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Varmint Hunter Reticle or Mildot |
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Posted: November/13/2004 at 11:05 |
Hi Everyone, Ok, here is my dilemma. I'm getting a Tikka T3 Tactical .223 cal. for sniping praire dogs. What are the plus and minuses of a Varmint Hunter Reticle and a Mildot Reticle. I do like the Illuminated reticle on the mildot, does the Varmint Reticle have that option? I would appreciatte any opinions that you can give. Thanks |
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redneckbmxer24
Optics Master Joined: June/02/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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i prefer a mildot reticle over a ballistic reticle, becuase you can use the mildot for rangefinding aswell a bullet drop compensation. a ballistic reticle you can use for rangefinding, but its harder, becuase each line is a diferent MOA from the other, but i think theres somehting special abotut the VHR like you put a prarie dog size animal between the first 2 linesand adjust the power, and it tells you how far away. and the VHR is also compensated for the 22-250, not the 223, which isnt alot fo difference, but out at 500 yards, it is. and after so many yards your going to have to move adjustments anyways. just my thoughts.
cory |
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If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, I'll be only one of millions!!!
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sscoyote
Optics Journeyman Joined: October/05/2004 Status: Offline Points: 328 |
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1 of the nicest features of the VHR is the fact that the 10 + 20 mph windage reference is on the same plane as the trajectory reference, altho the windage reference is still determined as an avg. instead of particular to your load. If u want to get more exact regarding trajectory reference whether it's mil-dot, ballistic reticle, etc. there is a ballistics program that will zero the reference stadia relative to your load with options to fine tune the reticle by altering magnification and/or sight-in distance to provide a better trajectory "fit". Check it out @ www.perry-systems.com -- Exbal-- around $60.
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Steve
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Dale Clifford
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: July/04/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5087 |
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When hunting dogs, distance judgement is relatively easy, at least no more than 3 shots, windage also. Getting too much material in the sight picture is just as bad. Unless you are into 1 shot 1st shot kills on dogs neither is necessary or desirable. Correct magnification at the distance you are shooting so as not to miss the action on the town is more useful. If long range tactical shooters use 10X at 1000 yds. for 18 inch target size, about 20 is needed for dogs at the same distance. Usually 10 thru 16 works great. The shooting platform for dogs is more critical, a shooting bench from a pickup bed is the best. Also take more than 1 gun. 22lr thru Hornet for up to 200 yds. 223 thru 22-250 further out. One gun means cleaning every 10 mins. (if you care for the gun and accuracy). Also consider what happens when you accidently leave the gun up against the side of the truck and drive over it. No warranty coverage. Check out the Bushnell Banner 6X18 great buy for the money.
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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So Cory, with the Mil dot, is there different size dots? The one I have on my 10/22 is great, but I like to get the target as close as possible and I find the dots cover up the target, ie paper or gophers head. With the reticle on the Varmint Hunter, the lines and dots seem smaller. I haven't looked thru one yet to check it out to see what they are like. What can you tell me? Chad |
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redneckbmxer24
Optics Master Joined: June/02/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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the mildot will sometimes cover up small targets, all the dots arethe same size, .2 mil i think, and they are each 3.6 MOA from center to center of each one. out at a distance that a mildot would cover up a small target, you would also have to compensate for windage too, so the chance of it covering it up is slim, since theres a breeze almost all the time, i know the groundhog i killed at 673 yards with my SS10X42 i was holding to the left about 15" becuase the wind was blowing, and i was using a little 69gr .224 bullet from my AR15 at only about 3000 FPS if even that fast (black hills blue box ammo BTW), and i hit it on my second shot, which i think was mainly luck more than anything else. i also killed a groundhog with my 300 ultra mag at almost 750 yards, and i was holding over about 50", and over about 10" or so, but that was a little stronger wind, but a 150gr scirroco bullet, and i hit him on my 5th shot.
cory |
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If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, I'll be only one of millions!!!
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sscoyote
Optics Journeyman Joined: October/05/2004 Status: Offline Points: 328 |
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Ballistic reticles are a little nicer system as they provide for a better "trajectory fit" than the mil-dot, but if u want the best of both worlds take a look at the Ballistic Mil-Dot reticle from Burris-- 6 trajectory stadia, and mil-dot along the horizontal axis, and upper half of the vertical axis-- best ballistic reticle design i've ever used.
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Steve
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ots03
Optics Apprentice Joined: May/18/2004 Location: Aruba Status: Offline Points: 104 |
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Mil dot sistem is more versatile ( rangefinding and compensation), probably the dots could cover the small target, but you can choose a mil reticle with marks, like the IOR MP8. |
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Thanks alot guys, I will have to check out those scopes to see what I like, it sure is nice walking into a gun store and saying I want to look at this scope with that reticle and go from there. Have a good one and I will keep you updated. Chad |
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redneckbmxer24
Optics Master Joined: June/02/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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my advise, stay away from IOR, i dont particularly care for them, and you dont get your moneys worth. as coyote said, check out the ballistic mildot form burris.
cory |
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If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, I'll be only one of millions!!!
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ots03
Optics Apprentice Joined: May/18/2004 Location: Aruba Status: Offline Points: 104 |
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range compensating reticles, not provide the accuracy for varminting, I think they are efective only on medium or big game. The best reticles for varminting are similar than bench rest ones: fine crosshair, fine plex and sometimes dot. The mil sistem reticles with balls or oval ballons can obscure the target field, I prefer reticles with marks like ior mp8, nightforce np1/2-rr , khales zf )
If you want to compensate at long ranges you need a scope with 30mm tube. |
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Hi ots03, I was looking at a leupold varmint hunter. It was like you said, fine crosshair, fine plex with small dots. I looked thru one and it was pretty sharp, might take a little getting used to compared to my tasco varmint. |
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Chris Farris
TEAM SWFA - Admin swfa.com Joined: October/01/2003 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 8024 |
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sscoyote's recomdation is perfect.
The Ballistic Mil-Dot reticle combines a standard Mil-Dot with a special Burris design on the lower vertical crosshair that automatically compensates for bullet drop. The Ballistic Mil-Dot is set to provide dead-on aiming from 100 yards to 600 yards and beyond for flat shooting rifle cartridges. The other three Mil-Dot sections can be used to determine distance and help compensate for wind drift. The power ring has a calibration mark set at roughly 14 power which provides the trajectory compensation as shown in the table. Or, you can alter the magnification and make your own calibration mark.
Simply Stated
Technically Stated |
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Thanks everyone, I guess its off to the gun shop again to have another look thru some scopes, ie the ballistic Mil Dot. Bigwhite |
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sscoyote
Optics Journeyman Joined: October/05/2004 Status: Offline Points: 328 |
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U can very simply use the zeroing system supplied by Burris, or any other company that produces ballistic reticles, but if u want to "tweak" any 1 st and 2nd focal plane reticle to get the most flexibility possible for any stadia system imaginable take a look at this guy's ballistics program-- www.perry-systems.com -- all for right around $60.
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Steve
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Well I got the scope I wanted. It doesn't have the mil dot but it has the same spacing, or the same looks, but it uses lines instead of dots. So the lines don't obscure the view. Its a 5.5-22x50 illumintated reticle, crystal clear. I got it yesterday, can't wait to get it mounted. Well when I try it out, I'll let you know how it went. Have a good one Bigwhite |
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redneckbmxer24
Optics Master Joined: June/02/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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so what did you get, NF??? wouldnt mind getting a good review on it. i think SWFA needs a review only section for rifle reviews, and optics reviews.
cory |
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If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, I'll be only one of millions!!!
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Hey Cory, ya its a night force. I looked long and hard at the Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 8.5-25x50 M1 Matte Illuminated Ret. 30mm tube. Nice scope, very clear. It had the mildots, and if you remember this thread, I had a problem with the mildots covering the target/varmint. Also with the Tikka Tactical, Its black, its tactical, the leupold just didn't have the look I was looking for and taking a felt marker and covering up the gold seemed like blasphemy. The Nightforce, in my opinion is just as clear and the reticle rocks, uses the lines instead of mildot. Illuminations is great, but from reading in the manual, you have to open the battery compartment to set what level to set it at. Its heavy, I don't know exact weight, certainly the heaviest scope I have held. The tikka is no light weight either, with the heavy barrel. I will have to get it set up and weight it out. The gun will be mostly bench/range, table/gophers, so I won't be carrying it far. I still have to get the gun. I talked to one store owner that was selling me the leupold and I told him about the NF and the price and he said grab it as fast as I could. Now I have a scope and no gun to put it on
I did a thread search on this site and came across one with Chris saying NF wouldn't sell to SWFA. I was a little concerned about talking about a product that you don't carry, conflict of interest and all. So thats the poop Let me know what you think. Also, Up here in the cold north, we are limited on what is available. Red tape and customs, duty and all that. We gotta take what we can get. Have you ever tried to buy an after market barrel for a 10/22 and all you could get was Butler Creek? Its tuff up here
Have a good one Bigwhite |
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BIGWHITE
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/10/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Well I got the Tikka, shoots great. The Tactical comes with a pictinney rail so all I needed was the rings. I got the Leupold Mark 4's, I think they are at least a pound for the set, do they ever look good. 250 Canadian, whats it cost in the states?
All I could do was the breaking in of the barrel and sighting in at 40 meters. Too cold to go to the outdoor range today.
Used PMC ammo, For the break in, brand new gun, bad lighting, and an air exchanger blowing 40 mph, I was getting 1/2 inch groups. Not bad not good, I want to take it out and see how it does at 300 meters and see what that scope is about.
The barrel is 24", I hope that helps on the accuracy. Have a good one Bigwhite |
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Dale Clifford
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: July/04/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5087 |
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You are getting 1/2" groups with PMC? Gimme that gun!!!!!
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