What style of cross-hair is best?

[vanders]

Hi guys,

As a virgin to the varminting scene I seeking some guidance for the following.......

I'm looking at a Meopta Meostar R1 4-16x44 scope for a 204 & was unsure what type of cross-hair I should order it with eg. mill-dot or z-plex II?

http://www.meopta.com/index.php?id=131&lang=en

Anyway what cross-hairs does everyone use & prefer for varmiting?

Please let me know your opinions on this scope as well.

[Drew Jaeger]

Heavy Duplex for large game
Fine Duplex for small game

[Davyd]

I think there will be a variety of views - partially due to those who adjust their scope knobs for distance and those that don't - I am of the latter - I don't adjust my scope in the field and that influences what I say.

Firstly I have not used Meopta - but I have only heard good things about them.
Second - The scopes power and range seems a good match to the flat shooting .204 for varminting - and allows good sighting in at the range too - perhaps more than really need in the field.
Third - I like ballistic plex and milradian plex's as they give easy holdover references and adjustments in the field for longer distances. However assuming the .204 ballistics is somewhat like the .220 swift (very flat)

- you will have a point blank range on a bunny to 230y (guess) or so which is a reasonable distance and a 5inch drop at 300yards. This means that the milradians on the mildot scope would be of modest help - you would be holdiong off a bit over a third of a mil.

So the advantage of a mildot system is not compelling - and either would work very well.
I would probably get the mildot because it makes the scope more adaptable in the long term when you may have moved it onto another rifle and may be of some margingal help in doing holdovers for distance and wind

I personally use a modified mildot on my main varmint rifle - with 1/2 mil hashmarks which are quite useful for my somewhat less flat shooting .223

[vanders]

Great round up of the options, much appreciated Davyd.

[prodj1000@hotmail.com]

I am from the other group of people who change elevation canstantly depending on the distance of course. On all of my centre fire rifles that is.
i believe in the saying that if your cross hair are looking at air, your will hit air. And thats not what we want.
When choosing a rectical, keep it simple. nothing worse then looking through a scope and theres a bunch of crappy lines and numbers you have to look through, when you should be concentrating on the target and conditions

[Kenny]

I would go with the duplex.

It 'draws' your eye to the centre....and gives a nice fine aiming point.

I have never been a fan of mil-dot reticles as I feel they cover up too much of the target at longer ranges...a 1/8" dot covers about a half inch at 100 yards....if you know what I mean.

KY

[HiWall]

Fine Plex reticle for me as well. The MilDot is only good if you can be bothered learning the Mili Radian bullshit and then apply it. AFAIK it will only work while your scope is set on 10x anyway. Good for wannabee snipers I spose.

[Rinso]

It 'draws' your eye to the centre....and gives a nice fine aiming point.

Spot on kenny

cheers
Rinso

[Mick]

Fine Plex reticle for me as well. The MilDot is only good if you can be bothered learning the Mili Radian bullshit and then apply it. AFAIK it will only work while your scope is set on 10x anyway. Good for wannabee snipers I spose.

I really like the MilDot and similar (like the Nightforce NP-R2) reticle for BR and F Open. Even if you dont bother to learn the mil radian and changes at different magnifications etc, the dots give a great point of reference for aiming off.

Aim dead center for your sighter, see where your POI is for a particular condition, find a dot that lines up with an easily remembered part of the target and you're all good, just line the same dot up with the same part of the target and wait for the condition to come back for each shot.

[Ackley Improved]

I'm with Mick. The extra hold off points make it easy for putting those holes on paper where you want them.

I do not ever alter my windage at fly, just use the NP-R2 reticle.

For short range BR, a fine crosshair or dot is all that is needed.

I do not own any standard crosshairs scopes now that I think of it. I do have a 1/8dot though!

CHeers
AI