Mil-dot reticle help

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 08:57 AM

Hi, wondering if anyone can help me with range estimation using mil dot reticles. From what ive heard, and according to my scopes chart that came with it, the formula to figure out the distance is as follows. (please correct me if im wrong.)

This example will be using a 12" target.

1.) Once you know the size of your target, (in this case 12" paper target), you need to put that into a fraction by dividing the target size ex. 12" by 39.37 (1 meter).

12" ÷ 39.37" = 0.304"

2.) Once you get your fraction of a meter using inches, multiply that by 900.

0.304 x 900 = 273.6

3.) Say your 12" target measures 3 mil-dots on the scope reticle from your position.

273.6 ÷ 3 = 91.2

Then the estimated distance of your target would be 91.2 meters.

Does this sound right? or is it just what my scope manufacturer is going by, specific to my scope?

any advice

Thanks.

demigod · November 3, 2010, 09:04 AM

Do you have one of those Mil Dot Masters? It's been a while since I milled targets, so I've forgotten almost all of it.

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Do you have one of those Mil Dot Masters? It's been a while since I milled targets, so I've forgotten almost all of it.

Yes, the chart came with my scope, and this is the formula it goes by. Since my scope is made in China

i'm not sure if they exactly know how the mil dot thing works. It could be completely right. But im not taking a Chinese manufacturers word for it...

savage1r · November 3, 2010, 12:47 PM

I think the easiest method is the meter method.
Figure out how high your target is in meters (man is 1.8-2 meters for example), multiply by 1000 and divide by the number of mills.
So, you have a guy 2m tallx1000=2000 and say he's taking up 3 mills so 2000/3= 667 yards. But PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong because I usually am.
I found the web where I picked this one up, it's here: http://www.shooterready.com/rangingclass.html

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 04:06 PM

Quote:

I think the easiest method is the meter method.
Figure out how high your target is in meters (man is 1.8-2 meters for example), multiply by 1000 and divide by the number of mills.
So, you have a guy 2m tallx1000=2000 and say he's taking up 3 mills so 2000/3= 667 yards. But PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong because I usually am.
I found the web where I picked this one up, it's here: http://www.shooterready.com/rangingclass.html
savage1r is offline Report Post

That seems to be the general formula. However my scope said to times x it by 900 instead of 1000. Im thinking my scope might not be to mil spec?
btw it's a Leapers 5th generation 3-9x40. I know its not the greatest but it will do for now, i already got enough money into my rifle

Palmetto-Pride · November 3, 2010, 07:27 PM

Also unless you have a scope that has the reticle in the first focal plane (FFP) you have to be at a certain zoom/magnification for the mil dots to be calibrated correct usually its 10x, but not with all scopes.

http://www.mil-dot.com/

seattlefungus · November 3, 2010, 07:55 PM

+1 on what Palmetto-Pride said. Not all Mil dot scopes are equal. Not all use even mil counts on the elevation and different on the windage.. Then, the turrets are MOA (inch) and not metric. And what demigod was speaking of with the Mil-dot Master is a commercial product that is set up like a slide-rule. With bullet weight, range and additional factors for computing mil dot adjustments.. Dillon carries them as do a number of high-power related stores. They cost a round $29 bucks...

MacGille · November 3, 2010, 10:04 PM

I was a tank gunner in the army and we used mil dot sight when our periscope sight didn't work. One mil is one minute of angle folks. If your scope is sighted in at say 200 yd. and your target is at 300 yd hold over the same # of mils that your caliber drops from 200 to 300 yd. A .270 with 130 gr. bullets will drop 7.5" from 200 to 300 yards. one minute of angle at 300 yards is 3+" so hold over 2 1/2 mils. sight between the 2 and 3 mil dots. You will hit very close to center. Trying to use complicated math formulae while shooting is an exercise in frustration. K.I.S.S.

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 10:11 PM

Quote:

I was a tank gunner in the army and we used mil dot sight when our periscope sight didn't work. One mil is one minute of angle folks. If your scope is sighted in at say 200 yd. and your target is at 300 yd hold over the same # of mils that your caliber drops from 200 to 300 yd. A .270 with 130 gr. bullets will drop 7.5" from 200 to 300 yards. one minute of angle at 300 yards is 3+" so hold over 2 1/2 mils. sight between the 2 and 3 mil dots. You will hit very close to center. Trying to use complicated math formulae while shooting is an exercise in frustration. K.I.S.S.

I thought 1 mil dot = 1 meter at 1000 meters?

shooter_john · November 3, 2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

I was a tank gunner in the army and we used mil dot sight when our periscope sight didn't work. One mil is one minute of angle folks. If your scope is sighted in at say 200 yd. and your target is at 300 yd hold over the same # of mils that your caliber drops from 200 to 300 yd. A .270 with 130 gr. bullets will drop 7.5" from 200 to 300 yards. one minute of angle at 300 yards is 3+" so hold over 2 1/2 mils. sight between the 2 and 3 mil dots. You will hit very close to center. Trying to use complicated math formulae while shooting is an exercise in frustration. K.I.S.S.

That is not correct at all.

One mil is NOT one MOA. 1 MOA = 1 MOA. One mil is more like 3.6 MOA. Formulas are necessary for the task of mil dot ranging.

Size of target (in yards) x 1000
Size of target in Mils = Range in yards

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 10:14 PM

And yes, for the record these measurements are based on a scope that is at full zoom x9

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 10:19 PM

Quote:

One mil is NOT one MOA. One MOA is one MOA. One mil is close to 3.6 MOA

You're definitely correct. I thought to myself that doesn't sound right. and i'm far from an expert. "One Mil is one minute of angle folks"

and to think this is an ex army gunner?

1 mil dot @ 100 yards = 3.6 inches. or 3.438 MOA

Rob228 · November 3, 2010, 10:55 PM

That can also depend on the size of your dot, there are round mil dots and oval mil dots, most likely for the simple fact that it wasn't complicated enough already.

GHILLIE MAN · November 3, 2010, 11:33 PM

Quote:

That can also depend on the size of your dot, there are round mil dots and oval mil dots, most likely for the simple fact that it wasn't complicated enough already.

lol, no doubt. Feel like i'm back in high school doing math again.

It truly brings a new respect to snipers that can plant themselves on a mountain top and hit targets at 2,707 yards (Craig Harrison), while estimating/calculating on the fly. amazing

davlandrum · November 4, 2010, 10:44 AM

I know for sure I could use my laser range finder on it faster than I could do the math...

demigod · November 4, 2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Since my scope is made in China

No offense... but milling targets with a chinese scope is kind of an excercise in futility. The scope isn't going to track or repeat well. so....

GHILLIE MAN · November 5, 2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

No offense... but milling targets with a chinese scope is kind of an excercise in futility. The scope isn't going to track or repeat well. so....

Well for the most part, most Chinese scopes aren't the greatest, but that doesnt mean they wont track or repeat well. It's no Leupold, Zeiss or Swarovski, but i find people automatically throw the thought of a Chinese

scope right out the window. There are several scopes made in China that will hold up just fine. People write them off immediately because the thought of owning an inferior Chinese product concerns them (which most of the time i don't blame them...) without giving them a chance. From what i've read these Leapers scopes work great, hold zero consistently, and can take a beating, withstanding recoil from 30 caliber+ rifles. and mine is only on a .22lr i think it will be fine.

November 3, 2010, 08:57 AM	#1
GHILLIE MAN Member Join Date: October 12, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 54	Mil-dot reticle help Hi, wondering if anyone can help me with range estimation using mil dot reticles. From what ive heard, and according to my scopes chart that came with it, the formula to figure out the distance is as follows. (please correct me if im wrong.) This example will be using a 12" target. 1.) Once you know the size of your target, (in this case 12" paper target), you need to put that into a fraction by dividing the target size ex. 12" by 39.37 (1 meter). 12" ÷ 39.37" = 0.304" 2.) Once you get your fraction of a meter using inches, multiply that by 900. 0.304 x 900 = 273.6 3.) Say your 12" target measures 3 mil-dots on the scope reticle from your position. 273.6 ÷ 3 = 91.2 Then the estimated distance of your target would be 91.2 meters. Does this sound right? or is it just what my scope manufacturer is going by, specific to my scope? any advice Thanks. __________________ "A Smith & Wesson beats four aces." Last edited by GHILLIE MAN; November 3, 2010 at 10:54 AM.

November 3, 2010, 07:27 PM	#6
Palmetto-Pride Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,071	Also unless you have a scope that has the reticle in the first focal plane (FFP) you have to be at a certain zoom/magnification for the mil dots to be calibrated correct usually its 10x, but not with all scopes. http://www.mil-dot.com/ __________________ “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.” -Margaret Thatcher- Last edited by Palmetto-Pride; November 3, 2010 at 07:49 PM.

November 3, 2010, 10:04 PM	#8
MacGille Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2006 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 976	I was a tank gunner in the army and we used mil dot sight when our periscope sight didn't work. One mil is one minute of angle folks. If your scope is sighted in at say 200 yd. and your target is at 300 yd hold over the same # of mils that your caliber drops from 200 to 300 yd. A .270 with 130 gr. bullets will drop 7.5" from 200 to 300 yards. one minute of angle at 300 yards is 3+" so hold over 2 1/2 mils. sight between the 2 and 3 mil dots. You will hit very close to center. Trying to use complicated math formulae while shooting is an exercise in frustration. K.I.S.S. __________________ If ye love wealth better than Liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animated contest of Freedom, go from us in Peace. We ask not your counsel or Arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. --Samuel Adams--<*ixoye><

November 3, 2010, 10:14 PM	#11
GHILLIE MAN Member Join Date: October 12, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 54	And yes, for the record these measurements are based on a scope that is at full zoom x9 __________________ "A Smith & Wesson beats four aces."

November 4, 2010, 10:44 AM	#15
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	I know for sure I could use my laser range finder on it faster than I could do the math... __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

November 3, 2010, 09:04 AM	#2
demigod Junior member Join Date: March 13, 2008 Location: AZ Posts: 1,129	Do you have one of those Mil Dot Masters? It's been a while since I milled targets, so I've forgotten almost all of it.

November 3, 2010, 12:47 PM	#4
savage1r Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 2009 Posts: 313	I think the easiest method is the meter method. Figure out how high your target is in meters (man is 1.8-2 meters for example), multiply by 1000 and divide by the number of mills. So, you have a guy 2m tallx1000=2000 and say he's taking up 3 mills so 2000/3= 667 yards. But PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong because I usually am. I found the web where I picked this one up, it's here: http://www.shooterready.com/rangingclass.html

November 3, 2010, 07:55 PM	#7
seattlefungus Junior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Posts: 13	+1 on what Palmetto-Pride said. Not all Mil dot scopes are equal. Not all use even mil counts on the elevation and different on the windage.. Then, the turrets are MOA (inch) and not metric. And what demigod was speaking of with the Mil-dot Master is a commercial product that is set up like a slide-rule. With bullet weight, range and additional factors for computing mil dot adjustments.. Dillon carries them as do a number of high-power related stores. They cost a round $29 bucks...

November 3, 2010, 10:55 PM	#13
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	That can also depend on the size of your dot, there are round mil dots and oval mil dots, most likely for the simple fact that it wasn't complicated enough already.