Re: which reticle for f class
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Darrell Buell</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Strong recommendation: stay away from the dot reticles for F-Class. For the F-T/R crowd anyway, the NP-R1 & NP-R2 reticles are very popular.
Darrell </div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: IanB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi Darrel,
Knowing your involvement with the US F class team I'm keen to hear the reasons for not using a dot reticle?
Ian </div></div>
Ian, not to speak for <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Darrell (Buell)</span></span>, but the gist of the issue with reticles' that have "center aiming" dots is that the dot obscures too much of the target compared to a reticle with a very fine "crosshair", and thus does not provide as exact an aiming point as a reticle with a very fine "crosshair".
In his reply to you, (see my quote of <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Trevor</span></span> below for reference) <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Trevor</span></span> used an 1/8th MOA (.125 MOA) dot-equipped reticle as an example to show that an 1/8th MOA dot covers up 25% of the X-Ring at 1,000 yards. That 25% (about 1.309"), is quite a bit when you consider that the (FFP) Gen 2 XR reticles in (S & B) PMII and (Premier) Heritage 5-25Xs' only cover 0.750" at 1,000 yards. In other words, an 1/8 MOA dot obscures nearly 56% more (about .600") of the X-Ring than the FFP 5-25X Gen 2 XRs'.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trevor</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why no dot recticles.
The dot when shooting on really hot days can become obscured or vanish all together.
The 1/8 dot size makes it a 1.25” aiming circle at 1,000 and with the X ring a .5moa target I can’t afford to have an aiming mark that takes up 25% of my x ring.
When you consider the width of the scoring ring and how much smaller they are against the 1/8 dot I don’t need anymore help dropping points.
I am not sure where Turbo54 shoots but where I shoot and last year in Wisconsin the weather (read rain) and sometimes snow completely obliterates the scoring rings. You will be hard pressed to effectively centre up the target during these shooting conditions.
However with the NPR-2 or other military style recticles, I can and have on several occasions squared up the target frame to use as reference points to hold the centre of the V bull. This technique also comes in handy when having to shoot shorter disciplines like 300yds were the centre can be covered in patches, hiding the scoring rings. (Under time constraints you may not always be able to ask to re-face the target) Also see my first point about mirage and hot days
Others have been able to use dots but most figure out afterwards that dots are not the best choice. And Nightforce charges $150.00 to change them out.
trevor
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The (Premier Reticles-designed) Gen 2 XR is a FFP tactical reticle designed for shooting point and area targets at long range and while I wouldn't choose it for dedicated F-Class use it is a great reticle for all-around use. A PMII 5-25X Gen 2 XR CCW has worked pretty well for me on my X-Ray 51 .308 tactical rifle against OPEN Class rifles at 600 yard F-Class matches as well as excelling on steel and paper of all sizes and shapes at long range. Its' really unfortunate that the Gen 2 XR reticle is no longer an available option in (new) PMIIs'.
Keith