Long Range Hunting with Standard Duplex Reticle

[General RE LEE]

Some of you folks saw my other thread about 7mmSTW vs 6.5 Creedmoor. I have 2 VX5HDs with the standard fire dot duplex reticle. My 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 Tikkas both have the standard Duplex reticle and I have a belief that I need a MOA style reticle to shoot game over 400 yards.

Anyone hunt long range with a standard duplex reticle? Or is a MOA style reticle a must have for wind holds.

BTW all my scopes have MOA turrets and I intend to dial based off my loads and ambient conditions.

 

[1894C]

I learned long range hunting by dialing for elevation and holding for wind. Since then I've been shooting so many matches that dialing for the wind much more reliable over a 20-30 shot match. It's not brain surgery either way. Typically in a hunting situation if I'm moving around I will dial for elevation and hold for the wind. If I'm set up overlooking an area and that's the only direction I plan to shoot, I'll dial for both of the wind is consistent. If it's gusting, again dial for elevation hold for wind.

Hope that wasn't too confusing..... I have a couple duplex fire dot scoped rifles that I hunt with out to 1100 yards in once case. Which means obviously dialing for wind.

 

[General RE LEE]

I learned long range hunting by dialing for elevation and holding for wind. Since then I've been shooting so many matches that dialing for the wind much more reliable over a 20-30 shot match. It's not brain surgery either way. Typically in a hunting situation if I'm moving around I will dial for elevation and hold for the wind. If I'm set up overlooking an area and that's the only direction I plan to shoot, I'll dial for both of the wind is consistent. If it's gusting, again dial for elevation hold for wind.

Hope that wasn't too confusing..... I have a couple duplex fire dot scoped rifles that I hunt with out to 1100 yards in once case. Which means obviously dialing for wind.

Is there a method to hold for wind on deer size game?

 

[David Emerson]

Some of you folks saw my other thread about 7mmSTW vs 6.5 Creedmoor. I have 2 VX5HDs with the standard fire dot duplex reticle. My 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 Tikkas both have the standard Duplex reticle and I have a belief that I need a MOA style reticle to shoot game over 400 yards.

Anyone hunt long range with a standard duplex reticle? Or is a MOA style reticle a must have for wind holds.

BTW all my scopes have MOA turrets and I intend to dial based off my loads and ambient conditions.

Know your animal. I cannot answer for the small cartridges as I do not use them. I am not a dialer. A 25/06, 270, 7mag, 300 mag. Sight 3 inches at a 100. 4 high at 2. on at 3. Down 8 at 4. 2 feet at 5, 4 feet at 6.

 

[1894C]

Is there a method to hold for wind on deer size game?

Not a reliable one if you're using a duplex. My hold for wind shots are using a MOAR or a TMOA reticle.

 

[David Emerson]

Not a reliable one if you're using a duplex. My hold for wind shots are using a MOAR or a TMOA reticle.

Then look at your wind charts and learn. Shoot and practice. Billy Dixon did it with black powder and waaay long range. But he had a lot of trigger time. lol

 

[1894C]

Then look at your wind charts and learn. Shoot and practice. Billy Dixon did it with black powder and waaay long range. But he had a lot of trigger time. lol

Background.


As someone who's job description includes sitting behind a rifle and aiming it at bad people, I know how to hold for wind a human torso and I know what it looks like when it goes south. When better options exist for holding for the wind why limit yourself to a duplex? If that's what you have grab the knob. I killed on average 110 deer a year through permits issued to me through my state wildlife agency. This game is about variables. Dare I say I have plenty of trigger time... and a lot of burnt barrels to prove it.


Lastly, you don't learn anything from a wind chart. Just like setting a BDC equivalent knob on a rifle doesn't make it a precision rifle. You learn To shoot in the wind from shooting in the wind there is no replacement for experience.

 

[David Emerson]

I agree. So many typewriter warriors say a lot but have little experience. Yes there are better options than a duplex but if that is all you have you can still make it work. At 1k? Maybe not but at reasonable hunting ranges you can make it work. And I am glad you said with experience. I make rifles for people that are and were in your trade.

 

[rustyshackleford]

I bought a Zeiss V4 4-16x44 for the off chance at a longer shot. I purposely got the duplex because at my self imposed limit of 500 it's not going to be a factor in the conditions I'd take a shot that far. If I can see a feel signs of a breeze I'm not opposed to favoring a few inches one way or the other with my duplex. However, I don't get enough trigger time to be holding off in space because the grass is laid over from gale force winds.

 

[Wolf01]

Some of you folks saw my other thread about 7mmSTW vs 6.5 Creedmoor. I have 2 VX5HDs with the standard fire dot duplex reticle. My 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 Tikkas both have the standard Duplex reticle and I have a belief that I need a MOA style reticle to shoot game over 400 yards.

Anyone hunt long range with a standard duplex reticle? Or is a MOA style reticle a must have for wind holds.

BTW all my scopes have MOA turrets and I intend to dial based off my loads and ambient conditions.

I do use my duplex on my 3006 via Kentucky windage out to 800. I would never shoot at an animal past 400 that way. Dial it up. But the duplex does work.

 

[Blacktail63]

Leopold can change out your reticle for about a 100$. Call their Pro shop.

 

[General RE LEE]

Leopold can change out your reticle for about a 100$. Call their Pro shop.

Thank you. I might do that in the off season.

 

[73driver]

I hunt with a very light weight REM 700 270 win and in keeping with light I mounted a Swarovski Z3 3-9X36 scope. By using the Strelock PRO phone app I can set my scope power to 5X and the top of the thick post (the one making up the lower duplex quadrant) becomes my 500 yard hold. It is doable but is limited to maybe 500-550 yards depending on scope and duplex design.

 

[David Emerson]

There are far better shooters than me on this site. I do like the mildot scopes for longer range