• Cold Bore Ritual Contest - Only a Few Hours Left To Enter!

    What’s your cold bore ritual, that one thing you always do before your first shot to set yourself up for success? Winner gets new limited edition Hide merch. Remember, subscribers have a better chance of winning!

    Join contest Subscribe

Reticle psychology

Matno

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 10, 2012
232
4
Can anyone explain the psychology behind how people perceive reticle thickness? I can understand that some people have a hard time seeing a fine FFP reticle at low magnification, but I frequently see complaints that the crosshairs or center dot are too thick, and I just don't get it. Whenever I see that I look up the reticle subtensions, and the thickness is typically between 0.1 and 0.2 MOA (or ~0.05mil). That usually translates to 1-1.5" thick on a 1000 yard target. I have a hard time understanding how that can obscure the target (I mean, that's barely the size of a prairie dog's head at 1000 yards), but clearly it bothers some people. I think it's all in their head, but can anyone explain this?
 
I have no scientific or psychological answer..

I started YEARS ago w/ a weaver that had a fine line reticle -- I think it fixed 16 power??
a Leupy vxIII target that had fine duplex for a few years
a Zeiss ( cant remember the model ) had fine duplex
a couple Leupy mk4 w/ tmr
a couple NF nxs with mlr
My first purchase of a front focal scope was NF atacr 7-35 w/ mil-r and it did seem a wee thick but didnt cause me issue
I have a NF atacr 4-16 w/ mil-r ( thicker than mil-r in 7-35 ) and if it was anything other than a hunting scope I would be looking a thinner reticle..
I have an athlon cronus with aplr and it is just about the perfect line thickness for my taste

I have no point other than for me its just a personal preference ..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matno
Perception

People think they are shooting a 100-yard paper target at 1000-yards, but in reality the only time they shoot paper is during zero, or a dot drill.

Reticles are a personal preference, what I like or dislike, the other guy will always have his opinion or preferences.

I personally don't like any of the newer NF reticle designs. And the original MSR reticle is my favorite.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matno