Is MIL too confusing?

[Loper]

I've recently began looking at new scopes as twice last year I had an issue in the field with one of mine. All of my scopes I've had in the past have been SFP. I originally had BDC reticles, but later sold them and moved on to scopes with turrets that I could dial in MOA, Now I'm considering selling these scopes due to loss of confidence and may start over looking for a scope that is durable and I can trust. In my research I noticed a lot of the scopes that have the features that I am looking for (durability, exposed elevation turret, zero stop) come with in MIL. Additionally, it seems that a lot of people prefer MIL. I decided I would just learn something new and go with MIL.

Over the last few weeks I've read a number of forum posts and watched numerous YouTube videos to learn to use MILs, however something is just not clicking with me. I'm not sure if I am just used to MOA and increments of (approximate) inches make more sense to me, or if MIL is just that much more challenging to understand. Math and numbers have never been my strong suit and in my head MIL seems more confusing than MOA. Am I the only one who feels this way? Anybody else really have a hard time grasping MIL? Any good resources to check out that really dumb it down and simplify MIL? For those that use MIL, why do you use it? Does MIL make more sense to you over MOA, or did you find yourself in the same position I'm in where the scopes you were interested in weren't using MOA?

I was thinking I could take advantage of the SWFA sale and get a MIL scope at a good price (even if I have to wait on a backorder). However, I might just buy the 6X MOA Quad (that is in stock) and call it good.

 

[Bluumoon]

Compilation of Formidilosus posts

Hopefully this doesn't step on any toes. I've found Formid's posts to be incredibly useful and have spent more time than I care to admit digging through his posts. Attached are a few of the "core" posts I have saved for reference and to share with friends. To be clear, this is all Formid's...

rokslide.com

I grew up on MOA, MIL is the way...

 

[PathFinder]

Mil is simpler in the same manner that the metric system is. It allows you to use the base 10 integers our number system is built on and forget the fractions. Additionally, there are some simple rules that work with Mil units that are easier to memorize for drop and drift.
Buy the Mil SWFA and spend some time with it, the transition will be easier than you expect.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Bluumoon]

google

How to use that new SWFA scope and Formidilosus

Start there

 

[Loper]

Compilation of Formidilosus posts

Hopefully this doesn't step on any toes. I've found Formid's posts to be incredibly useful and have spent more time than I care to admit digging through his posts. Attached are a few of the "core" posts I have saved for reference and to share with friends. To be clear, this is all Formid's...

rokslide.com

I grew up on MOA, MIL is the way...

Thank you for sharing this as well as compiling all of Form's posts. I haven't seen this thread before. I'll be checking out all the PDFs and probably saving them on my computer.

 

[PNWGATOR]

SWFA has their 6x milquad in mil/mil on sale now. Buy one.

 

[SDHNTR]

If you can get there, in theory, mils allows for rote math/base 10 and is more intuitive.

 

[sbaker0029]

The best advice I can give is a first don't think about how many inches a mil equals, just forget that inches ever existed. Once you get the hang of the base 10 of mils, meters, centimeters then you can throw in the inches/yards equivalents.
If trying to combine all of it a first it can be hard to keep together in your head.
At least that's how I was for me and what I had to do for it to click. I still get confused sometimes though but that could just be because I'm from Kentucky and learnin is hard lol

 

[Formidilosus]

I was thinking I could take advantage of the SWFA sale and get a MIL scope at a good price (even if I have to wait on a backorder). However, I might just buy the 6X MOA Quad (that is in stock) and call it good.

Read this-

How to use a mil/mil scope-reticle, turrets and proper usage

I have gotten a bunch of requests to write up a "how to" for using mil reticle scoots. In this case the SWFA Milquad reticle. It is the 6x42mm SS with MQ reticle in the pictures, however the process and use is the same as long as you have a scope who's reticle matches the turret adjustments-...

rokslide.com

 

[Loper]

Read this-

How to use a mil/mil scope-reticle, turrets and proper usage

I have gotten a bunch of requests to write up a "how to" for using mil reticle scoots. In this case the SWFA Milquad reticle. It is the 6x42mm SS with MQ reticle in the pictures, however the process and use is the same as long as you have a scope who's reticle matches the turret adjustments-...

rokslide.com

Wow....your thread just made it all click inside my brain! This is incredible! I feel like I can now confidently purchase a MIL scope and begin to learn it first hand.

@Formidilosus I really appreciate you taking the time to take the images/screenshots and write it all out. I'm sure that I'm not the only person who will be benefiting from your post. Thanks for all you do to share your experience and knowledge with us on the forum!

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I hate MILs - I have owned them off and on and always come back to MOA. I feel the same way about FFP and SFP. I talk myself into buying a FFP and or MIL scope, use it, try to love it, end up hating it, sell it, repeat.

 

[Marbles]

@Loper I sent you a PM.

 

[bojangles808]

Read this-

How to use a mil/mil scope-reticle, turrets and proper usage

I have gotten a bunch of requests to write up a "how to" for using mil reticle scoots. In this case the SWFA Milquad reticle. It is the 6x42mm SS with MQ reticle in the pictures, however the process and use is the same as long as you have a scope who's reticle matches the turret adjustments-...

rokslide.com

Thank you again for more wisdom. Can do same thing with SFP mil scope as long as on max power correct?

 

[Formidilosus]

Thank you again for more wisdom. Can do same thing with SFP mil scope as long as on max power correct?

Exactly the same as long as you are on whatever magnification it is calibrated to.

 

[Loper]

The best advice I can give is a first don't think about how many inches a mil equals, just forget that inches ever existed. Once you get the hang of the base 10 of mils, meters, centimeters then you can throw in the inches/yards equivalents.
If trying to combine all of it a first it can be hard to keep together in your head.
At least that's how I was for me and what I had to do for it to click. I still get confused sometimes though but that could just be because I'm from Kentucky and learnin is hard lol

This is helpful, thanks. Keeping this in mind and then reading Form's post I think is what made the light bulb go off in my head.

 

[ORJoe]

I was thinking I could take advantage of the SWFA sale and get a MIL scope at a good price (even if I have to wait on a backorder). However, I might just buy the 6X MOA Quad (that is in stock) and call it good.

About my only gripe with the SWFA scopes specifically is that the MIL reticle is not marked inside the scope.


I look through the MOA scope:
"Those marks are labeled 10-20-30, so I can deduce that the little marks are 2 MOA each"
The MIL scope:
"Are the big marks 5 or 10? Does that make the little diamonds 1 or 2 or 1/2 MIL? Next time I'm at my computer I'll check swfa.com and hopefully I remember or write it down."

 

[Marbles]

About my only gripe with the SWFA scopes specifically is that the MIL reticle is not marked inside the scope.
View attachment 571327

I look through the MOA scope:
"Those marks are labeled 10-20-30, so I can deduce that the little marks are 2 MOA each"
The MIL scope:
"Are the big marks 5 or 10? Does that make the little diamonds 1 or 2 or 1/2 MIL? Next time I'm at my computer I'll check swfa.com and hopefully I remember or write it down."

Diamonds are 1 mil.

 

[Loper]

I placed an order for the 6X SWFA MIL Quad. Looking forward to using it once the backorder is fulfilled.

 

[KenLee]

I placed an order for the 6X SWFA MIL Quad. Looking forward to using it once the backorder is fulfilled.

Their add to cart vs backorder changes every time I look.

 

[CZluvr]

For me not much difference. I bought 2 new Arken 6x24's. 1 MIL and 1 MOA. I use a dope sheet so I either dial or hold for example 2 MOA or 2 MIL holdover for the yardage I am shooting. No difference for my usage. I don't use them to range targets or worry about holdover in inch or metric increments. If a guy wants to try a MIL reticle the Horus vision reticle simulator is an incredible time waster to give one a try. Kind of like a long range shooting video game.