Hey guys, I’m new to the site and just got started dabbling in long range a little over a year ago. My current setup is a 280AI with a Nightforce ATACR 4-16x42. Only issue I have is the reticle. It’s the H59, which for my purposes is way too cluttered. I’ll be hunting mostly large ag fields with shots anywhere from 200 to 900 yards. Lots of low light situations, so I don’t want to go with anything really fine. What’s the best mil reticle to go with on a hunting rig in your opinion? Thanks for any help.
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Rifle Scopes Best Mil Reticle for Long Range Hunting?
- Thread starter JA1989
- Start date
made talking having a new reticle Put in your NF or a whole new optic? If new SKMR 3 or 4. Not to cluttered but still has small wind hold stuff built in.
I'm obviously not sure on your budget, but our ZC420 is a fantastic optic, nice and short, and the MPCT1 reticle would be very well suited to your task. It's worth checking out.
IMHO, its their best reticle. After that id say the MIL-XT
I’m not sure, but on the nightforce website they don’t list the 5-25 atacr as having that reticle
Bushnell G3. The illuminated versions of both the 3-12 and 4.5-18 LRTS have .06 mrad thick cross hairs which are I appreciate in a hunting scope. The illumination is done excellently also which should help that much more if you're using often in low light scenarios
The Bushnell G3 is very nice. See attached pic for a DMRII with Illum G3. You should have no problem trading off that H59 for a MIL-R or MIL-C if you want to stick with NF. The NF MIL-XT might also be too busy for your eyes and purpose.
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I’ll second this reticle. Have one in a 5-27.
I love my ZC 4x20 with the MPCT1 reticle for hunting.NF Mil-c and Mil-R are also very nice reticles for hunting.If you want something less expensive the SWFA Mil-Quad reticle will work very well for hunting.
I hunt with the exact same scope you have, with a Mil-C. No complaints. I’ve tried lots of optics and keep on ending back up on the 4-16x42 for practical field use. $2k-ish for a gently used one. I don’t think it gets any better until you can afford a $3k+ ZCO , etc.
Check out the Steiner SCR reticle. Simple, illuminated and has floating center cross
Feel free to give us a call at 916-670-1103 and we'd be happy to go over some options for you
Thanks everybody, I appreciate all the great info and replies. I’m leaning hard toward another ATACR with the mil-R reticle. I’ll probably stick with the 4x16 magnification, I’m afraid anything over 20 would limit my field of view too much for shots under 500 or so
Zco420 with M1 for completely open. M2 reticle if you want a tree that’s not H59 clutter.
Are you looking at SFP scopes?
With FFP you can always dial back the magnification and the reticle will still be accurate.
The Leupold Mark 5hd in TMR would be worth a look for a FFP hunting scope.
I’m looking primarily for SFP. I have nothing against a FFP for target rifles that just punch paper and steel. However on my hunting rig I prefer SFP. Simply because I can turn the magnification down to 10x or so and still have a visible reticle in low light. FFP reticles disappear on me at that magnification when it gets dim.
SFP changes things a lot, the only scope recommended so far that comes in SFP is the 4-16 ATACR.
I've had good luck from a Leupold VX6 and VX5 and wouldn't hesitate to go for another.
Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 (30mm) CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Metric Illuminated TMR, Shadow Brown 172756
FREE SHIPPING on Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 (30mm) CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Metric Illuminated TMR, Shadow Brown 172756
Vortex LHT 3-15x42 would also suit your requirements.
If you've had good luck with the ATACR and like it other than reticle then a 4-16x50 F2 ATACR wouldn't be a bad choice.
Unfortunately (for you) most of the ATACR models are FFP so you are limited in reticle choices, make sure to buy the F2 version (that's SFP).
The same thing that makes a quality tree reticle valuable for field shooting/comps makes it equally valuable for hunting.
Less thinking, less dialing, faster shots, faster shot adjustments and ease of use. Same thing with FFP.
Less thinking, less dialing, faster shots, faster shot adjustments and ease of use. Same thing with FFP.
I have to stand corrected on that earlier statement, I looked a little harder and found the ATACR with the mil-c but it appears to only be available in FFP
You hit the nail on the head, I actually just ordered a ATACR 4-16x50 F2 with the mil-R reticle. I feel that magnification range is a good balance for a hunting scope. Decent field of view but still able to reach out to a thousand or more if needed.SFP changes things a lot, the only scope recommended so far that comes in SFP is the 4-16 ATACR.
I've had good luck from a Leupold VX6 and VX5 and wouldn't hesitate to go for another.
This would be an option to consider if cost and weight were a factor, there are similar MOA models if you preferred that, if you did like MOA then theres a couple of options from Zeiss you could look at too.Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 (30mm) CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Metric Illuminated TMR, Shadow Brown 172756
FREE SHIPPING on Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 (30mm) CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Metric Illuminated TMR, Shadow Brown 172756www.eurooptic.com
Vortex LHT 3-15x42 would also suit your requirements.
If you've had good luck with the ATACR and like it other than reticle then a 4-16x50 F2 ATACR wouldn't be a bad choice.
Unfortunately (for you) most of the ATACR models are FFP so you are limited in reticle choices, make sure to buy the F2 version (that's SFP).
I wouldn’t take that optic or reticle..... at all.
Illumination solves any issues with low light and thin FFP reticle. I hunt with mine a lot, and rarely ever need it. When I do a quick push of the illumination knob, and the reticle is easily visible in any conditions.
Mil xt and the skmr tree reticles are great. Ffp with illumination is great.
Sfp for distance hunting is so 2005
Sfp for distance hunting is so 2005
Its a pretty trash scope to be honest, he is right. Nikon killed their sport optics shortly after its debut. Glass was horrible in them, not to mention country of origin, inspiring no confidence.
I’d be interested to hear your reason for your comment about the FX1000.
I have two 6-24 FX1000 mil/mil and they’re a great scope. Most everyone that has compared them side by side to optics twice the price seem to agree per all the posts on here. My own comparison is with a Leupold VX3 and they are nearly the same in multiple light situations. Great hunting reticle. I haven’t had any issues out to 1250 yds dialing dope. Illumination is good also. No doubt it isn’t an ATACR. It also isn’t $2500. haven’t seen anyone make that argument.
“Trash scope”
Horse shit.
Nothing but great reviews from everyone that’s spent time behind one.
I’d be interested to hear your reason for your comment about the FX1000.
I have two 6-24 FX1000 mil/mil and they’re a great scope. Most everyone that has compared them side by side to optics twice the price seem to agree per all the posts on here. My own comparison is with a Leupold VX3 and they are nearly the same in multiple light situations. Great hunting reticle. I haven’t had any issues out to 1250 yds dialing dope. Illumination is good also. No doubt it isn’t an ATACR. It also isn’t $2500. haven’t seen anyone make that argument.
The reticle isn’t for me, and I’m not a fan of the glass. It’s not a bad choice in the grand scheme of things, but it’s not for me. That said I don’t like the glass in the VX3 either. The comment wasn’t as much of a dig at the optic as it was the absurdity of the statement I quoted.
Okay, the Nikon FX1000 glass isn't the lord's gift to optics and the turrets are the word's finest... fine. And yet I just spent a weekend cleaning 400 to 1000 yard shots with it sitting atop a Savage 12FV 308 in a MDT XRS chassis, a slew of 300 and 500 yard movers, unknown distance (measured with the very useful reticle), and other various long range shots and had absolutely zero issues with it. I tracked perfectly. The glass was clear as I could ever need it to be. The reticle got me nearly exact unknown distance measurements with zero missed shots. And I'd say the eye box/relief was better than the $3,000 Kahles scopes I got to look through and, frankly, the glass wasn't brown-tinged like those snazzy scopes.
It's a good damn scope. It was a great product. Especially since for my 6-24x50 I paid $450 and my 4-16 I paid $360. Oh, and the illumination -- you can actually see it when it's not pitch black unlike a slew of high dollar scopes I've demo'd. I literally went with the Nikons after trying and disliking (for the money) $3K and down scopes.
Anyway... this is a thread about hunting reticles and I wouldn't want anything much different than the FX1000's reticle for all but varmint hunting in the long range. If we're talking regular ol' white tail and piggy hunting you all know the only thing you need is a simple cross hair and a max PBR zero. Relax.
It's a good damn scope. It was a great product. Especially since for my 6-24x50 I paid $450 and my 4-16 I paid $360. Oh, and the illumination -- you can actually see it when it's not pitch black unlike a slew of high dollar scopes I've demo'd. I literally went with the Nikons after trying and disliking (for the money) $3K and down scopes.
Anyway... this is a thread about hunting reticles and I wouldn't want anything much different than the FX1000's reticle for all but varmint hunting in the long range. If we're talking regular ol' white tail and piggy hunting you all know the only thing you need is a simple cross hair and a max PBR zero. Relax.
To be fair I wouldn’t own a Savage, an MDT, or a 308 either.
Exactly.
Some people think splurging for a Supersized Big mac meal is fine dinning.
Old thread, but I'm here, so what the hell.
If it's NF, OK. If not, find the equivalent. Gonna throw my support to both the Mil-C and Mil-R. If you like the English system, then it's hard to beat a MOAR. That is a REALLY nice option for nighttime, and stuff that runs. (like pigs)
If it's NF, OK. If not, find the equivalent. Gonna throw my support to both the Mil-C and Mil-R. If you like the English system, then it's hard to beat a MOAR. That is a REALLY nice option for nighttime, and stuff that runs. (like pigs)
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