scope reticles,.... I think maybe we all expect too much

[eagle rider]

Wondering here with a purpose.....  Scope reticles have become interesting to say the least.  Mil dots. windage indicators, ranging, circles dots, uhhhhh.  What going on and how often is anything other then the point where the x and y intersect ever really needed to shoot on deer?  I have a Zeiss Terra 3-9 x 42  scope I took off the BAR when I put in for consignment. The scope is sitting in th essays box doing nothing. Without a doubt it is the nicest piece of glass I have ever looked through.  It is the standard plex reticle.  Nothing fancy.  I have two rifles it can legitimately go on.  An A-bolt 30-06 or an A-Bolt 270.  Even my son's 30-06 Rem 7600 can be  candidate (once I get the trigger worked in that).  All three have descent scopes at the moment.  The bolts have Burris glass and the 7600 has a Vortex on it.   All three are zero to 200, but honestly its not all that terrible to zero a scope in.  My dilemma is I feel like I'm not doing the bolt guns justice by going to the Zeiss standard plex scope.  Have I lost my mind here????  How often do we get shots past 100 yds in South Western NY? And, even if we do, with either a 270 Win or a 30-06, both really flat out to 250, is a range finding reticle a must have?  Tell me if you think I am nuts and that I should take that Zeiss scope out of moth balls!!!

[Pygmy]

My theory regarding scopes and  recticules is KISS....

 

I prefer just a plain duplex crosshair..

 

Of course, I also like low powered variables and fixed powered scopes...And wood stocks, AND blued metal, etc..

 

I  have hunted medium and big game from New Mexico to Alaska and from Wyoming to Newfoundland, much    of the time with a Leupold fixed 4X, and I can honestly never remember a time when I felt disadvantaged  due to lack of magnification...  Some of my shots have been in the 300-400 yard range, too.

 

Put your Zeiss on any rifle you prefer and go hunting...Those fancy recticules are more suited to EXTREME long range shooting  , further than most of us prefer to shoot.

[Mr VJP]

I prefer a standard duplex on my hunting rifles.  I do have a mil-dot on a target rifle, but feel that's were they belong.  In the hunting woods, I find the duplex is best.

[Jaeger]

I put a Swarovski 3.5 - 18 x 44mm with the BRX Heavy reticle, the one with all the various width and height lighter crosshair lines.

 

It works fantastic on the range with a benchrest and exact known distances. In the field and on coyotes it is slow and confusing.

 

Don't get me wrong, it is a fantastic glass, just too busy for field use.

 

I am starting to like the german #4 or #7 with 3 posts, no upper vertical post.  Can see the target easily and shoot at any distance with a little "kentucKy windage"

[Dinsdale]

  Tell me if you think I am nuts and that I should take that Zeiss scope out of moth balls!!!

 

I'd buy a new rifle to put under that scope.

 

Problem solved.

 

Just sayin'.

[Daveboone]

I allways thought a standard fine duplex gave as fine an aiming point as needed. I have three Leupold  vx3a all  with the same, from 8mm mauser to .308, 3oo win mag to 45-70. (oops , 4, three 1.5x 5, one 2x7). I don't understand the dot or range finder dots, etc....I was taught to shoot your gun and know where it hits, anything more takes too much thinkin.

My max. range shooting is 200 yards, normally sight in for 100 dead on.

[Pygmy]

I think I already TOLD you that I LOVE you, Man......

[Pygmy]

I'd buy a new rifle to put under that scope.

 

Problem solved.

 

Just sayin'.

Brilliant suggestion, Dinsdale  !

 

BTW, Eagle, there is a GORGEOUS Sako  6.5 x 55 in the classifieds...It would DESERVE a high end scope...

 

Just tryin' to HELP..<<grin>>....

[eagle rider]

lol, and there is something definitely to be said for keeping it simple.

[gjs4]

My 257 wby wears a minox 3.5-15x50- schott glass (like Swarovski) w a standard duplex. 200 zero -7 at 400. Could conceivably shoot to 600 here w it- due to a lack of rest would say 450-5 tops. Practice to 450 and can hold a sub moa group w rest. My sendero is a 7mmrm w a viper pst 4-16x50. Has moa reticle. Less flat shooting. Shot it 500- original owner had 24 x glass and shot it to 1200. Although it's easier to shoot far, 400+, I like kiss philosophy for hunting far more. Hope this helps

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[Jeremy K]

I put a bushnell elite on my CVA apex 30-06 ,i bought the scope with the 600 DOA reticle after i found out it was built around the trajectory of the 30-06 . The farthest i have target shot with it was 300 yards but it is way below MOA out to 300 yards. 

[SCbklyn]

The Burris scopes have a ballistic reticle that I find to be pretty simple. Even my vortex diamondback has a similar reticle. Nothing too crazy IMO.

[grampy]

There are so many things that seem to be more complicated than necessary these days. I too like to keep things as simple as possible. The simple duplex crosshair works just fine for me.

[sailinghudson25]

NY is close range.  Line up the hairs quickly before they bust you.

 

I like thick recticles.  No matter what, I wouldn't shoot farther than this.  Whatever the zero is, I know 2 drops.  How far you can shoot by aiming at the spine and the bullet drops to a good broadside shot.  Then the same for aiming as high as the head.

 

My 450 marlin it's about 100 yard zero, then 150 yards aim at the spine, and 175 yards aim as high as the head.

 

No need to fancy compensation recticles. 

 

I really like the bushnell 3200 firefly.  A thick recticle and it glows in the dark.  They don't make this model anymore, but I have a few of their 1.5-4.5x32mm models.  Great scope for the price.

 

[Jaeger]

Brilliant suggestion, Dinsdale  !

 

BTW, Eagle, there is a GORGEOUS Sako  6.5 x 55 in the classifieds...It would DESERVE a high end scope...

 

Just tryin' to HELP..<<grin>>....

BTW twice, it is a gorgeous rifle with a set trigger that breaks like glass.

 

I had a Leupold Vx-6 1-6 illuminated scope with the german #7 3-post reticle on it.  The illuminated part is an adjustable brightness very small dot between the posts.  Fantastic scope!!

 

The Vx-6, while expensive, has true and I do mean true 1x, not 1.1 or 1.2, at the low end.  Looking through it at 1x there is not the slightest difference with both eyes open.  I've compared it to many so called 1-4's, which are really 1.1x and you can tell the difference.  It's a 30mm tube so it seemed plenty bright enough, even in deep woods.

 

What ever simple reticle you chose, I've come to the conclusion that, for me personally, range "finding", multi-dot/lines reticles are too busy in the field. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

I prefer Mil Dot, and I have used more than just the primary point for shooting a deer.

[gjs4]

Base it on the gun and use- my 257 wby is for whitetails and it stupid flat- have a minix 3-15x50 w a duplex reticle 0-500 is between the crosshairs and the flat post taper on the duplex- my 7mmrm sendero wears a vortex pat in 4-16x50 but could shoot steel beyond 1k and have moa and exposed adj turrets .... Could use both for either duty but they're setup for their primary focus

I have a cheapy savage w the combo doa drop scope- it sort of works but the glass quality (?bushnell) is lacking and the circles are too big and cluttering. It's like using a Swiss Army knifes pliers ... Better than nothing but not very good

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[dbHunterNY]

all my scopes have a standard duplex reticle but one.  that's a Nikon Omega with a BDC 250 reticle I've got mounted on my muzzleloader.  I've used every line on that thing.  doesn't work all nice and perfectly to each exact yardage but it works far better than estimated hold over.  I still have to judge wind and well if making a 200+ yard shot.  that said I'd love a nice piece of glass with a reticle having vertical and horizontal marks in MOA increments.  at longer ranges I'd prefer a fixed reference point than dialing turrets.  turrets aren't always exactly as advertised, you get what you get.  with a standard duplex I'm good out to 400 yards with my 30-06.  MOA reference points would be nice though.

[dbHunterNY]

problem I have with these hold over reticles though is some jim bob gets his new scope with a BDC 600 reticle that says calibrated for an XXXgr bullet.  he checks it or he doesn't and thinks he's good out that far.  come hunting day opportunity, he/she takes a shot and elevation is good enough but in no way hunter considers what wind does to a bullet that far.  drills the buck right in the a** and then the neck, when aiming for just behind the shoulder.  others with him praise the shot because it's far and the deer happened to die right there.  reality is it got shot in the a** and the neck.  ruined a bunch of meat.  lucky it died without going far.  I think people rely on equipment features and gadgets a little too much than understandable.  true story actually that happened on the farm.  I wasn't happy but it blew over only due to outcome.