Do I need a mildot reticle?

[00Buck]

Well I found a good price on a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 but it has a V-Plex wide reticle and not a mildot as I was hoping for. That being said, the price is excellent and I'm trying to figure out if I really need a mildot or can live with the duplex reticle.

Scope going on 22lr for target shooting from 50-200yards.
I currently have a mildot scope on it and only use it for windage.

What's your opinion on the mildot issues? Is it worth $150 more or would the duplex suffice? I assume I could always just dial in for elevation and windage and save myself some money? I have an EGW 20moa rail on order for the rifle as well.

I need to make my decision on this scope tonight so if you have any advice or experience it would be much appreciated. I've never looked through the v-plex wide so I don't know if it is thin or heavy, etc.

thanks

 

[ORD]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

At 20x, the wide v-plex will be 0.1 MOA thick where the crosshairs meet. The "wide" of that reticle refers to the "wide" area between the thicker parts of the plex compared to other plex reticles (not to the width/thickness of the reticle itself). That should be plenty fine enough for general target work out to 200yds with any rimfire.

Since you aren't using your mil-dots for anything to speak of, or trying to mirror your centerfire rifle setup for a trainer...I wouldn't spend the extra on the mil-dot reticle equipped scope unless you just "want" it.

 

[SmallBoreSnipers]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

I like having a mil dot so that then I don't have to adjust my zero. I usually shoot at 50 yards, so that is where I zero. When I shoot at 100, obviously it's off, but I can use the mil dot reticle to shoot while still keeping my 50 yard zero. It's nice to have in my opinion, but I don't know that I would let that make or break a scope decision.

 

[kdelnort]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

If your not using the mil reticle then no way would I have one. It just clutters the view. However, I think that using mils for both windage and elevation is a great habit to get into. But if your just bench shooting at know distances at paper targets for groups, the crosshairs are better than hold off. I don't think the bench rest guys use mil dots much, which may help with your decision.

 

[kdelnort]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

Basically, Mil dots are for ranging, hold off's and correction measurements. Paper targets usually have a way of telling how much correction is needed ( a grid or rings etc.)and you know the distance. So no need for mil dots.

 

[00Buck]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

thanks guys, I went ahead and ordered the Viper. I don't shoot from a bench or at a designated "range", my shooting is usually from the ground using a bipod at various distances and targets in large open areas/pits. I have a laser range finder which I use for ranging targets and it has been great and very accurate.

Hopefully the Viper works out well.

thanks again for the advice on this one!

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

i like the mildots for the same reason as spoken before - rangeing, holdoffs / overs, and to be as familiar with the reticle as it's biggers has them on it.

but if your application doesn't "really" call for it, you should be GTG.

keep in mind you CAN use the duplex to your advantage also.

rangeing - bracket a target size at a known distance from the fat post to fat post or to the horizontal crosshair by adjusting the power, then make note of the power and distance for that size of target. put it all together on a range card (target size bracketed @ magnification value = ______distance)

with a little effort you'll have the rangeing thing down with it. with alittle more work you can it to wind drift, holdover (using where the fat post matches the thin) on certain powers, etc.

the mildots just make it easier with a few more constant points to work from and if truly set to mildot size and spacing, your able to use "universal" calculations that are readily available.

whatever reticle any scope has, as long as there are 2 points of reference in the reticle and variable power, rangeing can be achieved with a little time spent. add 3 points of reference like the duplex has and you really have some options.

a good article on it:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/ranging-reticles-1.php

i've always liked the idea of getting a piece of cardboard, making an upside down "T" on it, then measuring and marking different horizontal marks up it from the bottom.

i like to use different sizes:

6" for squirrel full body.

usually 9" to cover avg. woodchuck sized stuff full body, top to the bottom of a coyote torso, tip of the beak to tip of tail for crows. "printed man silhouette" targets head and neck.

12" for turkey torso, standing hare, "printed man silhouette" target arm pit to arm pit.

16" for deer torso, 18" for bear torso, "printed man silhouette" targets shoulder to shoulder


set it up at different ranges, adjust power until every measurement gets bracketed the way you want (either end of fat post to end of fat post or end of fat post to center crosshair) at that range. note it, take it home, make it comprehensable for you to understand on any given day. you take it a step further while you are there by taking a few shots at a target set up next to it. now you'll know how much you'll have to hold over or turn the turret to from your zero. maybe even shoot a few rounds not adjusting, now being able to get a measurement on your drop at different ranges.

if you are just shooting at "spots" like a shoot-n-see, use various spot sizes at different ranges and do the same.

it's nice to have that in your pocket when the batteries go bad in the rangefinder.

 

[kytrapper]

Re: Do I need a mildot reticle?

tag- great post TOP Predator