Litehiker
Well-Known Member
I think I have discovered the main requirements for a good LR hunting reticle.
(DISCLAIMER: I want mil/mil in an FFP scope)
1. Ease of use-> not too many subtentions (hash marks) An example of that type of reticle is NF's "Mil-C" reticle. Way too busy.
2. Ranging capability-> If your rangefinder goes tits up you need to use the reticle for ranging. Therefore it must have hash marks in mil radian or MOA.
3. Illumination-> Never thought I'd want this feature... until I tried it against a dark background
4. Xmas tree reticle-> After competing with an H59 reticle I'm sold on its speed and accuracy, especially for follow-up shots and wind holds. Try 'holding in space' without this reticle. You'd be forced to dial and that takes time.
Regarding Xmas tree reticles: A very few on this site have said, "Holding with a Xmas tree reticle gets you off the scope's 'optical center' and that can create distortion." NOPE! If you dial the hold you are still "off the optical center". Good scopes will have no distortion either way.
So with all of these requirements (and my budget) I bought a Bushnell LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 scope with an illuminated G3 reticle. Yeah, long at 14 inches but it ticks off all other boxes for LR hunting in a relatively light rig of a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro. I used Talley rings with a bubble level in the rear ring.
Had I another $800. to spare the NF NX8 with the Mil XT reticle would have been my choice. IT may be the very best LR scope now available when ruggedness is considered along with the quality.
Eric B.
(DISCLAIMER: I want mil/mil in an FFP scope)
1. Ease of use-> not too many subtentions (hash marks) An example of that type of reticle is NF's "Mil-C" reticle. Way too busy.
2. Ranging capability-> If your rangefinder goes tits up you need to use the reticle for ranging. Therefore it must have hash marks in mil radian or MOA.
3. Illumination-> Never thought I'd want this feature... until I tried it against a dark background
4. Xmas tree reticle-> After competing with an H59 reticle I'm sold on its speed and accuracy, especially for follow-up shots and wind holds. Try 'holding in space' without this reticle. You'd be forced to dial and that takes time.
Regarding Xmas tree reticles: A very few on this site have said, "Holding with a Xmas tree reticle gets you off the scope's 'optical center' and that can create distortion." NOPE! If you dial the hold you are still "off the optical center". Good scopes will have no distortion either way.
So with all of these requirements (and my budget) I bought a Bushnell LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 scope with an illuminated G3 reticle. Yeah, long at 14 inches but it ticks off all other boxes for LR hunting in a relatively light rig of a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro. I used Talley rings with a bubble level in the rear ring.
Had I another $800. to spare the NF NX8 with the Mil XT reticle would have been my choice. IT may be the very best LR scope now available when ruggedness is considered along with the quality.
Eric B.