Mildot Ranging

308Bronco

Active Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
31
Location
Eastern Washington
Hi everyone, I have a question about the use of mildots. I can understand the theory and have used it to some extent,I do find some faults with it . If one were to sight in for 200yds using only the center of the crosshair, then use each mildot for a holdover, what kind of problems can be expected? My scope says to use the mildot feature while on 9x, but does this really have an effect? BTW this is on my 22/250 with a 6 x18 Nikon. I was just wondering if I should get more in tune with the formula for using the mildot. Thanks in advance for all the input. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
My personal experience has been dirt poor w/ranging and mil dots. Spent 20 min ranging a nice 5x5 bull (couldn't shoot - wrong tag /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif) Ranged and reranged. Finally settled on 695 yards.

Two weeks later I owned a Leica LRF. Went back to that spot. LRF said 365. Couldn't belive it so I ranged it both ways.

I'd say Mil Dots are good for ranging standard sized targets. I was doing real well with a 3' orange foam rubber thing. But elk come in nonstandard sizes.

Just my penny's worth....
 
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My scope says to use the mildot feature while on 9x, but does this really have an effect? BTW this is on my 22/250 with a 6 x18 Nikon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, Use the mildot at 9x power, because if you change the magnification you will change the distance between mildots.

Another option is to play with exball, or another software to see the bullet drop at variable powers, and stay stick with one.

About ranging with mildot, IT IS GREAT IF YOUR TARGET HAVE CONSTANT SIZE. If you apply this theory to big games it will not work, because every animal have different sizes as humans.

Use mildot ranging just at known target size.(paper, car rims, stop signs), but unfortunatedly you will never have this situation while you are hunting.

Chris
 
"Use mildot ranging just at known target size.(paper, car rims, stop signs), but unfortunatedly you will never have this situation while you are hunting."

Not true! It's no problem when the elk is standing next to the stop sign.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'm pretty new to this long range stuff so take my words with a grain of salt...

I was playing with my mil-dot scope the other day, also on a 22-250, and it didn't take me long to determine that for ranging while hunting I don't think there are worth a durn for the reasons stated above! Just my opinion.

Then, (beginners lesson) I was plinking at a dirt bank ~600 yards and determined my hold over using the mil-dots, the shot looked good but I wanted to see better so I cranked my scope up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif, same "mil-dot" hold over and I hit about 7 feet low!!! OOps, forgot that whole first focal plane, second focal plane thing. My bad.

I guess I'm just going to have to do the same as EVERYBODY else and learn "clicks." And they say the difference between humans and animals is humans can learn from OTHER'S mistakes. Not me I guess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Here's an opinion from someone who uses them quite often. Everyone so far is correct. You need to know the size of your target for the ranging to be accurate. Even then, it takes a lot of practice to get proficient with it. Don't expect to go out once or twice and be able to range within 10 yds of actual distance.

Also, the magnification that the reticle is calibrated for is extremely important. Some scopes are slightly off, so you should calibrate your setting using a yard stick at 100 yds.

All new scopes that I buy are now mildot or some variant. I use them for ranging targets when competing in sniper matches where the target is at an unknown distance and rangefinders are not permitted. Outside of that arena I do not use them for ranging. However, I use it quite frequently to hold for wind and follow-up shots. For instance, when I varmint hunt, I dial my elevation after using the rangefinder. Because wind shifts quite frequently, I typically use the mildot reticle to hold for wind. If I miss and see the impact, I can quickly adjust my hold using the mildot reticle and follow up with a second shot much sooner than making turret adjustments. This allows me to get a shot off potentially before the groundhog goes into his hole, as well as fire again before the wind conditions change.

Bottom line: the mildot reticle is not just for ranging. It can be a very helpful tool if you are proficient using it.

BTW, there are better options than the standard mildot. Leupold's TMR or Nightforce's NP-R2 are just a couple. They offer much more granularity, which increases their accuracy.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty new to this long range stuff so take my words with a grain of salt...

I was playing with my mil-dot scope the other day, also on a 22-250, and it didn't take me long to determine that for ranging while hunting I don't think there are worth a durn for the reasons stated above! Just my opinion.

Then, (beginners lesson) I was plinking at a dirt bank ~600 yards and determined my hold over using the mil-dots, the shot looked good but I wanted to see better so I cranked my scope up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif, same "mil-dot" hold over and I hit about 7 feet low!!! OOps, forgot that whole first focal plane, second focal plane thing. My bad.

I guess I'm just going to have to do the same as EVERYBODY else and learn "clicks." And they say the difference between humans and animals is humans can learn from OTHER'S mistakes. Not me I guess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Colby,

Give me your email addres to send to you my ballistic software for mildot ranging and holdovers, and cosine angle.
Also you have the option to setup different power scope, and you will get all the MILS for holdovers.

It is a peija excell modified for mildot and cosine. I used mine on TX palm, and it is very handy.

Chris
 
Everyone thanks for all the input. Colby sounds like we are having the same problems. I had the same thing happen and thats what got me to thinking. Craig and RUM , I totally agree on non standard size targets out in the field. To bad coyotes and magpies dont have hubcaps around their necks..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I do use them for holdover when shooting at a songdog , so far its working good. Around here a still coyote is either dumb,dead or very lucky........ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif RUM what is the software that shows you clicks and holdover for each dot?
 
Learning the mil-dot system for rangefinding is a better system than guessing the range, no question, but i wouldn't rely on it for big game though, as mentioned. There's nothing wrong with using it at the scope's highest magnification though. It will be more accurate than ranging at the calibrated magnification. It would roughly be 1.8 inch per hundred yards (2X 9 power= 1/2 the reticle subtension). Oddly i couldn't find the 6-18X with a mil-dot in either the '07, or '06 catalog. Nice thing about the Nikon catalogs is that they give u the exact subtension of the mil-dot at lowest, calibrated, and highest powers.
 
Nightforce np2rr

I think that is what it is , np something or the other with some 2's and R's in there .

Whatever , I like it , I like it a lot !! Ranged my 4x8 piece of plywood that was at a known distance ( Swaro 8x30 laser ) Plywood on its side , so , 48 inches divided by 4 moa ( marked divisions on scope are 2 moa ) equals 12 , so x 100 .....voila !! 1200 yds . Ok then , lets see , a prarire dog , we'll call the little rodent 12 inches tall ( a really big' un ) .He's taking up 2 moa in my NF set at 22 ( the ranging power ) So ,

12 inches divided by 2 ( moa necessary to bracket him ) equals 6 . Multiply this by 100 and I have my yardage to the little bugger . Daaaanng !! that cant be right cuz I did it .

This will be great tool for my pd forays as the flat country does not lend itself to accurate laser use unles there are vertical components to provide a good retunn read .

Jimmba
 
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Jimm, according to Leupold's range estimating system, they've calculated the avg. adult pr. dog at 7.3" sitting to work for their VH reticle. Please let us know how well the ranging works for u. I have used the VH reticle to range a buck antelope once at close to 400 yds., and i wasn't too far off really, as i remember. I used a plex reticle in a Burris 4-12X Mini, and successfully ranged a buck antelope @ 725 yds. once (short 10 yards). But by "reverse milling", it can easily be seen how lucky i was at that range, especially with that reticle.
 
Bottom line: Mildots suck for HUNTING. Few shooters use them correctly. And apparently nobody can keep MILS/MOA/INCHES straight.
Not even scope makers..

There are great examples of this posted here.
Example:
A 12" target@ 2MOA...
He used the NF rule of thumb:
12/2*100 = 600yds
I have seen US Optics use this as well(within a week).
They are wrong.

NF is in MOA, so 12/(1.047*2)*100 = 573yds
This is a huge error with a kill zone of only a few inches.

Someone else talking about how holding off with Mildots was so much easier.. Than what? Holding off with a crosshair reticle? Look, if you just shoot & shoot & shoot until you finally hit something, no reticle will help you over another. Just how far exactly were you holding off with them Mildots?

It's madness that this comes up every few days on this site.
 
Bottom line: Mildots suck for HUNTING. Few shooters use them correctly. And apparently nobody can keep MILS/MOA/INCHES straight.
Not even scope makers..

It's madness that this comes up every few days on this site.


Why don't you just admit that you don't know how to do it.


There are great examples of this posted here.
Example:
A 12" target@ 2MOA...
He used the NF rule of thumb:
12/2*100 = 600yds
I have seen US Optics use this as well(within a week).
They are wrong.

NF is in MOA, so 12/(1.047*2)*100 = 573yds
This is a huge error with a kill zone of only a few inches.

The error is three inches. What is so huge about three inches of vertical? Would a person miss a prairie dog with a three inch vertical error?
 
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