Johnny Boy
Well-Known Member
When ranging an animal/target with a reticle do you range from the ground to the kill zone or just the kill zone area say belly to shoulder?
Ranging with Reticle
- Thread starter Johnny Boy
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
ICANHITHIMMAN
Well-Known Member
This comes up over and over, the general answer is YOU DON'T DO IT! Unless its just for practice and you confirming with a range finder before you send one. When I have done it, I used and average of the games chest size. I never have been able to get close like I can on a man made object like a weapon or a street sign.
Joe King
Well-Known Member
You can do it, but you have to understand that there is a margin of error the averages out to be about 5%. The most critical part is knowing the average size of what you are hunting in that area. For example where I live mature Muley bucks are pretty consistent at 18" through the chest, the largest I've personally seen was just over 19 (took 2 men and a boy to load that one up). So you use your reticle to range it out, it measures right at 3" in your reticle, so it goes 18/3=5*100+ 500yrds +-5% so he maybe at 475, or 525. if your round is flat enough to still be in the kill zone with that margin of error then your good, if not do not shoot, get closer.
So the system works, has for years Carlos Hathcock used this same system just in mills, but it definitely has some limitations. Range finders are more accurate but they to have their own set of limitations. Knowing how to use and being proficient with both
So the system works, has for years Carlos Hathcock used this same system just in mills, but it definitely has some limitations. Range finders are more accurate but they to have their own set of limitations. Knowing how to use and being proficient with both
ICANHITHIMMAN
Well-Known Member
So the system works, has for years Carlos Hathcock used this same system just in mills, but it definitely has some limitations. Range finders are more accurate but they to have their own set of limitations. Knowing how to use and being proficient with both
We are not talking about men here, we are talking game. In combat no one cares if you make a bad shot on the enemy, as long as they are out of the fight. Also last I checked no game was running around with weapons, helmets, radios of a know size. You don't need mils to range with a rectical either.
Its not ethical or good for our sport to be out there taking shots on game if you cannot confirm the range, there is to much variation in game size to guess. Its fine to practice but you cant advocate rectical ranging in a hunting situation anywhere past 300 yards the error is just to great.
Joe King
Well-Known Member
Can't? any more than you can't impose your personal ethics on others?
I can and it does work but you have to use it within reason, 300yrds I don't range no need to my trajectories are flat enough I don't need to and I'm referring to a 270 with a 150gr partition, not exactly a long range bullet, out to 500 yup it's works and works very very well. Would I leave N. central Montana and try it on a first hunt in Arizona with Couse Deer? or Blacktails in califoria, southern White tail? NO. But I know the game here lived and hunted here a very long time, I know the system and how to use it. Am I advocating using it to 1000, 1500, 2500yrds nope. In fact I explained the short comings to the system, so knowing those shortcomings anybody that can effectively learn to use it should also be able to realize when not to try. Given a high end Laser range finder though can much more easily encourage some with lacking skills to attempt it anyway. If you don't like the system don't use it but how right are you to advocate somebody not round out their understanding and skill set?
I can and it does work but you have to use it within reason, 300yrds I don't range no need to my trajectories are flat enough I don't need to and I'm referring to a 270 with a 150gr partition, not exactly a long range bullet, out to 500 yup it's works and works very very well. Would I leave N. central Montana and try it on a first hunt in Arizona with Couse Deer? or Blacktails in califoria, southern White tail? NO. But I know the game here lived and hunted here a very long time, I know the system and how to use it. Am I advocating using it to 1000, 1500, 2500yrds nope. In fact I explained the short comings to the system, so knowing those shortcomings anybody that can effectively learn to use it should also be able to realize when not to try. Given a high end Laser range finder though can much more easily encourage some with lacking skills to attempt it anyway. If you don't like the system don't use it but how right are you to advocate somebody not round out their understanding and skill set?
Joe King
Well-Known Member
ICANHITHIMMAN
Actually I'm glad you posted. You got me to thinking and made me remember why I put out the effort to learn it so long ago.
Thing is it is a shooting skill, it's a skill that can only be developed in one way and one way only. That is the same way as learning windage. At the very same time your also learning your round, your rifle, your own weaknesses, developing the fundamentals. Should a person learn and practice it on game? Hell no that's stupid! Balloons work, small game (varmints) work very very good.
So on that point there is no reason a person wanting to increase their skills set, learn to extend their effective range, and at the same time have a tool set at hand that you do not have to carry, does not rely on a battery, doesn't care about weather, and does not fail. People fail, technology fails, mechanical things fail. Knowledge however does not. So gain knowledge, increase your skillset, become better.
Actually I'm glad you posted. You got me to thinking and made me remember why I put out the effort to learn it so long ago.
Thing is it is a shooting skill, it's a skill that can only be developed in one way and one way only. That is the same way as learning windage. At the very same time your also learning your round, your rifle, your own weaknesses, developing the fundamentals. Should a person learn and practice it on game? Hell no that's stupid! Balloons work, small game (varmints) work very very good.
So on that point there is no reason a person wanting to increase their skills set, learn to extend their effective range, and at the same time have a tool set at hand that you do not have to carry, does not rely on a battery, doesn't care about weather, and does not fail. People fail, technology fails, mechanical things fail. Knowledge however does not. So gain knowledge, increase your skillset, become better.
ICANHITHIMMAN
Well-Known Member
I 100% agree that is a valuable skill and I do my self practice it on game. However I can never in good conscience shoot an animal with a guess there is to much room for error due to the variation in nature.
If it comes down to feeding your family get closer
RMulhern
Well-Known Member
It's not what people know that gets them in trouble; rather it's what they THINK THEY KNOW!!
sscoyote
Well-Known Member
I've had very good success ranging antelope out to 400-500 yds., and a few coyotes. Reticle-rangefinding is a lot of fun to play with especially on tgts. of known dimension.
Don't know too many guys who wouldn't take a poke at a 400ish coyote, and most won't KNOW the distance precisely. But since there is a "ruler" inside most optics in the form of any multi-stadia reticle, it will almost always be more accurate than just guessing. Here are a couple Utubes I put together on RRing with any multi-stadia reticle [not just milliradian]--
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNvJKBOpj08]Pt. 1) Reticle-Rangefinding Math - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozEhoNaRi2s&feature=relmfu]Pt. 2) More Reticle-Rangefinding Math Including 2nd Focal Plane Reticles. - YouTube[/ame]
Don't know too many guys who wouldn't take a poke at a 400ish coyote, and most won't KNOW the distance precisely. But since there is a "ruler" inside most optics in the form of any multi-stadia reticle, it will almost always be more accurate than just guessing. Here are a couple Utubes I put together on RRing with any multi-stadia reticle [not just milliradian]--
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNvJKBOpj08]Pt. 1) Reticle-Rangefinding Math - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozEhoNaRi2s&feature=relmfu]Pt. 2) More Reticle-Rangefinding Math Including 2nd Focal Plane Reticles. - YouTube[/ame]
