What reticle is most important to you?

[Sniper66]

I've been soliciting advice in another thread about scopes and decided to ask a different question after deciding, with your help, not to buy a Leupold I thought might be good tp replace the Rirton I don't intend to keep.. The problem with the Riton I'm getting rid of is the reticle is too fine and very difficult to see, even with good conditions, On an overcast day, forget about it. The trouble with many of the scopes these days is all "ladders" and other etchings that clutter the view.
After shopping some at a Bushnell Outlet, I came home empty handed. I got out several scoped rifles and spent several minutes looking thru them to help me think about what I really like and what is most useful. I spend many hours hunting prairie dogs and looking thru scopes. The 30 minutes I spent on my patio looking thru my scopes helped remind what works FOR ME. I let a bargain interfere with my thinking and bought a scope that annoys the hell out of me. I like clear glass and a simple duplex or T-plex. I'm an old timer. I kill prairie dogs, sometimes out to 300+ yds and like the challenge of figuring out the hold over based on my best guess about distance. Same with wind and distance combined with caliber and bullet weight. After shooting a few thousand of them with 5-6 different calibers, I gotten pretty good at it.
Now I do like crisp adjustments, no mushy crap, but I've come to despise all the hoohah. I love instinct shooting. It works for me, but I love good glass and a crisp simple cross hair that is a little wider on the outside and thin in the center. That's all I need. How about you guys??

 

[horsemen61]

I've been soliciting advice in another thread about scopes and decided to ask a different question after deciding, with your help, not to buy a Leupold I thought might be good tp replace the Rirton I don't intend to keep.. The problem with the Riton I'm getting rid of is the reticle is too fine and very difficult to see, even with good conditions, On an overcast day, forget about it. The trouble with many of the scopes these days is all "ladders" and other etchings that clutter the view.
After shopping some at a Bushnell Outlet, I came home empty handed. I got out several scoped rifles and spent several minutes looking thru them to help me think about what I really like and what is most useful. I spend many hours hunting prairie dogs and looking thru scopes. The 30 minutes I spent on my patio looking thru my scopes helped remind what works FOR ME. I let a bargain interfere with my thinking and bought a scope that annoys the hell out of me. I like clear glass and a simple duplex or T-plex. I'm an old timer. I kill prairie dogs, sometimes out to 300+ yds and like the challenge of figuring out the hold over based on my best guess about distance. Same with wind and distance combined with caliber and bullet weight. After shooting a few thousand of them with 5-6 different calibers, I gotten pretty good at it.
Now I do like crisp adjustments, no mushy crap, but I've come to despise all the hoohah. I love instinct shooting. It works for me, but I love good glass and a crisp simple cross hair that is a little wider on the outside and thin in the center. That's all I need. How about you guys??

I agree with this^^

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have been transitioning from big box store scopes to better scopes. I like clear glass too at all zoom levels and i like BDC marks too. My latest was a FFP scope. It's a SightMark Citadel 3-18x50 LR2 riflescope. I got it used for a 100.00 i love it.
https://sightmark.com/products/citadel-3-18x50-lr2-riflescope.
Another one i been impressed with is my Burris full-field E1 6,5X20X50MM. It has the The Balistic Plex E1 MV reticle. I put it on my 17 HMR just to try it out. It stayed on it. Perfect match for the rifle.
I have a Sig scope ordered too im going to thow on a 22.
Next im going to get a Vortex dimaond back im thinking.

 

[Skylerbone]

I still don’t spend enough on glass, I admit it. What I like in a hunting scope varies with application but for most of my needs a German #4 best suits me and a wide duplex is what I end up with.

More often than not newer scopes that offer a duplex reticle have shortened the heavier portion of crosshairs in favor of a wider center section. See Leupold Wind Plex as an example, which also includes a series of hash marks on the horizontal plane. I wonder if some designers ever hunt dense woods or dusk and dawn.

I still believe a VX-3i would suit your purposes but at an average street price that leaves better scopes on the table. Perhaps the discount puts things closer to even money and yet I feel less and less attached to their brand when others are trying harder with success to surpass the Golden Ring.

I gave both Bushnell and Sig the nod on a THR member’s suggestion who’s knowledge base is far beyond most here. Six purchases later I haven’t been disappointed yet.

 

[entropy]

I'm a real old timer I guess. I like fine hairs with or without a dot out to about 300 yards. (I love old weavers) For a walking/hunting gun, (my slug gun for instance) a low-power fixed duplex. Whatever you see will probably be moving on a deer drive, and they don't black out too much for still shots.
I'm less concerned about the reticle than I am about glass quality for price point. I'd love to be able to put Zeiss, Swarovski, S&B, etc. level optics on even one of my guns, because I can appreciate the top end optics, but it's just not on the table right now. Nikon used to produce fantastic bargains at the prices they were; not feature-wise, but glass quality. Wish I'd have bought more when they still were in making scopes. (I'm looking through Nikon lenses as I type this) and I wish I hadn't given the one I had on my Axis to my son with the rifle, I'll never get that one back!

 

[Sniper66]

I still don’t spend enough on glass, I admit it. What I like in a hunting scope varies with application but for most of my needs a German #4 best suits me and a wide duplex is what I end up with.

More often than not newer scopes that offer a duplex reticle have shortened the heavier portion of crosshairs in favor of a wider center section. See Leupold Wind Plex as an example, which also includes a series of hash marks on the horizontal plane. I wonder if some designers ever hunt dense woods or dusk and dawn.

I still believe a VX-3i would suit your purposes but at an average street price that leaves better scopes on the table. Perhaps the discount puts things closer to even money and yet I feel less and less attached to their brand when others are trying harder with success to surpass the Golden Ring.

I gave both Bushnell and Sig the nod on a THR member’s suggestion who’s knowledge base is far beyond most here. Six purchases later I haven’t been disappointed yet.

I've had a VX-3 and a VX-3i in the 3.5-10X and found them to be very good scopes. I ended up selling both as they were attached to rifles I sold at prices I couldn't pass up. Like you, my favorite is the German#4 and the current Tract T-Plex. The German#4 is hard to find. In looking at my rifles today, I picked out my favorite and it's a Bushnell 4200 Elite 4-16X with duplex (I think that's what they call it.). I have one on my Rem 700 VSF .223, which is my favorite centerfire p-dog gun. Can't find those anymore. The replacement is a 4500 has that current "tactical" reticle that I do not like at all.and my second faavorite is my Anschutz 1517MPR with a TRACT 4-12X T-Plex. I might gho ahead and order another Tract, but can't get it until next year. I have other really good Leupold scopes on my two of my .22s, both are VX-II 2.5-8X 33mm, They are crystal clear and never need adjustment. Great squirrel guns. I appreciate everyone's comments.

 

[Sniper66]

I've had a VX-3 and a VX-3i in the 3.5-10X and found them to be very good scopes. I ended up selling both as they were attached to rifles I sold at prices I couldn't pass up. Like you, my favorite is the German#4 and the current Tract T-Plex. The German#4 is hard to find. In looking at my rifles today, I picked out my favorite and it's a Bushnell 4200 Elite 4-16X with duplex (I think that's what they call it.). I have one on my Rem 700 VSF .223, which is my favorite centerfire p-dog gun. Can't find those anymore. The replacement is a 4500 has that current "tactical" reticle that I do not like at all.and my second faavorite is my Anschutz 1517MPR with a TRACT 4-12X T-Plex. I might gho ahead and order another Tract, but can't get it until next year. I have other really good Leupold scopes on my two of my .22s, both are VX-II 2.5-8X 33mm, They are crystal clear and never need adjustment. Great squirrel guns. I appreciate everyone's comments.

OOPS. I goofed. The 4200 is replaced by the 4500 which does have a duplex reticle...The problem yesterday is that they simply cannot get them. due to shipping delays. It is the Engage series that has the cluttered reticle.

 

[Chuck R.]

Everything boils down to Task & Purpose, so I might have a favorite depending on the use:

Deer hunting, standard distance out to 300...Standard Leupold Duplex as the thick to thin transition point is about the correct 300yd hold.

Deer hunting longer shots: Leupold FireDot BDC when used in conjunction with Strelok to verify off-sets. My Leupold VX6HD with it's BDC and CDS dial along with external windages adjustment excels for this.

Precision/Varmint: Mil (with Mil adjustments) I used to find the X-Mas tree cluttered, but I've gotten used to it. For any serious distance it's THE way to go when used with ballistic software and a Kestrel weather meter. I'd like to try an MOA reticle, but I'm too heavily invested in Mil as are the guys I shoot with.

Here's a shot of my .260 at 300 with a 10MPH 9 O'Clock (crosswind NOT in elevation calculation), not the transition pt of the duplex is my 306yd hold:



Here's the same rifle at 400, the transition pt at the "hold on hair" pt equals 400:



I would feel perfectly comfortable with a standard duplex for about 95% of the deer hunting distances where I hunt. For those other times:

 

[Sniper66]

Yes Chuck R., these are my favorite scopes. I have a Tract 22Fire 4-12X with BDC and one with T-Plex. I prefer the T-Plex. With deer I have duplex reticles, the longest shot I've taken is 200 yds. Where I hunt most of mine have been <100yds. Shooting out of a ground blind with a BOG Death Grip tripod makes for a very steady rest. My .243 reloads can hit a dime at 100yds with my set-up, which makes shot placement almost anywhere you choose. A Bushnell 4200 with duplex sits atop my .243. Every deer I've killed in the last 4-5 years has dropped in it's tracks.

 

[Varminterror]

It’s always Christmas around here.

 

[Sniper66]

It’s always Christmas around here.

View attachment 1035238

View attachment 1035239

View attachment 1035242

View attachment 1035243

These are the ones that drive me nuts!

 

[Varminterror]

These are the ones that drive me nuts!

I was hosted with several other folks at the home of a colleague a few months ago - a guy I have known as a competitor, a customer, and a coworker in the same industry for around 15 years, but who, without our industry osmosis, I doubt would have become a friend - if that’s what we would be considered now. Arriving on an earlier flight than the bulk of the group for the few days’ visit, our host and one other colleague - a true friend of mine - sat and shared a beer on the Thursday afternoon, and our host mentioned his frustration in finding someone to install new lighting before the party, so it wasn’t fully prepared. Everything was in hand, except the labor to do the installation - so my colleague and I suggested we grab a few more beers and his toolbox to finish the task ourselves.

Unfortunately, upon retrieving his “toolbox,” which only contained a scuffless framing hammer, a crescent wrench, and an 8” long slot head screwdriver, and a handful of odds and ends Allen keys which we assumed were accumulated from various “tools included” cabinet or such kits, we realized...

Not all folks find utility for the same tools, so not all folks find themselves needing or owning the same toolkit.

I make regular use of my graduated reticles, so I regularly purchase them to have on hand. Mentioning the since discontinued Bushnell Elite line of scopes, I’m reminded of the 250 yard shot which tipped over my Kansas buck in 2011, using an Elite 3200 with a simple duplex reticle. Holding over 30” - 11.5moa - in the reticle was well practiced at that time, but it certainly would have been FAR easier to accomplish with a graduated reticle, or dialable turret.

 

[Sniper66]

Yep, different strokes for different folks. My best rifle shooting buddy loves all the technical equipment and he wins shooting competitions with his equipment, knowledge, and skill.....all of which he has in abundance. He is the one who convinced me to try the Riton scope I am now selling. The ladders, graduated reticles, etc. just do not work for me. I've been with my buddy when he has dialed in and video taped a prairie dog shot at 287 yds as demonstration of his technical skill. I've killed dogs at longer distances ( one at 326 yds) with my strategy. But, I have also seen my buddy stalk a deer in open prairie country by following swales between low hills and crawling about 50 yards, then placing the shot behind the ear of a fat doe. He did that with skill and a plain duplex reticle. He loves both. The spaghetti reticles.........what can I say? Not for me.

 

[danez71]

I've been soliciting advice in another thread about scopes and decided to ask a different question after deciding, with your help, not to buy a Leupold I thought might be good tp replace the Rirton I don't intend to keep.. The problem with the Riton I'm getting rid of is the reticle is too fine and very difficult to see, even with good conditions, On an overcast day, forget about it. The trouble with many of the scopes these days is all "ladders" and other etchings that clutter the view.
After shopping some at a Bushnell Outlet, I came home empty handed. I got out several scoped rifles and spent several minutes looking thru them to help me think about what I really like and what is most useful. I spend many hours hunting prairie dogs and looking thru scopes. The 30 minutes I spent on my patio looking thru my scopes helped remind what works FOR ME. I let a bargain interfere with my thinking and bought a scope that annoys the hell out of me. I like clear glass and a simple duplex or T-plex. I'm an old timer. I kill prairie dogs, sometimes out to 300+ yds and like the challenge of figuring out the hold over based on my best guess about distance. Same with wind and distance combined with caliber and bullet weight. After shooting a few thousand of them with 5-6 different calibers, I gotten pretty good at it.
Now I do like crisp adjustments, no mushy crap, but I've come to despise all the hoohah. I love instinct shooting. It works for me, but I love good glass and a crisp simple cross hair that is a little wider on the outside and thin in the center. That's all I need. How about you guys??

Same for me for the same reasons.

I do believe the tree types have their place and I just may get one if/when I start shooting amongst distances more often.

But for now, Kentucky windage adds to the fun and, I believe, makes me a better shooter in the types of shooting I do.

 

[lightman]

For target shooting and competition I like a fine crosshair. For hunting at close range or in poor light I like a Duplex with a fine center. For long range I like a standard MilDot. I've learned to range with a MilDot and I'm comfortable with one.

 

[Skylerbone]

My first Christmas Tree was a very simple affair with yardage markers to 800 yards and wind holes at 5 & 10 mph. The reticle was dependent on some generalized ballistics using the 164gr SMK as a standard but worked well with similar calibers.

A simple range finder and reasonable wind call was all that was necessary to hit vitals on medium to large game. It worked well enough to build confidence in smarter reticle design which has lead me to a few more over the years. Having an app that makes short work of interpreting everything makes the venture more compelling still.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I prefer a German #2 reticle, but #1 will suffice. A duplex is also fine. I have better than 20/20 vision, but have issues focusing at things closer than 6" from my eyes. I cant use binoculars without closing one eye.

 

[LoonWulf]

I like graduation on the vertical and horizontal.....im even ok with nikons circle bdc when ive been using them enough.

Im getting used to the Christmas tree in my x5 conquer, but its not my favorite.....i havent spent enough time behind it to get good at ignoring the parts i dont need when i don't need them yet.
My eye likes to get distracted still.

 

[JFrank]

I have the second focal plane version of this scope. It works really well for ranging or hold over solutions. No complaints just busier than I like for targets, I haven't tried it much for deer until recently.

 

[red rick]

I like duplex up to 100 yards . BDC past 100 yards .

 

[Sniper66]

I prefer a German #2 reticle, but #1 will suffice. A duplex is also fine. I have better than 20/20 vision, but have issues focusing at things closer than 6" from my eyes. I cant use binoculars without closing one eye.

View attachment 1035445

I prefer a German #2 reticle, but #1 will suffice. A duplex is also fine. I have better than 20/20 vision, but have issues focusing at things closer than 6" from my eyes. I cant use binoculars without closing one eye.

I would love to try #5. Any idea who sells these?

 

[LoonWulf]

I want to say I've seen that reticle in an old fix power German scope, but otherwise I've never seen it in person or in an ad.

 

[cdb1]

My two rimfire scopes have standard duplex reticles which is fine with me. I prefer German #4’s on centerfire rifles. Five of my scopes have German #4’s. The two that don’t I couldn’t get with a German #4, a VX-2 3-9x40 and a Bushnell Elite 4200 3-9x40. One of my scopes has an Illuminated German #4, it doesn’t get any better than that for me.

I’m like entropy in that if I could afford it all of my scopes would be Leica or S&B, even on my Model 60.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have learned how to use and practiced using Horus type reticles. That and in conjunction learning up on the theory of long range shooting, I pretty well realized that maybe in a different set of personal circumstances, I could live that life. Not right now though.

I like a simple duplex myself. I am a MPBR type shooter (for now) and primarily a hunter before a shooter and do not want any busyness with my crosshair.

 

[Chuck R.]

I like graduation on the vertical and horizontal.....im even ok with nikons circle bdc when ive been using them enough.

Im getting used to the Christmas tree in my x5 conquer, but its not my favorite.....i havent spent enough time behind it to get good at ignoring the parts i dont need when i don't need them yet.
My eye likes to get distracted still.

IMHO the "key" to liking the X-Mas tree reticle.

When we get together to shoot our precision rigs we normally do 2 iterations from each position on multiple tgts. 1 iteration is by dialing in, the 2nd is purely reticle, in effect you get one run ignoring the parts you don't need, then the next using them. Dialing is easier, using the reticle is faster.

I find it takes some of the "guestimation" out of using a standard Mil Dot as you've actually got aimpoints for the holds.