Reticle Choice

[SamT1]

Mil dot for me. I used to like the duplex, but I’m leading the art of mil dot ranging and it’s working nicely for me.
I dial in for the shot and just use dots for ranging. I’ve had some pretty fantastic results on coyotes already. My success rate on 300-600 yard coyote shots has gone through the roof. Vs guessing based on landmarks and stuff. Most the cowboys around here let them go past 300 so one will stand at 500 or more for me and let me range him with the dots and do my math and stuff, it’s quite a good time.

If I was on a elk hunt and one appeared I’d much rather dial in a 350 yard shot than Kentucky windage him. My 308 is zeroed at 50 yards and comes back to zero at 200 ( scope 3” above bore) so range for a good distance (+\- 25 yards is my level now with mil) and dial it up. That way your removing variables. Mainly the Kentucky windage. That makes up for your “buck fever” and not shooting in a controlled environment.

At 350 I’m 4.5 moa. That’s 16” of holdover that’s compounded by field conditions

 

[Varminterror]

As often as I see folks pretending 350yrds is point blank range, it illustrates to me how few folks actually shoot that far. Even with a super high BC and high velocity - for example, a 162grn ELD in 7mm Rem Mag with .631 BC and 2950fps is 6.5” below a 200yrd zero at 300, and a foot below at 350.

I’ve taken over a dozen elk, not one had a 2ft diameter lung. A guy has to hold over or dial for 350, really even 300, even with magnum cartridges.

 

[cdb1]

As often as I see folks pretending 350yrds is point blank range, it illustrates to me how few folks actually shoot that far. Even with a super high BC and high velocity - for example, a 162grn ELD in 7mm Rem Mag with .631 BC and 2950fps is 6.5” below a 200yrd zero at 300, and a foot below at 350.

I’ve taken over a dozen elk, not one had a 2ft diameter lung. A guy has to hold over or dial for 350, really even 300, even with magnum cartridges.

Which is why I’ve taken one shot past 300 yards on an animal in my life and the vast majority have been under 250. I got lucky twice with the one elk I killed way back in 1984. The shot was around 120 yards and I wasn’t aware it takes a super premium bullet to kill elk. The 150 grain Core-Lokt in .270 did the job, from what I read today they normally just bounce off elk and deer.

 

[1911 guy]

Large animals and 350 yard maximum gain nothing by using BDC or Mil-Dot reticles. Duplex or #4, based on your personal preference. My preference is Duplex.

My favorite West Virginia deer cartridge is .308 Winchester. Dial dead nuts at 300 yards. Tape a dope sheet to the stock in 50 yard increments from 25 to 400. With my current level of skill, I have no business shooting at an animal past 400 under any conditions, even perfect conditions. The vast majority of shots I've taken on deer have been under 200 yards. The area I hunt in W.V. is wooded and hilly enough that anything more is highly unusual. Here in Ohio, it's not likely to be over 100 yards.

The 100 yard zero is convenient because most shooting ranges are 100 yards. But in actual use, the common North American large game calibers are easier to use with a 300 yard zero. 30/30 may be an exception to this, but I know next to diddly squat about 30/30.