This might be a dumb question…

[Treeratslayer]

Ok this doesn’t apply 100% to “long range” but I figured this would be most likely to get a good answer.

I’m getting into dialing shots and just picked up a mil scope. I get every rifle is different, round, so many factors. But how does one go about calculating their mils for a shot? I know a lot of guys have calculators in their range finders. I know some guys have a card on the gun. But can it be done in your head?

My range finder doesn’t do mil calc, so let’s say I go with a card with every 50 yards on it. But the deer is at 457. Not 450 or 500. Do you do head math to get to 457 or do you just have to go with one or the other?

I feel like it should be easy to do in your head and I’m just overthinking it. But I can’t find a clear explanation anywhere.

Thanks for letting me waste your time!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dave0317]

When I first learned it, you just memorized at least the 100 yard increment adjustments.

Now there are some quick math techniques to get you pretty close. Look up the Shoot2Hunt folks. They have a good method that I think has been discussed on this forum and maybe on their podcast.

What rangefinder are you using?

Do you have a phone ballistics app? I like Ballistic AE, but there are some other great ones as well. If your rangefinder doesn’t have very user friendly software, you may be better off using it to get your range, and get your ballistic solution from an app.

 

[Macintosh]

Zero PERFECTLY. Get the range exact, dont settle for “almost”, get it centered on poa, and use at least a 10-round zero. Any error here is amplified at longer range, so thats why this matters.
Download a calculator.
Plug in your info—use box velocity if you dont have a chrono, but get this perfect, your inputs need to be good.
True your calculator according to app instructions or at the longest range you will shoot before bullet goes transsonic. This will correct the box velocity so dont sweat not having a chrono.
Now use the app info to make a dope card for that DA, or just screenshot the card from your app and make it the screen image.
Adjust DA when you change elevation or temp. this is easy with a simple chart even if you dont have cell service.

Also you can try “quick drops”, which are the “do it in your head solution” you asked about. It’s usually very close depending on your gun—see how it lines up for your gun, its very close for my 6.5cm and slightly over-corrects for my 270.
100 yard zero
200 yards .5 mil
300 yards 1 mil (first digit of the range -2)
400 yards 2 mils(first digit if the range -2)
330 yards 1.3 mils
460 yards 2.6 mils
543 yards 3.4 mils (3<5 so round down)
548 yards 3.5 mils (8>5 so round up)

Also can use a “wind number” for your gun, ie a 5mph gun is .1mil wind hold per 100 yards in a 5mph wind, .2 in a 10mph, .3 in 15mph, etc. after truing plug in various wind speeds and see what speed gives you .1mil per 100 yards, and that’s your wind number. Then verify.

Do a search for all of this stuff to get more detailed info. Start here: (and PRACTICE!)

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