Mildot Master

[Matt In Oklahoma]

A while back I got a mildot master from http://www.mildot.com/index.htm

It is a low tech tool to assist you with range finding and taking appropriate shots. It's a simple tool and I wont cover all the aspects of it as you can try it on their website http://www.mildot.com/testdrive.htm
So far I like it. It is simple, lightweight, field friendly and seems to be helping me taking shots and judging the size of objects. My hope is to use it in the fall on an antelope hunt.
I still have yet to work it at longer ranges above 300 or steep angled shots which it has a calculator for on the backside, so i'll try to post back when I do so. Maybe some other folks have experience with them and can comment or post on pluses and negatives.



BTW the shipping was very quick and i had the product within 2 days of purchase and the instructional book is well written and in English that I understand. I 'm beginning to run out of excuses for misses:(

[boltgun308]

Don't get frustrated using mildots past 700 yards or so. the reticle is not fine enough for accurate ranging. The gen2 reticle helps as does the Horus reticle.

Make yourself a range card for the area around your huse. Laser range it for the most accuracy. I imagine that in Oklahoma that shooting at angles is not a relevant problem.

[610Alpha]

I 'm beginning to run out of excuses for misses:(

I seem to remember something that had a better ballistic coefficient than excuses but I can't for the life of me remember what it was...oh well I am sure Grand will give you a hard enough time about your misses until you start hitting...LOL

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Don't get frustrated using mildots past 700 yards or so. the reticle is not fine enough for accurate ranging. The gen2 reticle helps as does the Horus reticle. Make yourself a range card for the area around your huse. Laser range it for the most accuracy. I imagine that in Oklahoma that shooting at angles is not a relevant problem.

I'm big on the range carding especially round here already. I dont get too frustrated at anything past 500 especially as high is the wind is round here. 30mph is not uncommon and it's never steady. I laugh when i watch them long range guys on tv whine bout the 5mph crosswind, i wish Ihad that in november. The angle can be an issue in the extreme eastern and some in the western where it gets above that 35-40 degree mark where things seem to start happening. I dont know the exact science so i'm throwing out the numbers I think is where things start with my shooting. I'm still a rookie and live by the "you will always miss 100 percent of the shots you dont take" rule. I'll never be good enough for sniper grade but do enjoy the long range stuff.

I seem to remember something that had a better ballistic coefficient than excuses but I can't for the life of me remember what it was...oh well I am sure Grand will give you a hard enough time about your misses until you start hitting...LOL

The maxium effective range for an excuse is 0 meters
now drop and give me 20 for forgetting and trying to goad a flyboy into razing me LOL

[jimmycthemd]

Now, I'm an IT geek so I have an Android phone. There are several free ballistic calculators available for it. My .223 has a Nikon P-223 on it and for a mere $5 I could get their app (Spot On), but I'm gonna try the free ones first. Just got back into shooting after 20 years so I have LOTS of practice to do before I get to the distances where it'll be needed. I like free/cheap.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Now, I'm an IT geek so I have an Android phone. There are several free ballistic calculators available for it. My .223 has a Nikon P-223 on it and for a mere $5 I could get their app (Spot On), but I'm gonna try the free ones first. Just got back into shooting after 20 years so I have LOTS of practice to do before I get to the distances where it'll be needed. I like free/cheap.

I guess them "smart phone" deals would be ok. I just talk on mine so I dont have/need/want one and from all my buddies who are power thieves LOL constantly having to charge them i dunno. I mean seriously hanging out in a public bathroom with your phone plugged in?!?Aint no plug ins where i go so it's either the low tech method or the dedicated handheld ballistic computer. I dont have the money for a sniper grade rifle, dedicated computers, wind computers etc. I just have a rifle thats shoots better than me and want to get the most of of it that I can and make my shots count when I hunt so it's a notebook and mildot master for me. I'd still be interested in hearing about those apps and if they really work

[jimmycthemd]

The job pays for the smart phone. I have a solar charger for it so I can take it in the woods if I want. I don't have a sniper rifle either....a Savage Axis .223. It shoots a LOT better than me so it's all I need for now. Not trying to one-up anyone, just throwing that out there for those that already have the Android. When out in the woods, I turn off all the crap on it so the battery lasts for a few days even if I dont' charge it. It has a built-in GPS so, if I get lost, it's a backup to my map(s) and compass.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The job pays for the smart phone. I have a solar charger for it so I can take it in the woods if I want. I don't have a sniper rifle either....a Savage Axis .223. It shoots a LOT better than me so it's all I need for now. Not trying to one-up anyone, just throwing that out there for those that already have the Android. When out in the woods, I turn off all the crap on it so the battery lasts for a few days even if I dont' charge it. It has a built-in GPS so, if I get lost, it's a backup to my map(s) and compass.

Hey got a question are them apps $5 flat fee or $5 a month?

[jimmycthemd]

$5 flat fee for Spot On from Nikon. I've got another (by Strelok) that was a free download. No monthly charges for either. The reviews for Strelok were pretty good but, as stated, I'm not good enough yet to verify that at the range.

[boltgun308]

Strelock is good to go for what it does. Knights Armament makes one for $29 or $39 that is as good or better than what the military uses (Horus Atrag).

I really like MOA reticle scopes. The math is faster to work out in your head and the scale is a little finer.

Matt, use your reticle to range car rims. Factory wheel sizes are pretty standard (Crown Vic, Hummer, etc.) Also, most outside doors on houses are a known size, as well as the length of a brick, concrete block, etc. Much easier to range something close to the target instead of an actual person due to different body sizes and shapes.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Matt, use your reticle to range car rims. Factory wheel sizes are pretty standard (Crown Vic, Hummer, etc.) Also, most outside doors on houses are a known size, as well as the length of a brick, concrete block, etc. Much easier to range something close to the target instead of an actual person due to different body sizes and shapes.

coool, thanks, been using mailboxes, stock tanks and other items. Anyone watching me probably thinks i'm nuts cause I walk around with a tape measure checking stuff and learning sizes LOL yep the doors are usually 34-36inches wide bricks is around a foot. I figured out to when hunting on a place most t-post is set the same because within a couple inches anyway cause the same person put them in so once you get the measurement on where they have'em then that can be used too

[boltgun308]

Remember your angle to the item will change the measurement. If you measure something horizontally with your reticle, the length will be different if you are not exactly straight on (not left or right) Same goes for mesuring something vertically and you are above or below the object and not level with it.

Ranging an object close to the target is by far easier. Most humans will not be still enough for long enough for very accurate ranging.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Something else I like for start up work is http://ballisticscalculator.winchester.com/

[610Alpha]

The maxium effective range for an excuse is 0 meters
now drop and give me 20 for forgetting and trying to goad a flyboy into razing me LOL

Make it hurt Drill Sargent make it hurt so good!! I threw in a bonus push up just for good measure LOL

[boltgun308]

The Knights Armament software has a muzzle velocity trueing feature. You input your weather conditions, bullet being fired, etc. and shoot at 100 yards and again at 500 yards. The program will give you the actual ballistic coefficient based on the bullet drop. The Horus program does the same thing but it costs several hundred dollars.

Look up Todd Hodnett's website (Accuracy 1st). He has a ballistic wheel that is supposed to be really good. I have not used it or seen it. I last saw Todd 2-3 years ago and he did not have it out yet (at least he did not mention it).

The guy that designed the mildot master has been dead for several years now and his wife is carrying on the business. They also make a slope doper,.