Rifle Scopes Bullet Drop Compensation Reticles

[Zatoichi66]

For those who target shoot & varmint hunt—do you recommend a Horus or other type reticle? Or, does “Kentucky Windage” work as well.

I like the Vortex EBR2C reticle, but don’t see a comparable version from S&B, which was my first choice.

 

[diverdon]

With S&B my personal pref is the H2CMR very simple and uncluttered.

but it sounds like you might prefer the H59

 

[Zatoichi66]

I find the Horus-like BDCs too busy for my eye—I like clean. Vortex Razor has a “less cluttered” version.
BUT, my question was how useful is a BDC in real-life target & varmint shooting? Do folks who use the BDCs say: I don’t know why I didn’t buy this sooner! Better than the self-contained cartridge....or, is it sort of irrelevant because in the grass while shooting varmints you might not see bullet strikes?

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Those aren't BDC reticles.

 

[diverdon]

Those aren't BDC reticles.

Umm, no BDC is exact, unless you are shooting the exact right load through the exact right barrel. Every one I've ever had I had to make a chart of where my load in my rifle intercepted the lines in the scope, so I can just as easily do the same thing with any other lines in the scope.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Not sure why you quoted me? @diverdon

 

[Deleted member 113831]

I find the Horus-like BDCs too busy for my eye—I like clean. Vortex Razor has a “less cluttered” version.
BUT, my question was how useful is a BDC in real-life target & varmint shooting? Do folks who use the BDCs say: I don’t know why I didn’t buy this sooner! Better than the self-contained cartridge....or, is it sort of irrelevant because in the grass while shooting varmints you might not see bullet strikes?

Your terminology is slightly off. A BDC (Bullet Drop Compensating) reticle is based on a rounds trajectory, so the lines aren't spaced evenly apart. They correspond to different yardage lines. The reticles you at discussing are MIL based reticles with the lines spaced evenly apart.

 

[spife7980]

Your terminology is slightly off. A BDC (Bullet Drop Compensating) reticle is based on a rounds trajectory, so the lines aren't spaced evenly apart. They correspond to different yardage lines. The reticles you at discussing are MIL based reticles with the lines spaced evenly apart.

This ^

BDC- not spaced evenly or to any scale other than approximate needs for a given yardage. .

Christmas tree next to a normal basic mil reticle- both like using a ruler, standard even graduations, one just has more of them than the other.

 

[Zatoichi66]

I’m sorry—I didn’t mean for confusion. Thank you for explaining.

Do these reticles help? I would love to know what percentage of distance shooters use them vs plain or mil dot reticle.

The only BDCs I have are ACOGs & they make hitting scary easy if distance is know & there’s minimal wind.

 

[Zatoichi66]

My head hurts—looking at S&B PMII, Nightforce ATACR & NXS, & Vortex Razor HDII....

How the hell do you choose?

 

[just browsing]

It really depends on personal preference and application.

The vast majority of tactical/competitive shooters will tell you to avoid BDC reticles as they are not ‘one size fits all.’ They are calibrated to one cartridge, bullet, velocity, etc. whereas standard MRAD/MOA reticles can be set up to your specific shooting system.

 

[308pirate]

Do these reticles help? I would love to know what percentage of distance shooters use them vs plain or mil dot reticle.

They do help. Pretty much nobody who is serious about being good with a precision rifle uses a duplex, BDC, or plain mil-dot reticle.

Pretty much everyone is using something that has subtentions finer than 1 mil

 

[Zatoichi66]

Thank you—I guess if I’m spending $3500, I should get what will work best as I learn to use it—that’s the bottom line. If those “in the know” tend to use them, there’s a reason.

Thank you again