What reticle is most important to you?

[BigBlue 94]

@Sniper66

That selection of reticles is from the old Pecar Berlin scopes out of Germany.

 

[Sniper66]

My brother was stationed in Germany for several years when he was in the Army. He bought several Pecar scopes that still sit atop his rifles and never need to be adjusted. They are steel tubes, fairly heavy, and very precise. His are all simple cross hairs. I've looked for Pecar and cannot find any with #4 reticles.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I cant exactly recall which reticle my Pecar has, but I think its a #2. It sits atop a 1916 Gew. 98 from JP Sauer and Sohn that was sportsterized back in the 50s. Has an unbranded side mount quick detatch base. Scope is as bright and clear as my Leupolds.

 

[jmorris]

Depends on what I am doing with an optic. I have and use some real cheap stuff that does the job it’s intended to do and some real expensive stuff for other jobs that require more resolution or maybe just the ability to see at all.

Even some things that are pretty expensive that don’t seem like they could be shot accurately at all.



That are fine for the job they are used for. High left shot was 1st for zero, then the other 3 to ensure that’s where they were going to go.

 

[jmr40]

I've come to appreciate a scope with multiple aiming points. Most are intended to zero the primary crosshair at 100 yards and then use each successive mark for 200, 250, 300, 400, yards etc., depending on the scope. Of course it is impossible for them to be perfect with every cartridge/bullet combo.

You have to get out and shoot at varying ranges to determine exactly where your bullets will impact with each mark. For example my 308 is close enough to not worry about out to 300 yards. At 400 yards I'm hitting about 4" lower than point of aim which isn't terribly hard to compensate for. The 4" is a lot easier to deal with than 4 FEET of bullet drop that I'd have to compensate for with a simple crosshair.

But at the same time many of those type of scopes can be too busy and some have such fine crosshairs that they are hard to see in anything other than bright daylight. But it is possible to have it both ways.

The old Burris FF-II reticle is one of my favorites.

 

[taliv]

most of my scopes are christmas trees because of the type of shooting I do. I used to shoot different types of stuff, and used different reticles.

For F-class, my fav reticle/scope was the NF benchrest NP-2D reticle, which was basically a tiny dot, with great glass and enormous magnification.

I built a pdog gun years ago. Used a Leupold VX-L extreme. had an MOA reticle you would love. turrets were 1/10th MOA adjustments (incredibly fine). If your range is limited to under 400 yards on pdogs, no real reason for a christmas tree, but I WOULD want horizontal tics for holding wind.

 

[bassjam]

Where I hunt I'll never take a shot over 50 yards on a deer, and even if I changed thing up here in SW Ohio a long shot would be 200 yards with our fields and the type of firearms we're allowed to use. A simple duplex or fine reticle work great for me.

Now with my limited ability to go long range I thought I'd give it a try with a .22lr since 200-300 yards would simulate a much longer distance with a centerfire, but I kind of screwed up and picked up a scope with a "Christmas tree" reticle set in MILS because it was a good deal, and the transition hasn't been easy for me.

 

[Chuck R.]

Where I hunt I'll never take a shot over 50 yards on a deer, and even if I changed thing up here in SW Ohio a long shot would be 200 yards with our fields and the type of firearms we're allowed to use. A simple duplex or fine reticle work great for me.

Now with my limited ability to go long range I thought I'd give it a try with a .22lr since 200-300 yards would simulate a much longer distance with a centerfire, but I kind of screwed up and picked up a scope with a "Christmas tree" reticle set in MILS because it was a good deal, and the transition hasn't been easy for me.

Have you tried using an APP like Strelok? The reticle view goes a long way in helping make sense of the MIL Dot:

 

[bassjam]

Have you tried using an APP like Strelok? The reticle view goes a long way in helping make sense of the MIL Dot:

View attachment 1036198

No but I've seen similar charts out there. I'm not really into getting all that "tactical" to the point I need an app, plus if it requires data while using my range is in a valley that doesn't get cell service.

 

[Chuck R.]

No but I've seen similar charts out there. I'm not really into getting all that "tactical" to the point I need an app, plus if it requires data while using my range is in a valley that doesn't get cell service.

Doesn't "Need" data, but can use good current weather data; Temp, Humidity, pressure (Or altitude), wind speed and direction to provide the best firing solution. I use a Kestrel that talks to my tablet/phone and interacts with the Strelok app.

I don't look at it as "tactical" as I do as an aid to making 1st round hits at distance. The app has multiple reticles and the reticle view does a great job of helping the shooter "visualize' the correct hold based on the optic they're using. Another neat feature is the ability to estimate your MV by comparing "should hit, VS did hit data ("field artillery speak for conducting a registration to correct for an unknown or an error in the 5 requirements for "accurate predicted fire").

Based on your 50-200 max range comment, it's overkill for your uses. I only mentioned it to help with your being confused with the Xmas tree reticle on your .22LR.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I've come to appreciate a scope with multiple aiming points. Most are intended to zero the primary crosshair at 100 yards and then use each successive mark for 200, 250, 300, 400, yards etc., depending on the scope. Of course it is impossible for them to be perfect with every cartridge/bullet combo.

You have to get out and shoot at varying ranges to determine exactly where your bullets will impact with each mark. For example my 308 is close enough to not worry about out to 300 yards. At 400 yards I'm hitting about 4" lower than point of aim which isn't terribly hard to compensate for. The 4" is a lot easier to deal with than 4 FEET of bullet drop that I'd have to compensate for with a simple crosshair.

But at the same time many of those type of scopes can be too busy and some have such fine crosshairs that they are hard to see in anything other than bright daylight. But it is possible to have it both ways.

The old Burris FF-II reticle is one of my favorites.

View attachment 1035680

I couldn't agree more. That Burris set-up is ideal for Western huntng. Ballistic Plex I believe. Had one on my 25-06 and 7mm RM when I hunted. Probably have one in my shop.

 

[bassjam]

Doesn't "Need" data, but can use good current weather data; Temp, Humidity, pressure (Or altitude), wind speed and direction to provide the best firing solution. I use a Kestrel that talks to my tablet/phone and interacts with the Strelok app.

I don't look at it as "tactical" as I do as an aid to making 1st round hits at distance. The app has multiple reticles and the reticle view does a great job of helping the shooter "visualize' the correct hold based on the optic they're using. Another neat feature is the ability to estimate your MV by comparing "should hit, VS did hit data ("field artillery speak for conducting a registration to correct for an unknown or an error in the 5 requirements for "accurate predicted fire").

Based on your 50-200 max range comment, it's overkill for your uses. I only mentioned it to help with your being confused with the Xmas tree reticle on your .22LR.

It's not a confusion with the reticle, MILS just isn't a natural way of looking at things for me. I should have stuck with MOA.

 

[LoonWulf]

It's not a confusion with the reticle, MILS just isn't a natural way of looking at things for me. I should have stuck with MOA.

I used to, and still do sometimes feel the same way.
I have one mil scope and its on my 6.5CM that gets shot every time we go out alongside my MOA scopes. I run Strelok to get on target, and my adjustments after that are with what I'm seeing in my reticle.
It's simply working in 10s as opposed to quarters....
if I try to convert to inches or moa it becomes more difficult. Such as calling my dad's misses when I'm on my 6.5 as opposed to one of my MOA scopes.....add to the fact that my scopes sfp (which I prefer to ffp still) and it becomes even more annoying

 

[Varminterror]

if it requires data while using my range is in a valley that doesn't get cell service.

None of the apps worth using (StrelokPro, Hornady 4DoF, and AB Mobile) require a data connection while using the app.

If “tactical,” as a word, has meaning, and that meaning includes “a desire to be able to better place shots on target, enabled by improved ability to precisely hold point of aim on target, despite shooting at ranges and in winds which do not correlate to a center hold reticle picture,” then I guess I’m “tactical.” But for me, graduated reticles, especially FFP graduated reticles with Christmas trees offer a huge advantage in PRACTICAL shooting, especially hunting, where I don’t really want to spend time calculating scaling factors to correct for SFP reticle magnification and don’t want to carry a chart of proportionality for an irregularly graduated reticle to be able to deliver shots on game.

Maybe this is a better way of describing it: As an engineer with demonstrably better math skills than the average person and a trained and practiced shooter with demonstrably better practiced marksmanship than the average person, it makes absolutely no sense to me when folks say a graduated FFP reticle and a ballistic app is more complicated or more difficult to understand than an SFP BDC or Duplex. These people would have to be absolutely gifted far, far beyond my own ability to truly be able to deliver at the same ranges with a more crude toolkit. With a graduated FFP and a supporting app, punch in three numbers and you have everything you need. With an SFP BDC, you punch the same three numbers and then have to do scalar math to correct hold...

OR... you have to be satisfied by missing your point of aim by a few to several inches by under-defining the constraints of the subtensions. Which I am not - especially while hunting.

If a person simply isn’t shooting in winds or at ranges where anything but a center hold is relevant, then fine - in that circumstance, the toolkit for longer range and higher wind shooting simply isn’t relevant. For some folks, it is.

 

[Chuck R.]

It's not a confusion with the reticle, MILS just isn't a natural way of looking at things for me. I should have stuck with MOA.

I hear ya.

Luckily or unluckily I was trained in MILs and have use European scopes (Swarovski) for years, so the .25" VS .36" doesn't bother me that much when on paper. In the field or on steel at distance it's moot as you're relying on the reticle and/or turrets.

Play around with a LPVO with .5 MOA adjustments and a 1/10 MIL adjustment seems pretty "fine".

Another TTP I finds helpful is to print TGTs that are scaled to your adjustments. I had a young LTC out with his son zeroing an AR for his son to deer hunt with. Luckily this guy could shoot, so it was simple. While he shot I was spotting. After the 1st group I gave a correction, which then put the next group where it needed to be. He then asked me "how I did that". So I explained...1/4 MOA adjustments with 1 MOA tgt grid combined with a guy that can shoot = simple math.

I like to tailor my equipment to the game and go by the whole task/purpose concept when putting together equipment. So I've got different reticles depending on the game/terrain/gun. I've said it multiple times, hunting rifles to me are like golf clubs and I'm not climbing into a tree stand with a 12lb plus rifle wearing a 30-34mm tubed heavy-assed scope to shoot a deer at <100 yds any time soon.....

 

[danez71]

I like to tailor my equipment to the game and go by the whole task/purpose concept when putting together equipment. So I've got different reticles depending on the game/terrain/gun.

I think this is the right idea.

I've said it multiple times, hunting rifles to me are like golf clubs....

..... and using a putter isn't best for driving and using a driver isn't best for the sand traps.

 

[TacticalSpeed]

I like the reticle on my Primary Arms prism scopes.