Mil-Dot Explained - Extensive Guide (Feedback is Appreciated)

[Target Tamers]

We have recently put together a guide on understanding Mil-Dot
(you can find it here https://www.targettamers.com/guides/mil-dot-explained/)

We have tried to make it as easy to understand as possible. With that said, eyes got blurry, mind fuzzy, and some things may have been missed. Our heads are spinning with formulas, and we tried to make it as easy to understand as possible, especially for beginners that come in not knowing a clue. This is where you guys and gals come in.
If you can take a look over the guide and see if we have missed anything, calculated anything wrong, or perhaps its correct and you love it!
Constructive criticism is appreciated, that way we can make any changes necessary to ensure it is a useful resource for everybody.
Thanks in advance.
Simon

 

[User4302021]

We have recently put together a guide on understanding Mil-Dot
(you can find it here https://www.targettamers.com/guides/mil-dot-explained/)

We have tried to make it as easy to understand as possible. With that said, eyes got blurry, mind fuzzy, and some things may have been missed. Our heads are spinning with formulas, and we tried to make it as easy to understand as possible, especially for beginners that come in not knowing a clue. This is where you guys and gals come in.
If you can take a look over the guide and see if we have missed anything, calculated anything wrong, or perhaps its correct and you love it!
Constructive criticism is appreciated, that way we can make any changes necessary to ensure it is a useful resource for everybody.
Thanks in advance.
Simon

Not trying to criticize, but you asked for input....you didn't entirely define what a "Radian" is. A radian is a portion of a circle that is the same length as the radius.

The sizes of a MIL at 100 yards are wrong in your chart when talking about centimeters, as well as ALL your references when both cm's and yards are used together. A MIL at 100 yards is not 10cm etc... A MIL is 10cm at 100 METERS, 20cm at 200 METERS and so on.

Another formula for calculating distance many find easier because it works with any unit of measurment and does not rely on a constant is this:

Height of object (in whatever unit of measurement desired) X 1000 and divided by number of MILs observed through the scope.

So, the prairie dog you referenced in the article would be:
10" (.277 yards) x 1000 / 1 MIL = 277 yards.
10" (.254 meters) x 1000 / 1 MIL = 254 meters.
10" inches x 1000 / 1 MIL = 10,000 inches
10" (.833 feet) x 1000 / 1 MIL = 833 feet


I'll have to read it again several times, but the rest seems accurate.

I do have one other comment...you do explain the difference between the angular measurements and the linear ones, but the language of the text seems to conflate the two. It seems as if you expect the user to measure the distance in some linear measurement (i.e. meters or yards) and THEN decide the correction in MILS.

The proper way to think of this is to remove that unnecessary step altogether and ONLY think in the angular measurement. It matters not if the shooter's 500 yard drop is 3.2MILS and his 500 meter drop is 3.5MILS. The shooter memorizes his drop in round numbers for whatever unit of measure he chooses to use, and the linear to angular conversion never happens.

Where the error in trying to first determine a linear measurement, then convert to angular will really show up is when trying to call corrections due to wind. The shooter does not need to know at all how many feet or inches he missed by, he only needs to know how many angular scope units (MIL or MOA).

I hope this has been helpful, and I submit these thoughts with all due respect,
Good shooting!

 

[Target Tamers]

Thanks to some constructive feedback, there's a few points I need to review.

As a heads up to everybody, a poster did pick up on where I failed to put in the "meter" distances for a chart I had made. It posts distances in 100 yard increments and then follows up with 1 mil size in inches and cm. We forgot to add a column for 100 meter increments in meters to correlate with cm - innocent mistake that was forgotten to be included when producing the chart.

This is the kind of feedback I need so thank you for reading and taking the time to let me know where I can improve! This will be edited ASAP.

 

[KyCarl]

I have one of those slide rule Miladot master little things and believe it or not
it really helped?

 

[Target Tamers]

Thanks for sharing KyCarl. I've never personally used one. I'll have to put one to the test myself.