Leupold TMR Reticle

[rcs9250]

I have a Leupold MK4 6.5x20 M5 scope with the TMR reticle.


I am a little confused about something. The scope is of course first focal plane, which me. ans that ranging via use of the mil marks can be done at any power.
That of course makes it easy to not make mistakes when ranging a target
and not remembering to have it on the correct magnification.

The part that I am confused about is in the manual. On the page in the manual that shows all the mil size break down for ranging ( target size verifying) it has a a list of sizes at certain yardage for the verticle and horizontal stadias. It states that the wires will be a specific width at certain powers which can be useful in target ranging. In otherwords, it helps break down the measurement into smaller units to be more accurate.
It also has a similar yardage chart for the center square aperture in the very center of the scope where the stadia wires almost intersect. I say they almost intersect because they stop short of center leaving a clear square. Pretty small but it's clear. That aperture size is a different dimension for differing yardages.
What I don't understand is , if it's a first focal plane, why do the other mil marks remain the same but the stadias and square aperture change depending on the magnification level ?
If someone knows and responds keep it in plain english if you could. Not being an engineer it might help to keep it in every day terms or example.

Thanks,
Randy

[zoomie]

Are you looking at something like page 12 of this: http://www.leupold.com/resources/dow...ng_Reticle.pdf?

I think the manual is not just for the FFP scopes. Yours being FFP, the angular subtension of any given reticle feature is always the same.

In a SFP, everything changes with power adjustments.

[rcs9250]

Zoomie,
Yep, that's the page. On the right side of the reticle, above and below the horizontal lines their are some listed correction factors for "fine line" widths and "center square aperture" at different magnifications.
To me, I would think that if the fine line changes the mil value why wouldn't any other widths and heights of mil lines change. I talked to the factory and they said it's just the fine lines and center square aperture.
Any help would be appreciated. I'm going to take it to my 200 yard range and do some checking on known size objects to see.

Randy

[zoomie]

On the right side of the reticle, above and below the horizontal lines their are some listed correction factors for "fine line" widths and "center square aperture" at different magnifications.

Ah... Ok. I think I figured out the confusion.

In a SFP scope, the reticle is meant to be used on one power and one power only. It can be used on others, but you have to use ratios to determine subtension.

The two blocks of text about "ALL FINE LINES" and "CENTER APERTURE" give information for multiple scopes. Leupold uses different reticles in different scopes to keep the lines from being too thin or too heavy. (You'll see that phenomena in your own scope... on low power you'll have a thin reticle. On higher power, you'll have a thicker reticle.) They space the features the same distance apart on all scopes, so those measurements do not have the multiple listings like the fine lines and center do.

If you had a SFP 2-8x set on 8x, the fine lines would be .06 and the center would be .18. If you had a SFP 3.5-14x set on 14x, the fine lines would be .04 and center would be .1. And down the line.

As you have a 20x, I expect that your center is always .07x.07. Your fine lines are always .03 MIL. Because you have a FFP, it will not change with power changes.

To me, I would think that if the fine line changes the mil value why wouldn't any other widths and heights of mil lines change. I talked to the factory and they said it's just the fine lines and center square aperture.

I think there's some mixed up communication. The only way part of the reticle could change while the rest does not is with a dual plane reticle, and to my knowledge, Leupold isn't running those.