Rifle Scopes Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

[redhead522]

Hello,

I'm considering the Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 for my AR15 16" carbine. It is not currently offered with a ranging reticle. I read a rumor that it will be coming out with a mil-dot reticle though available from the custom shop. Since you already have the option of the CDS dial, which is a custom elevation turret for your specific load, is a mil-dot necessary? It'd just be a 5.56mm on a 16" barrel, so I'm not going for record breaking shots here.

Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[z71rat]

Re: Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

Matter of preference. I can't stand to not have some form of range estimating reticle with my scopes. Better to have and not need... IMHO.

DK

 

[jerseymike]

Re: Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

skip the bdc crap, if you shoot different ammo your elevation adjustments are not going to be the same on your bdc turret. Get the mil reticle and get elevation adjustments for all the ranges you plan on shooting and write them down.

 

[Early Cuyler]

Re: Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

I would strongly suggest you listen to the above posts. I have a Leupold Mark AR 3-9x40 that I got (in part) for the BDC knobs. They're "calibrated" for a 55gr FMJ bullet going 3100fps. I've shot a dozen different types of ammo from ball, PMC, UMC, Hornady Z-Max, V-max, Hornady Training, TulAmmo, XM855, etc. and the fastest I've gotten out of my 16" barrel is a 2820fps average from a ten shot string. So the "yardage" markers on my elevation knob doesn't work. At all. It should be noted that my scope does have traditional 1,2,3,4,etc. MOA hash marks on the knobs as well.

I also chose the duplex reticle over the available mil-dot to save money. While I don't necessarily regret it (as I'm an MOA guy) I do ALWAYS wish I had a ranging reticle for holdovers.

Moral of the story: Buy once, cry once. I didn't and am now waiting on a PST 2.5-10x44 from Liberty Optics. If you don't want to subscribe to it, I'll make you a deal on my Mark AR.....

 

[hamstur]

Re: Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: redhead522</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Since you already have the option of the CDS dial, which is a custom elevation turret for your specific load, is a mil-dot necessary?</div></div>

Hey redhead522, sounds like you're uninitiated in the use of the Mil and MOA systems. Run a quick Google search of 'using mil dot to estimate range' ... here's an example article: http://www.mil-dot.com/articles/the-mildot-reticle. The mildot reticle is primarily a tool designed for shooters to estimate target distance, so long as you know the expected size of your target.

Re: practical shooting, my input is a ranging reticle is mandatory, a BDC system is not. A BDC is more of a 'nicety' but very inflexible unless you shoot one specific ammo load in one specific environmental setting (temp, altitude, humidity, etc). Because of this, most will say a BDC is a waste of time.

I just posted this pic yesterday on a thread re: custom BDC etchings, but if you want a BDC, it's not hard to ghetto rig your own ... with the flexibility to change it when you change your load recipe. The bottom pic is a left-eye view example of my scope dialed to 1.0 Mil for 250YDS for my specific load:

 

[jasonZ]

Re: Is a mil-dot ret & a custom elev turret overkill?

I don't think it would be over kill as the turrets could aid in a quick elevation adjustment and you could use the mildot for ranging and holding the wind. I really don't know that custom turrets would be all that necessary with a mildot on an ar rifle, but I would suggest if you're going custom then get a truly custom turret that is specifically built for the cartridge and actual muzzle velocity of your rifle, not what leupold or the ammo manufacturer thinks it will be! You can always keep the factory turret incase you decide to sell the scope later. I personally run some form of ranging reticle on all my rifles, because as stated above its better to have and not need, then to need and not have!