Using MOA hash marks for hold over

[drespecki]

I am looking into the Viper PST for the power and illumination features as well as the MOA reticle which has nicely spaced hashmarks on the SSP 6-24 scope. What is the best way to determine hold over for each hashmark besides shooting myself a dedicated chart?
I will likely set the scope for shooting at 18x for long range shots so that constant will remain for each hashmark on the SFP reticle.. Any close up shots in 6x will be good to go right on the center crosshair for inside of 200 yards.

Had a Swarovski that had a dedicated schedule for each hashmark and my .270 load of 130 grains and would like to set up a simular plan...

To make things even better, I could have 2 schedules, one for 12x and one for 20x on the Viper.......

 

[youngbuck]

You could have the same hold over marks for all power levels (6-24) if you went with a FFP. To start I would run your info into a balistic calculator and see what yardages the hash marks would be. I believe the PST MOA reticle is marked ever 2 moa. Assuming it was a FFP on any power level my 300RUM would be dead on at 100, 240 @ 2MOA, 340 @ 4MOA, 430 @ 6MOA, 515@ 8MOA and so on. I just ran my info through Shooter. That is at 5k ft.

 

[drespecki]

I have looked at the FFP but the reticle seems thicker and more cluttered than the one that comes on the SFP moa... Am I being too picky? Where is Shooter? An app or is it online?

 

[youngbuck]

It is an app on the android market. I'm sure there are good programs available to do this on a PC. I wish shooter came with a PC version with the android version, but I always have my phone with me. I would't trust myself to get exactly the right magnification for my drop chart. If I did opt for the SFP, I would only use the reticle when I'm maxed out or bottomed out. The turrets will adjust for drop regardless of what power you are on. I use turrets for drop and reticles for windage, when I have turrets and reticles to work with.

 

[drespecki]

I wish I could get use to dialing in ranges but being near 50, it is ingrained in my brain to do the hold overs.... I will look on the Iphone app store to see what they have...
What have all the Nightforce people that do NOT dial been doing? Those have all been SFP until just recently...

 

[youngbuck]

I too, at one time, didn't think moving my "zero" was a good idea. I eventually pulled my Swaro w/ TDS reticle of my 300RUM and replaced it with a Vortex. The good scope manufactures build scopes designed to do this. I don't know anyone using a reticle for drop in a nightforce, mut there probably is some who do. I believe the program my hunting buddy uses is "ballistic" on his iphone. I prefer the shooter program with the Litz tested BCs. In all honesy, at 1k+ there is still very little difference, better than most rifles will shoot. Vortex is very helpful. I would shoot them an email or call them and ask what the subtensions are for the MOA reticle, in the SFP, at different magnifications.

 

[drespecki]

I just ran the Vortex Ballistics Calc.. It seems to vary from the Winchester ballistics by about 2 inches at the 500 yard range...

 

[youngbuck]

There is no telling what gun, length barrel, or any weather conditions that winchester had when it made its drop data. Best thing to do would be shoot through a chrony, then use that data and the conditions you usually hunt in in a ballistic program. Then go out and verify the chart. 2" isn't that much at 500. Its less than 1/2 MOA, and that is as good as most rifles can shoot. Plenty good enough for hunting to 500 IF your rifle shoots the way your balistic program predicted you to.

 

[SBruce]

I wish I could get use to dialing in ranges but being near 50, it is ingrained in my brain to do the hold overs.... I will look on the Iphone app store to see what they have...
What have all the Nightforce people that do NOT dial been doing? Those have all been SFP until just recently...

I have an older NF on a coyote rifle. It's a 22-250 and I've used it out to about 600 yds on coyotes (shot at some further, but didn't connect). That scope doesn't have any tall turrets, it's low profile but it does have the moa reticle. I just memorized my holdover and 10 mph drifts out to 600.

1moa low at 300, 3 moa at 400, 5 moa at 500, 8 moa at 600. If it was 550 I split the difference and used 6 1/2 minutes holdover, 450 yds I used 4 moa.

 

[marcbrewer]

please excuse the newbie question but I see this term "holdover" a lot.

what exactly are we talkin bout here? is it as obvious as it seems?

 

[sscoyote]

Yeah Marc, it is. Suppose u look at your verified "dope" and it says that at 475 yds, u need 5 moa of "holdover" (trajectory compensation) from whatever your zero is. U just holdover 5 of those little 1 moa marks in your scope...

but if it were me i'd calculate, test, and troubleshoot the ballistics programs zeros in MOA for the optic's highest power (~.75 MOA @ 24x). Then recalc the holdovers in 50-yd. intervals for easier interpolation. I.e. suppose u need 4.8 MOA holdover for 550 yds. that's 6.4, .75 MOA marks (4.8/.75=6.4).

Now if u want to use the optic at a lower power adjust the power to 12x, and just halve the holdover reference (assuming the scope is ~accurately cald. for power) . U could easily put that dope into a Butler Creek scope cap cover with the addtl. 12x reference info as a short concise notation like say (12=1/2).

 

[marcbrewer]

Ah yes, I figured. Thanks Senior Coyote!

I do have a lot to learn. not used to moa's or calculating but I'll get there.

I'm an old Kentucky windage shooter...LOL, but using the new tools is gonna be fun PLUS, I do kinda like the Classroom!!

thanks for you examples. It really is great how experienced shooters on this site help out less experienced shooters.

IMHO, this is how we ensure our sport grows! Helping each other out.

thanks again!

 

[Jay Kyle]

The best of both worlds is to use holdover out to about 400-500 yards - generally where you need speed!. After that dialing in will give more confidence in the shot.

For my hunting rifle I use drop cards that I build up carefully through the summer, I make them for different altitudes and keep the one I need for the trip tucked inside the butler creek cheekpad on the stock.

Jay

 

[BountyHunter]

what you are wanting is pretty easy to do with Exbal and their reticle tool.

You can set up for any power and any scope as long as you know the distances at 100 for the dots, marks, circles etc.

Here is an example. http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/no-click-lr-carry-gun-48155/

BH