What reticle do you like best?

[Founder]

I received an email from Vortex yesterday with a link to an article on what reticles might be best for hunting. I personally have a Mil-Dot reticle scope on my rifle.
What reticle are you all using and why?

Here's that article I was referring to:

What’s the best riflescope reticle for hunting?

What’s the best riflescope reticle for hunting? Don’t be overwhelmed by all the riflescope reticle options.

vortexoptics.com

 

[mtmuley]

Plain duplex. mtmuley

 

[Chesterwyo]

If forced to schlep a reticle. Burris ballistic plex.

 

[yotebuster17]

Plain duplex, especially with a dot in the center like the S&B D7. SFP all the way. I dial everything and if you’re dialing, subtensions are only there to make you look tacticool and mess you up in the heat of the moment.

 

[Captain_coues]

Duplex. That’s because I grew up in the 80s and 90s and that’s what you did. Everyone had a 3-9 on their rifle and duplex was the standard. I’m starting to play around with the other reticles now and kind of like them. I can’t say what one since there’s so many. I like the ones with about three elevation lines below the zero.

 

[Chesterwyo]

Miss read the question. Thought we were talking about bullet drop retitles. For every day use, I’m a fan of the Leupold Dot.

 

[Blank]

Yep, plain Jane Leupold duplex on all my hunting rifles. Varmints and targets, I might stray a little, but generally have all the time in the world to enjoy the advantages of different sighting pictures.

 

[BigPig]

Nightforce MOAR or Mil C.

Used to be a duplex guy too. Then I saw the light.

A good scope (not a Leupold or Vortex) that dials accurately and holds zero is a wonderful tool. So much more useful than a 3x9 duplex. And I came of hunting age in the 80’s and 90’s too. Never too old to learn. A good scope with a turret and useful reticle will do everything a duplex can do, and more, but a duplex can’t do all the things a good reticle can do.

 

[willfrye027]

For general hunting, a good duplex works great. For longer range work…I don’t think there’s a really good reticle on the market. We need a good FFP, mil/mil reticle that has a bold post on the bottom so you can actually use it at both point blank and long ranges. Have yet to see one that fits the bill.

 

[yotebuster17]

Nightforce MOAR or Mil C.

Used to be a duplex guy too. Then I saw the light.

A good scope (not a Leupold or Vortex) that dials accurately and holds zero is a wonderful tool. So much more useful than a 3x9 duplex. And I came of hunting age in the 80’s and 90’s too. Never too old to learn. A good scope with a turret and useful reticle will do everything a duplex can do, and more, but a duplex can’t do all the things a good reticle can do.

My question would be if you’re dialing why have all the busy stuff? I understand the FFP subtension concept for guys shooting games like PRS and such, but for hunting I could never give up having a good sized reticle in low light at low power and the horrible trade off of a giant fat reticle at high power in exchange for no perceived benefit of subtensions and FFP if I’m dialing my shots. ??‍

 

[mtmuley]

My question would be if you’re dialing why have all the busy stuff? I understand the FFP subtension concept for guys shooting games like PRS and such, but for hunting I could never give up having a good sized reticle in low light at low power and the horrible trade off of a giant fat reticle at high power in exchange for no perceived benefit of subtensions and FFP if I’m dialing my shots. ??‍

Exactly. Don't need a busy reticle for hunting purposes. mtmuley

 

[wweaver79]

I have a NF ATACR SFP with the MOAR. Heavy thing but great glass. I have practiced with it but always end up dialing or doing nothing since the zero is for 300, any shot long enough I cannot just use my 300 yard zero I take my time with and dial. I do like a plain duplex for most hunting however.

 

[BuzzH]

Miss read the question. Thought we were talking about bullet drop retitles. For every day use, I’m a fan of the Leupold Dot.

Same here...have a half dozen or more Leupold dots. Also have 2 older scopes with dot reticles, a k4 weaver and a redfield.

 

[BigPig]

My question would be if you’re dialing why have all the busy stuff? I understand the FFP subtension concept for guys shooting games like PRS and such, but for hunting I could never give up having a good sized reticle in low light at low power and the horrible trade off of a giant fat reticle at high power in exchange for no perceived benefit of subtensions and FFP if I’m dialing my shots. ??‍

Because no one dials for wind. Wind is variable and changes too fast. You can’t effectively dial for wind, imo. Push into the wind with the reticle.

A good reticle doesn’t get too large at high mag and at low mag you just turn the light on.

 

[BigPig]

I have a NF ATACR SFP with the MOAR. Heavy thing but great glass. I have practiced with it but always end up dialing or doing nothing since the zero is for 300, any shot long enough I cannot just use my 300 yard zero I take my time with and dial. I do like a plain duplex for most hunting however.

Why zero at 300? Makes little sense with a scope like that and lots of erector travel. Zero at 100 where you can be more precise and where environmental influences have little impact. A perfectly precise zero is so very important for accurate dialing, and that’s really hard to do at 300 yards. Zero at 100 at the range and then dial up a few clicks for a field zero that accommodates your mpbr when out hunting around.

 

[BuzzH]

Why zero at 300? Makes little sense with a scope like that and lots of erector travel. Zero at 100 where you can be more precise and where environmental influences have little impact. A perfectly precise zero is so very important for accurate dialing, and that’s really hard to do at 300 yards. Zero at 100 at the range and then dial up a few clicks for a field zero that accommodates your mpbr when out hunting around.

What difference does it make either way?

I zero at 100, dial to 250 and reset my dial to zero at 250. For 99.9% of my shots I don't dial.

Make my drop chart from there and only have to spin my schit on anything past 250.

Samee-same, except I can always know I'm on zero at 250 instead of having to dial up from zero for a mpbr.

 

[BigPig]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s close to what I’m suggesting. I do the same I just don’t reset my zero on my dial to the field position. I leave it at 0 on 100 so I can easily crank back to my zero stop if/when I need to confirm zero. My pint was to actually shoot the zero at 300 is just making it more difficult than necessary and introducing more possibility for error.

 

[wweaver79]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s close to what I’m suggesting. I do the same I just don’t reset my zero on my dial to the field position. I leave it at 0 on 100 so I can easily crank back to my zero stop if/when I need to confirm zero. My pint was to actually shoot the zero at 300 is just making it more difficult than necessary and introducing more possibility for error.

On that rifle, an 8 twist 7mm Ultra mag shooting a Berger 195 with a BC of about .755 at 3125 fps a zero of anything less than 300 yards is stupid. Sure on a 308 it would be a bit of rainbow. 0 to 350 with that load is just shoot, it probably covers 90 percent of hunting shots.

 

[feddoc]

I have an old (60s model) K9 with a duplex reticle. My favorite, it sits on a Savage 110 in .30/06.

 

[BuzzH]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s close to what I’m suggesting. I do the same I just don’t reset my zero on my dial to the field position. I leave it at 0 on 100 so I can easily crank back to my zero stop if/when I need to confirm zero. My pint was to actually shoot the zero at 300 is just making it more difficult than necessary and introducing more possibility for error.

My zero stop is set at 250...

 

[BigPig]

My zero stop is set at 250...

Personal preference. I just like mine at 100 so i can easily recheck zero. Ultimately we’re accomplishing the same thing.

 

[BigPig]

On that rifle, an 8 twist 7mm Ultra mag shooting a Berger 195 with a BC of about .755 at 3125 fps a zero of anything less than 300 yards is stupid. Sure on a 308 it would be a bit of rainbow. 0 to 350 with that load is just shoot, it probably covers 90 percent of hunting shots.

Do you shoot to confirm and/or establish your bench zero at 100 and then set your dial to a field zero of 300? Or do you actually shoot your bench zero at 300?

 

[wweaver79]

Do you shoot to confirm and/or establish your bench zero at 100 and then set your dial to a field zero of 300? Or do you actually shoot your bench zero at 300?

I shoot it at 300. I have a little laminated card that I made several copies of once I got it dialed in with wind at 5/10/15 crosswind and drops at both 6000 and 9500 feet which again covers just about everything for pronghorn and deer. It lacks barometer other stuff but I am not you tubing 1000 yard shots. My elk hunting has lately gone to just Sept archery. I really prefer the rut with a bow. I always proof it out when I get to where I will be hunting and shoot 300 then dial up a random distance twice or so 425 and 650 or something like that and shoot a few before the hunt. Admittedly I do not shoot that rifle a lot, 20/25 or so rounds a year. It is so dialed in and I want it to last. It is a real fire breather, the throat will not last long.

 

[mtmuley]

I guess my method is a bit unorthodox. My zero is 330 yards. Scope is set at that. Gives me the flexibility to not even touch the dial until past 400 yards. mtmuley

 

[yoteduster]

I.like the leupold Boone and Crockett reticle..

 

[BigPig]

I shoot it at 300. I have a little laminated card that I made several copies of once I got it dialed in with wind at 5/10/15 crosswind and drops at both 6000 and 9500 feet which again covers just about everything for pronghorn and deer. It lacks barometer other stuff but I am not you tubing 1000 yard shots. My elk hunting has lately gone to just Sept archery. I really prefer the rut with a bow. I always proof it out when I get to where I will be hunting and shoot 300 then dial up a random distance twice or so 425 and 650 or something like that and shoot a few before the hunt. Admittedly I do not shoot that rifle a lot, 20/25 or so rounds a year. It is so dialed in and I want it to last. It is a real fire breather, the throat will not last long.

I’m not here to convince you but you will have much better results with dialing if you proof your zero at 100 and then dial up as you please. Establishing zero at 300 is introducing way too much margin for error, both shooter error and environmental influences causing error. And especially if you are only shooting a few times. It would take a statistically really large round count group to effectively proof a zero at 300 yards. You need a precise zero for a good long range dialing system, and you certainly have to equipment for it, really good equipment! You just simply cannot be as precise at 300 as you can at 100.

 

[mtmuley]

Why zero at 300? Makes little sense with a scope like that and lots of erector travel. Zero at 100 where you can be more precise and where environmental influences have little impact. A perfectly precise zero is so very important for accurate dialing, and that’s really hard to do at 300 yards. Zero at 100 at the range and then dial up a few clicks for a field zero that accommodates your mpbr when out hunting around.

This is what I do. Maybe I was bad at explaining it. My turret set at zero is dead on at 330 yards. Any adjustments beyond that move from that point of impact. It has worked well for me with a flat shooting cartridge. Like I said, unorthodox. mtmuley

 

[wweaver79]

I’m not here to convince you but you will have much better results with dialing if you proof your zero at 100 and then dial up as you please. Establishing zero at 300 is introducing way too much margin for error, both shooter error and environmental influences causing error. And especially if you are only shooting a few times. It would take a statistically really large round count group to effectively proof a zero at 300 yards. You need a precise zero for a good long range dialing system, and you certainly have to equipment for it, really good equipment! You just simply cannot be as precise at 300 as you can at 100.

I have really good equipment, this rifle is a Mcmillian/Bob Beck built gun when they were still together. It is a legit half MOA gun/load with a NF ATACR 5-25x scope. I use a Sig kilo 8k Rangefinder etc. At 10lbs scoped you not get more precise without more weight than I want to carry in the mtns. Everyone has their own thing. What I can say everything I have shot at and others have shot at ( game wise ) up the longest of 634 yards has died with one shot. It will shot a 2 inch group at 300 yards. Not sure what precise means but a 4 inch group at 600 is still good enough for prairie dogs let alone big game.

 

[marley]

The Nightforce MOAR is my favorite. I have 3 of them. I dial for distance and hold for wind. Dialing for wind is tough because of the quick changes.

 

[Slick8]

I'm an MOA guy myself and like the TMOA from Leupold and well as the MOA from Vortex. I don't have any NF scopes but their MOAR is hard to beat.

I don't have any scopes without something of the above from rimfire, AR and centerfire.

 

[DoeNob]

zeiss rapid Z.

Idiot proof to 800 yards. And I'm an idiot so it works.

 

[roadrunner]

BDC with a zero at 300 or 250 depending on the caliber.

 

[DaveD]

Leupold Windplex is my favorite. All rifles zero at MPBR for the caliber and bullet combo. Only dial if needed for 300+ on most of my rifles.

 

[deerslayer64d]

I prefer a fine duplex on my hunting rifle s

 

[Zeke]

Isn't choice a wonderful thing?

Zeke