Rifle scope reticle choice ...

[Gert Odendaal]

Good day members. I have currently the need to choose between `n Duplex reticle with fine cross hairs and a Christmas tree reticle for my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser rifle .
I do have a rifle scope with a duplex reticle currently on the rifle....Although I am feeling comfortable using this 5-25 x 50 scope I want to be hunting /shooting out to 200, 300, 400 and 500 meters .

Question: The Weaver Grand Slam scope 4-16x44 has the Christmas reticle ,,,how do I determine the exact distances using f/s velocities to be accurate at 100m currently moving up to 300 meters at least using the Christmas reticle distance indicator lines ????

Christmas Tree Reticle​

This type of reticle looks just like the shape of tree saved for the festive season.

The hash marks get relatively longer with each marking down on the 6 o'clock cross hair. This is to compensate for wind drift as your bullet strike and velocity is greatly affected at long range distances.

While there are some of these ballistic or BDC style reticles available in hunting rifle scopes, it's more commonly found in the hunting/tactical hybrids, tactical, mil-dot, and military rifle scopes. I have a accurate load to work with now I need to use this load out to different distances ...this is at 100 meters...

 

[Choupique]

You should be able to find dimensions for the markers somewhere on the scope makers website. It varies by manufacturer and reticle style. If it's second focal plane, the subtensions will only match the indicated dimensions on a specified zoom. First focal plane, it always matches. Figure out your drops and drifts (ballistic apps make this easy), match that up to the reticle dimensions, and blast away.

Most people who shoot long range prefer an exposed elevation turret so you can dial the dope for the range. Its generally more precise than hold overs.

 

[Hogpatrol]

If you have a range where you can set your targets at those distances, set to maximum magnification and aim at the bullsyeye, then match up where your poi with the tree elevation lines.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

You should be able to find dimensions for the markers somewhere on the scope makers website. It varies by manufacturer and reticle style. If it's second focal plane, the subtensions will only match the indicated dimensions on a specified zoom. First focal plane, it always matches. Figure out your drops and drifts (ballistic apps make this easy), match that up to the reticle dimensions, and blast away.

Most people who shoot long range prefer an exposed elevation turret so you can dial the dope for the range. Its generally more precise than hold overs.

Thank you kindly the feedback is much appreciated..I do not use a FFP or any long range rifles scope ...it is a standard Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44 with this christmas tree recital.. I want to use this rifle with this scope out to 500 meters as shooting gongs as well as hunting Spring buck in the Kalahari Namibia ...I just need to figure out how to get the scope zeroed at 100 meters so the rest of the christmas tree lines line up on every other distance..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

If you have a range where you can set your targets at those distances, set to maximum magnification and aim at the bullsyeye, then match up where your poi with the tree elevation lines.

Hogpatrol, will it work if I zero this scope on 100 meters as I did with the last load development I did today , by taking the target to 200 meters, place the 100 meter dot on the 200 meter target shoot at the target ..then take the target back to 100 meters line the 100 meters zero up on the bull of the target..the second line( 200 meter) will now line up on the 200 meter bullet hole I shot at the 200 meter target??

 

[Jefferry404]

what i use is a laser, such as Wheeler, place target at know distance, say 10-20yds, max magnification
and measure where each subtends lands the laser, then can estimate the reticle subtend spacing, at least get you close.
Steve

 

[Gert Odendaal]

what i use is a laser, such as Wheeler, place target at know distance, say 10-20yds, max magnification
and measure where each subtends lands the laser, then can estimate the reticle subtend spacing, at least get you close.
Steve

Thank you Steve, much appreciated..what load do you use for your 404 Jeffery?

 

[Jefferry404]

I set for a lighter load, accuracy and load density. Peep sight 50yd group
using 400gn DGS and 74.3gn h4350 gives 2089fps in 23.6" barrel.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Nothing wrong with that load..I am using this load ..H4350, 84gn with a 400gn bullet with a OAL 89.5mm. it was used to hunt the two buffaloes with ..it is accurate so I am using only this load will try other bullets in the future if the BARNES X bullets ran out.
Beautiful wood and a beautiful looking rifle for sure

 

[Hogpatrol]

Hogpatrol, will it work if I zero this scope on 100 meters as I did with the last load development I did today , by taking the target to 200 meters, place the 100 meter dot on the 200 meter target shoot at the target ..then take the target back to 100 meters line the 100 meters zero up on the bull of the target..the second line( 200 meter) will now line up on the 200 meter bullet hole I shot at the 200 meter target??

You may have to adjust the power to get the lines to match up to the POI at each distance with your 100 yard zero.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

You may have to adjust the power to get the lines to match up to the POI at each distance with your 100 yard zero.

I spoke to the person who assisted me in the reloading data , he explained to me that if I use the 200 meter zero it will get all the other distances indicators aligned .

Will give feedback ..

 

[Ridge Runner]

I will be awaiting your results as I changed from a mildot 50mm objective to a 44mm objective "Christmas" tree retical scope on my 30-06.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I will be awaiting your results as I changed from a mildot 50mm objective to a 44mm objective "Christmas" tree retical scope on my 30-06.

Ridge Runner, I have currently the Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44 with the christmas tree reticle on my Mauser 8x57 js ...and the 5-25x50 with Duplex reticle on my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser..

.I am thinking of swapping these two rifle scopes ...fitting the 4-16x44 to my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser to shoot out to 500 meters and the 5-25x50 Duplex scope to my Mauser 8x57JS rifle since it is a bush-veld walk and stalk rifle, small and compact ..

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ridge Runner, I have currently the Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44 with the christmas tree reticle on my Mauser 8x57 js ...and the 5-25x50 with Duplex reticle on my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser..

.I am thinking of swapping these two rifle scopes ...fitting the 4-16x44 to my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser to shoot out to 500 meters and the 5-25x50 Duplex scope to my Mauser 8x57JS rifle since it is a bush-veld walk and stalk rifle, small and compact ..

I must concede yeilding to your choice as there are major differences between stalkIng the bush-veld of Africa and here in the woods in the USA.

Due to these differences I much prefer iron sights or a lower power of 4 or 3 with a wide objective for varying light conditions and getting on, acquiring, moving deer, sneaking though the woods; (and those duiker that jump up in front of me like bunny rabbits.) LOL. Only happened on my first trip. Those duiker knew they weren't on my list of animals. We would walk within feet of them or almost past them before they would spring out of the brush to our side or in front of us.

Only on the second trip had a springbok come bursting through the brush at me. LOL still not sure who spooked who the worse. And a black wildebeest after being shot turned at first coming straight to, then veering left, as it came nearer toward us. The 50mm scope was useless as the wildebeest filled the objective. Only after it had past by us was I able to get a second shot and a third insurance shot when it collapsed on the ground.

On my last trip we were setup for baboon in a very, very, small clear spot in thick brush. My tracker said it was bushbuck; I thought it sounded more like a rooting (bush)pig within feet of us. On our last night using this particular "hide" my tracker, Lloyd, actually seen a bushbuck sneaking in just a few (as in ~4-5) feet from me. Another of those times of who spooked who worse; the bushbuck or me.

Just illustrating why 5x may not be a low enough power on a designated stalking rifle.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Ridge Runner thank you kindly for this great informational feedback, it is much appreciated ...
Fortunately I have a Schmidt & Bender 1.5 -4 x 42 rifle scope..will fit it to the compact Mauser 8x57JS rifle..
(photo internet/example)

 

[Choupique]

explained to me that if I use the 200 meter zero it will get all the other distances indicators aligned .

That's unlikely, unless the reticle was subtended for your specific cartridge or something very similar.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ridge Runner thank you kindly for this great informational feedback, it is much appreciated ...
Fortunately I have a Schmidt & Bender 1.5 -4 x 42 rifle scope..will fit it to the compact Mauser 8x57JS rifle..
(photo internet/example)
View attachment 678276

A good choice.

LOL. Even with my younger eyes I would opt (wished for or wish I had a higher power scope) for a 10x even an 8x cause there, from experience, those times when one breaks out of the thick stuff, calling it a day, heading home (or back to the vehicle) to see an animal, in my case deer hunting, I only had iron sights or a low power scope (set 4x, back in my younger days) and spot a deer 200+ yards on the lake bottom, in a cornfield (and in a former cattle pasture), or in a clearing across a draw or valley with little to no time for a stalk (late afternoon/early evening); all I could do was to covertly wave and say I'll be back; See you later; As I watch the deer casually walk into cover.

Now whether or not I seen that same deer later is another story to be told around the evening campfire.

 

[AZDAVE]

Get you can shoot the rifle with each different hash mark at 100. Measure the distance they are apart on the paper then sit down with a ballistic program and correlate where they will hit based on your hundred yard zero based on the actual ballistics of your load and rifle. Once you do the math drill go out and verify on targets out to your 500 and go hunt.

 

[rookhawk]

Good day members. I have currently the need to choose between `n Duplex reticle with fine cross hairs and a Christmas tree reticle for my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser rifle .
I do have a rifle scope with a duplex reticle currently on the rifle....Although I am feeling comfortable using this 5-25 x 50 scope I want to be hunting /shooting out to 200, 300, 400 and 500 meters .

Question: The Weaver Grand Slam scope 4-16x44 has the Christmas reticle ,,,how do I determine the exact distances using f/s velocities to be accurate at 100m currently moving up to 300 meters at least using the Christmas reticle distance indicator lines ????

Christmas Tree Reticle​

This type of reticle looks just like the shape of tree saved for the festive season.

The hash marks get relatively longer with each marking down on the 6 o'clock cross hair. This is to compensate for wind drift as your bullet strike and velocity is greatly affected at long range distances.

While there are some of these ballistic or BDC style reticles available in hunting rifle scopes, it's more commonly found in the hunting/tactical hybrids, tactical, mil-dot, and military rifle scopes. I have a accurate load to work with now I need to use this load out to different distances ...this is at 100 meters...View attachment 678160

Usually, at a given power magnification the subtensions make some sort of logical sense. So yes, you actually have a fixed power scope in your hands. There are calculators online that can figure out that at 8.75x and 100 yard zero the subsequent crosshairs might mean 150-200-250-300 or whatnot.

It will work eventually with much frustration. After that, you'll bash it against a rock and get a German #4 reticle, figure out the MPBR of your rifle, and just go hunting at all reasonable distances.

 

[Ridge Runner]

That's unlikely, unless the reticle was subtended for your specific cartridge or something very similar.

If I have this correctly, it's similar, but inverted to multi pin archery pin alignment.

First zero your rifle at 100 yards. Precision shots, meaning, 3 shots, grouping in the red 3/4 inch dot at 100 yards.

Next step: using your zeroed 100 yard, place it on the red dot at 200 yards and group your shots at 200 yards. Return to the 100 yard range place your 100 yard zero back on the red.

NOTE: Hopefully, your targets are placed close enough that you can easily view or transfer with minimal effort to view succeeding ranges 200, 300, 400, 500 yard targets.

Holding your 100 yard zero on your 100 yards dot look to see where your 200 yard group aligns with the first line below your 100 yard zero. Your aka bullet drop at 200 yards.

Repeat this process for your 300, 400, 500 yard shots.

Next Stage:

Preferably using an NRA B27 Silhouette target, and 6" or no larger than 8" splatter targets, ie Shoot-N-C.

Starting at the head of the Silhouette target in a straight line down the center, place a 6" splatter target, at edge to edge to the bottom of the Silhouette target. There should be 5 splatter targets on the Silhouette.

Starting with your 100 yard zero placed on the red dot on the bottom target fire 1 shot.

Next place your 200 yard mark on the bottom target fire 1 shot. Same for 300, 400, 500 yard marks. Your bullet holes should be moving up the splatter targets on the silhouette.

You should have a, hopefully, straight line of bullet holes going up the target. With exception to maybe the 400 and most likely the 500 yard bullet holes will not be evenly spaced as the 100, 200, and 300 yard bullet holes.

Starting at the bottom target moving the 100 yard zero up to each red dot of the next upper target should relatively align each lower hash of the recticle to the bullet hole in each of the lower targets.

Note: the 400 and 500 yard bullet holes could be considerably off. Turn the target upside down and check your recticle alignment placing the 100 yard zero on the new top (former bottom) target.

This should place the 200, 300, 400, 500 yard bullet holes within the 9 ring of the splatter targets.

Note:
1. Using factory ammo only expect bullet holes to be less uniform, at 300, 400, 500 bullet holes will likely be in the 8 ring of the splatter target.

2. Any changes to your reloading recipe will also have an effect your results.

3. Once a change in or to your ammunition repeat this process for the change in ammunition.

NOTE: Because bullet weights and velocities differ not all splatter targets on the silhouette target may be needed.

EXAMPLE: If only the top 2 splatter targets are required. Follow the same procedures as highlighted for the bottom splatter target and turning the silhouette upside down.
_______________________________________________

I short cut this process by going straight to the 8" splatter targets on the NRA B27 silhouette target.

Zero my center cross hairs at 100 yards, then starting with my lowest holder over hash mark on the bottom splatter target moving up the holder over hash marks on the lower splatter target, then flipping the silhouette target upside down to check where each bullet hole is in reference to it's respective hold over line on the recticle.

If I need to, I will set my 100 yard zero to 1 inch high to keep my 200 and 300 yard hold over inside of 3 inches. At 1" high generally zeros my 30-06 and 375H&H rifles near 150 yards.