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Rifle Scopes ZCO reticles --- MPCT2 --- MPCT3X --- preference?

Bungi

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Minuteman
Mar 31, 2012
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Are the open circles the only significant difference between the MPCT2 and the MPCT3X ?

Does anyone have a strong preference?

If so ... would you mind explaining the basis for it.

Thanks
 
I switched from the mpct2 to the 3X because for me circles are easier to find quicker for wind holds. I also much prefer dots on my tree than solid lines. And I prefer an open top instead of the main vertical stadia going all the way up because I don’t do hold unders and it leaves it more open to watch trace a little easier. I think largely it’ll be a preference thing tho.
 
Thank you -- I appreciate you sharing your thought process.
 
Are the open circles the only significant difference between the MPCT2 and the MPCT3X ?

Does anyone have a strong preference?

If so ... would you mind explaining the basis for it.

Thanks

Sorry for late response. I’ll try to be more active on ZCO stuff as I have a good relationship with them, and believe in their products.

I’ll post a couple pics of places to focus on the differences. For some they may be small differences and to others might seem completely different.

If the pictures don’t highlight it well, let me know and we can schedule a phone call.

DT
 

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Sorry for late response. I’ll try to be more active on ZCO stuff as I have a good relationship with them, and believe in their products.

I’ll post a couple pics of places to focus on the differences. For some they may be small differences and to others might seem completely different.

If the pictures don’t highlight it well, let me know and we can schedule a phone call.

DT
😆


Do you find those circle easier to use? I like the idea of it, but I like my mpct2 also. I am definitely getting another zco soon but I am having trouble with the reticle selection. Do the circles cover too much of the target?
 
😆


Do you find those circle easier to use? I like the idea of it, but I like my mpct2 also. I am definitely getting another zco soon but I am having trouble with the reticle selection. Do the circles cover too much of the target?

I personally find the 2 and 3 about the same to use.

*However* I rarely if ever use the tree and I dial wind if possible. So much so, my 840 that should be here shortly is going to be an M1 reticle as well as any future optics for personal use.

I didn’t find the circle anymore or less obtrusive than the m2. And sometimes I think I might actually like the hash over the circle as it’s a more defined point of aim.

The m3 does seem more open overall to my eye because it takes up less surface area of the picture.

Not sure if that helps as like I said, I don’t use that much more than a mil or so away from the center.
 
This reticle pic of the ZC527 M2 and M3 side by side helps people decide which reticle they would prefer.
IIRC this is the ZC527 at around 15x
Left side is the M2 and if you mentally remove the tree you have the M1
Right side is the M3, and if you mentally remove the ranging funnel you have the M3X :)

B8023605-2FAB-41F4-AE57-1F0343C7D665.jpeg
 
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I found this post and it helped me home in a little bit on the decision, but I still wanted to chat through it with somebody, so I ended up giving CS Tactical a call. They helped me solidify the decision and put together a great package for me. Great experience all around!
 
Older post but I didn’t see anyone react/think quite like me.

That M2 reticle reminds me too much of the Leupold CCH and PR2 rets (PR2 below). Sooo many dashes everywhere my eye vibrates. That’s my thought process so I’d pick the M3x.

268B9FE2-CE0C-4AEC-AF14-7D48884DEA7C.jpeg
 
For me, the circles are somehow easier to find as well as less obstructive to the overall image.
7E44D420-29B7-4D48-AE02-C6EA862D94C3.jpeg

When I zoom in and need to use the circles as holdovers, they stand out without cluttering to the point of confusion.
 
Agreed on the dots and circles with the rest above. That's a gopher roughly 370-400yds laid out to the left of the reticle at the 2.2 mil hold over. Have fun with a line cutting across that. Also, Don't judge the optical quality off my pictures. I have a hard time getting the S22 to work with through the scope photos.

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That's a gopher roughly 370-400yds laid out to the left of the reticle at the 2.2 mil hold over.
1676086071370.png


You talking about this thing in the red circle? Are you meaning a Richardson ground squirrel? Commonly called a gopher in ND and MN (and probably other places too). Those things are a fair bit smaller than pdogs and just as fun to shoot.

I like the the idea of the circles, and it does seem to allow a cleaner and more relaxing view to the eye. What cartridge are you shooting and what scope? The 5-27?
 
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You talking about this thing in the red circle? Are you meaning a Richardson ground squirrel? Commonly called a gopher in ND and MN (and probably other places too). Those things are a lot smaller than pdogs and just as fun to shoot.

I like the the idea of the circles, and it does seem to allow a cleaner and more relaxing view to the eye. What cartridge are you shooting and what scope? The 5-27?
That lil fella indeed. I'm up in Western Canada. I'll be honest, I'm not much of a biologist so I just blanket call them gophers...could be prairie dogs? I just know they're fun to shoot at.
Edit: Wikipedia agrees with Richardson ground squirrel. Their distribution map puts me up in around the northern most areas of it.
 
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A ground squirrel is a chip monk . A gopher is much bigger. They both make holes in the ground.
 
I'm no biologist either, but:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipmunk (tiny)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen-lined_ground_squirrel (slightly bigger; called gophers around here)
Richardson's ground squirrels (bigger; funny accented narrator; a bit smaller than a prairie dog. Also known as flickertail gophers)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_dog (can be a fair bit bigger than Richardson's; also a ground squirrel; can carry, pass on to you, and die from the bubonic plague)
———————-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher (pretty different than previous, not a ground squirrel; I think of these things as “moles” even though I’m almost for sure wrong)
———————-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog (much beefier, also not a ground squirrel)

Sorry for the derail.
 
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I'm no biologist either, but:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipmunk (tiny)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen-lined_ground_squirrel (slightly bigger; called gophers around here)
Richardson's ground squirrels (bigger; funny accented narrator; a bit smaller than a prairie dog. Also known as flickertail gophers)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_dog (can be a fair bit bigger than Richardson's; also a ground squirrel; can carry, pass on to you, and die from the bubonic plague)
———————-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher (pretty different than previous, not a ground squirrel; I think of these things as “moles” even though I’m almost for sure wrong)
———————-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog (much beefier, also not a ground squirrel)

Sorry for the derail.
Don't forget your red tree squirrels, grey tree squirrels, marmots aka rock chucks. Grey squirrels are good eating, marmots are greasy imo (not a fan). The other squirrels are carriers of all sorts of nastiness and don't make the list.
 
This reticle pic of the ZC527 M2 and M3 side by side helps people decide which reticle they would prefer.
IIRC this is the ZC527 at around 15x
Left side is the M2 and if you mentally remove the tree you have the M1
Right side is the M3, and if you mentally remove the ranging funnel you have the M3X :)

View attachment 7803587
That is helpful. Thank you.
 
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