mil dots we made the sacrifice and picked the scope with mil dots and 1/4 moa clicks (niot the one with the Mil Quad reticle which is finer in appearance that has 1/10 moa clicks)
http://kentonindustries.com/custom-turrets/swfa Note the 1 represents 100 yds 1.5 is 150 yds etc
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Now lets say we are hunting prairie dogs and selected a fixed 16x Mil Quad MIL MIL scope
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - August/13/2014 at 21:28 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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ol0ko
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/25/2014 Status: Offline Points: 38 |
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It is called a horse shoe reticle and this is what I believe would do well for me when hunting the way that I do which is chose and personal. So please do not show me any more mil dot reticles and swfa scopes because I am not interested. |
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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That horseshoe reticle is not MOA or Mildot. It is specifially calibrated holdover points for a specfic, load/velocity for an AR-15. I have one of those and it is a good scope, but not if you want to range or dial in adjustments.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I like that concept... hunting Ford trucks... however, you would have to have a really big wall to mount more than one or two...
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Not sure why you asked for things you need to know if you aren't interested in what we have to say. ACOG is a fine scope, no question, lots of great features, but you don't need to know anything about mils or angles, which is part of why it has military contracts for dumb grunts. That comes from a dumb grunt, by the way. Posted from phone, edited on computer - due to terrible grammar and spelling. Edited by Rancid Coolaid - August/15/2014 at 10:08 |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Everybody loves it because it is as close to "soldier proof" as has ever been built. I asked one of the soldiers I worked with how he liked his... he looked me right in the eyes and said " from my cold, dead hands...". I said " dang man, you can keep it, I just wanted to know how you liked it". He said "now you know"...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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ol0ko
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/25/2014 Status: Offline Points: 38 |
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No, thanks I do not need trophies. On the other hand I would not mind hunting down one of those Ford trucks though and keeping at least one in the garage. ;) |
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