Range finding Reticles - smaller Targets

Hi lads

Ive been looking at the Meopta Scopes and really like the scopes quality and those rangefinding reticles like the 4A and 4B seem to be very handy, Now this will come across as been a silly question to the Pro's here but im only learning about mags of scopes etc so bare with me.So the thing is can these type of range finding reticles be used for smaller targets like fox and rabbits or are they measured just for a Deer. If so is there other Reticles regardless of Brand that Have these quick range Reticles for smaller Targets (fox - rabbits) .

Thanks in Advance
 
If you're only just getting into it I don't think you'll find range-finding on a scope easy. If you know how big the target is (not easy for starters) then you can 'measure' the size in your scope. This can then be cross referenced to determine the range.... Except it only works at specific magnification setting, or where the scope design is such that the reticle is in the first focal plane. Another way of saying it gets bigger as you zoom in. Much better to use a range finder if that can work for the shooting you're going to do.
 
Depends on the reticle.
A simple duplex crosshair reticle (thick to thin in the centre) may be set up to range on one deer species and is useless for all else.
A mildot/radian reticle in a 1st focal plane will range at all zoom settings.
A 2nd focal plane scope will only range at one setting (my Zeiss 6.5-20 ranges at 12x exactly).
For these milradian ranging scopes you MUST know the average dimensions of the target.
For example, the average kangaroo is 200mm from the tip of it's ears to the line of its jaw. So if 100mm is covered by 1 milradian at 100m a roo whose ToE to LoJ is delineated by 2 millines or mildots it is 100m away. If it is 1 mildot to mildot it is 200m away and then all the variations thereof.
The formula is
ca289a1c1c3339eccc7e6915992f52ec.png
ca289a1c1c3339eccc7e6915992f52ec.png
milrads.png


  • D = distance to target in meters
  • S = actual size of target in millimeters
  • mil = the observed angle of view of target measured in Mil-dots
 
Now here is an alternative: Get a sample of what you shoot at. Set it up at exactly 100m or 100yds which ever you feel comfortable with. Then look through the scope and see what the target or selected part of the target is transected by.
Use this to estimate how far the target is away in the field.
I use this with the company rifle that has to be used by shooters not trained in range estimation and who only have access to a duplex scope.
The head of the average roo is transected by half the fine crosshairs at 100m there fore if the head fits twice between them it is 200m away etc....
Rough but it works.
Milrads.jpgrangingtarget.jpg
 
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To make life easy, buy a rangefinder and get a scope that has a good ballistic drop compensation reticle.
The Zeiss has both as I use it to range at 12x and the BDC underneath is correct for my .223 loads at 13.5x.
A ranging device is only good if you have time to use it.
Most hunters don't so my deer rifle is sighted using the 'Mid range trajectory' method.
I know that a deer has a killing area of around 200mm when hit by my .35 Whelen. So the scope is set so the maximum rise is 75mm above the centre of aim and at approximately 240m it has fallen 75mm below the centre of aim. So from the muzzle to 240m (which is a very long way to shoot a deer in NZ bush) I just aim dead centre of the target area. Notice that this is a 150mm range, however given that I wobble a bit and my rifle is not benchrest accurate I allow 25mm above and below for error.
 
The Meopta range finding reticle works on the basis of the target being 50cm from top to bottom. i.e. a roe buck from top of its head to base of chest, but then a sitting fox is probably also 50cm, where as a rabbit is probably 20 to 30 cm.

All duplex type scope are ranging finding - you just need to compare the reticle against a known size at a known distance.


 
Hi lads

Ive been looking at the Meopta Scopes and really like the scopes quality and those rangefinding reticles like the 4A and 4B seem to be very handy, Now this will come across as been a silly question to the Pro's here but im only learning about mags of scopes etc so bare with me.So the thing is can these type of range finding reticles be used for smaller targets like fox and rabbits or are they measured just for a Deer. If so is there other Reticles regardless of Brand that Have these quick range Reticles for smaller Targets (fox - rabbits) .

Thanks in Advance

Range finding reticles are only the answer when an electronic range finder is not available. For live quarry use the best technology available - either a standalone range finder or binocs with range finder built in. Leica make some excellent kit.

Regards

JCS
 
I had a squizz through a Bushnell Yardage Pro scope a while back but when compared side by side with a similarly priced Vortex Viper; the clarity was very poor.
I have not compared the Nikon version.
 
A scope with mil radian dots on the horizontal, or half-mil hashes even better, will let you range squirrels, rabbits, crows and foxes very easily.

Couple that with a BDC reticle on the lower vertical stadia or ballistics turrets for your cartridge, like the Burris MTAC, and you have rangefinding, bullet drop and windage offsets in a neat package.

Just get a cheap Mil Dot scope like a Hawke or Tasco World Class, put it on your .22 and try it out. At 9x, one mil = 4 inches / 4cm at 100 meters. You can use it for holdover, too - just shoot at a variety of ranges and record the range for each dot with your ammo of choice.
 
Range finding reticles are only the answer when an electronic range finder is not available. For live quarry use the best technology available - either a standalone range finder or binocs with range finder built in. Leica make some excellent kit.

Regards

JCS

^^^^This.

The newer Bushnell ARC 1 Mile LRF binos work fairly well IME. You'll need more than a .5 mil has mark to accurately range something small like a hare or rabbit at any significant distance...there are some reticles out today that do have .1 mil hash marks (usually on the far sides or bottom) for more accurate milling at longer ranges, but they come with a cost. As JCS says, just use a LRF...
 
They all require targets to be the same size.....Mother Nature is not that kind

i have shot foxes the size of cats and roe deer the size of large foxes.
i once shot a malformed, yearling red stag that was no bigger than a large roe!

mildots and military designed range rest were developed with the common width of a soldier in mind.
that doesn't change much (unless you are fighting child soldiers in some hole!)

learn your ranges, it's easier imo
 
I've never found mildots or mil type rets of any real advantage in the field other than when calibrated for holdover once the range is known, so as with others commenting, better off using a laser rangefinder which takes all the guesswork out. That and learning to range find if you don't have a rangefinder to hand. Range finding becomes increasingly difficult at longer ranges, so I would always advise using currently available technology to help out of you really have to shoot live quarry at longer distances. It becomes more important the further out you go, for the obvious reasons of increased bullet drop and windage allowances meaning greater margins for error unless you can accurately assess distance, especially for smaller quarry species.
 
Range finding reticles are only the answer when an electronic range finder is not available. For live quarry use the best technology available - either a standalone range finder or binocs with range finder built in. Leica make some excellent kit.

Regards

JCS

I agree with the above. I find its very difficult to accurately estimate ranges. When range fingers first came out I can remember being in the company of a few very experienced stalkers and we all had goes at estimating how far various objects were and it just confirmed the need for the range finder. If I did not have a range finder I would make sure that the beast I was going to shoot would be well within my MPBR. After the MPBR there is too much risk of disaster if you do not have an accurate range combined with accurate hold over points or tactical turrets.
 
Range finding reticles are only the answer when an electronic range finder is not available. For live quarry use the best technology available - either a standalone range finder or binocs with range finder built in. Leica make some excellent kit.

Regards

JCS
+1

Snow on the hill is a good example of where this applies, it's not easy to tell if 1 deer is smaller or just further away due to white dead ground so a scope isn't helpful.
Range finders are.

I know, "small, far away, small, far away".
 
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