I am surprised not to see more chatter about this reticle on here. For LR Hunting I can't imagine a better one based on my use so far.
I started out using the various ballistic reticles, but found the drop lines rarely matched my trajectory and were lacking on effective windage hold-off's.
I progressed to primarily using my dial for vertical, but like having drop lines just in case. I lost a drop chart once stalking a 190 mule deer, which reinforced the concept of back-up. I had the Dead Hold MOA reticle, but had to guess for wind.
I have also found that some times a deer or elk doesn't exactly stand still so the need to adjust slightly on the go or as wind shifts can be helpful, as does the need to move faster than the dial and shoot concept allows.
This reticle, while busy looking, was surprisingly intuitive in my first try-out last night. New custom 7mm Mag. 3 different loads. Shot the last 1.5 hours of light to check zero, then quick 200 yd group, then right to 500 yds to try a quick ladder test. I live near some blm ground and can shoot out as far as I want, but it's not an organized range. I deal with draws in my range, so wind shifts a lot. Good practice.
I managed to shoot a .8", 200 yard(.4moa) group for my first 3 shot's after confirming 1 shot for zero at 25 yds.
This was my first go round with a FFP reticle and I liked it. I didn't have time to go back and forth to measure distances for scope adjustments for zero, but reticle allowed for quick measurements at all distances. Even at full power, the small "floating" dot used for the center crosshair was fine enough even at 500 yards to easily see the outside of the 3" orange bullseyse all the way around to know I was centered. The drop and windage mark's were marked with numbers just enough, typically at 2 moa, to quickly verify exact distances so as to not worry which line to use. No lines seemed too thick like some can be.
Of course I checked the tracking of the click adjustments which seemed spot on, which is the norm with these Vortex Viper series scopes, of which this one is my 4th.
I was worried, that I might hate this reticle if I for some crazy reason decided to carry this rifle into some timber while whitetail hunting in N Idaho and jumped a buck at close range with the thin reticle, especially on low power with FFP(very small), but the very thick outside posts makes almost a peep site type effect so centering on a shoulder would be very easy even if you can't actually determine the cross hair.
My only honest issue is that the clarity of the glass in the Vortex Viper HS line is not at the level of my Zeiss. I swear my 6.5x20 Conquest is as clear as my Swaro HD spotter. But, the resolution was more than fine for fine shot placement on a fluorescent orange circle in 3-5mph wind at 500 yds with only about 40 min of light remaining. Finding the shoulder of a mule deer or elk even at 1000 yd's would have been NO problem. This is why, as long as I can focus my rifle scopes, overall resolution on my rifle scopes is almost the lowest priority I have, vs having reliable adjustments and a way to adjust for the shot at hand in the field. My swaro spotter is available to mark .284 inch holes at 500-800yds, which is unnecessary with my Zeiss riflescope.
So, for me, I like and recommend this reticle and scope. I see the Christmas Tree for windage holdoff's when using the vertical drop lines could be the difference for taking a deer/elk that I might not be able to if I had to take time to dial to dope.
PS For anyone who debates on using the LR line of Vortex scopes due to the .5 moa vertical adjustments as being too big, for true hunting situations they are absolutely no issue, at least not as far as 1000yds. Been using them for 5 years with no hassles. If you think about it, you'll never be more than .25moa from where you want to, so what is 2.5" at 1000 yds on deer/elk.
I started out using the various ballistic reticles, but found the drop lines rarely matched my trajectory and were lacking on effective windage hold-off's.
I progressed to primarily using my dial for vertical, but like having drop lines just in case. I lost a drop chart once stalking a 190 mule deer, which reinforced the concept of back-up. I had the Dead Hold MOA reticle, but had to guess for wind.
I have also found that some times a deer or elk doesn't exactly stand still so the need to adjust slightly on the go or as wind shifts can be helpful, as does the need to move faster than the dial and shoot concept allows.
This reticle, while busy looking, was surprisingly intuitive in my first try-out last night. New custom 7mm Mag. 3 different loads. Shot the last 1.5 hours of light to check zero, then quick 200 yd group, then right to 500 yds to try a quick ladder test. I live near some blm ground and can shoot out as far as I want, but it's not an organized range. I deal with draws in my range, so wind shifts a lot. Good practice.
I managed to shoot a .8", 200 yard(.4moa) group for my first 3 shot's after confirming 1 shot for zero at 25 yds.
This was my first go round with a FFP reticle and I liked it. I didn't have time to go back and forth to measure distances for scope adjustments for zero, but reticle allowed for quick measurements at all distances. Even at full power, the small "floating" dot used for the center crosshair was fine enough even at 500 yards to easily see the outside of the 3" orange bullseyse all the way around to know I was centered. The drop and windage mark's were marked with numbers just enough, typically at 2 moa, to quickly verify exact distances so as to not worry which line to use. No lines seemed too thick like some can be.
Of course I checked the tracking of the click adjustments which seemed spot on, which is the norm with these Vortex Viper series scopes, of which this one is my 4th.
I was worried, that I might hate this reticle if I for some crazy reason decided to carry this rifle into some timber while whitetail hunting in N Idaho and jumped a buck at close range with the thin reticle, especially on low power with FFP(very small), but the very thick outside posts makes almost a peep site type effect so centering on a shoulder would be very easy even if you can't actually determine the cross hair.
My only honest issue is that the clarity of the glass in the Vortex Viper HS line is not at the level of my Zeiss. I swear my 6.5x20 Conquest is as clear as my Swaro HD spotter. But, the resolution was more than fine for fine shot placement on a fluorescent orange circle in 3-5mph wind at 500 yds with only about 40 min of light remaining. Finding the shoulder of a mule deer or elk even at 1000 yd's would have been NO problem. This is why, as long as I can focus my rifle scopes, overall resolution on my rifle scopes is almost the lowest priority I have, vs having reliable adjustments and a way to adjust for the shot at hand in the field. My swaro spotter is available to mark .284 inch holes at 500-800yds, which is unnecessary with my Zeiss riflescope.
So, for me, I like and recommend this reticle and scope. I see the Christmas Tree for windage holdoff's when using the vertical drop lines could be the difference for taking a deer/elk that I might not be able to if I had to take time to dial to dope.
PS For anyone who debates on using the LR line of Vortex scopes due to the .5 moa vertical adjustments as being too big, for true hunting situations they are absolutely no issue, at least not as far as 1000yds. Been using them for 5 years with no hassles. If you think about it, you'll never be more than .25moa from where you want to, so what is 2.5" at 1000 yds on deer/elk.
