04-01-2017, 03:35 PM
I dislike mils but mostly because I have a hard time visualizing them. This is because I grew up using inches and yards, not centimeters and meters.
Yes, I understand the mathematics involved and yes, theoretically the metric system is easier to use because it uses ten increments which are easy to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. That doesn't mean it is easier to see or visualize.
In field conditions it is better for a guy to go with the unit of measure he can visualize. If a person can more accurately estimate yards than meters, stay with the Imperial system! If a person can more accurately estimate in meters, go with the metric system.
If your brain is trained to see in yards, go with minutes of angle. If your brain is trained to see in meters, go with the mils.
Here is a good way to determine if one or the other is better for you. It deals with estimating range using a reticle calibrated in either mils or minutes. In order to estimate range using the reticle, you must know the target size in the unit of measure your reticle is calibrated for. Yards or meters. Measure a stop sign. If you automatically went to the metric side of the tape measure, you will probably like mils. If you automatically went to the inches side, you will probably like minutes of angle. Next, stand about a hundred feet from a larger object like a car or pick up truck from the side. Now estimate its length in meters and yards. If you automatically went to feet and then converted into yards, you are way better off staying with minutes of angle.
We had to use the metric system in the military so even I picked it up but I was always able to estimate ranges and sizes in inches, feet, and yards far more accurately and faster than in meters and centimeters. I will not buy an optic calibrated in anything but minutes.
LR55
Yes, I understand the mathematics involved and yes, theoretically the metric system is easier to use because it uses ten increments which are easy to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. That doesn't mean it is easier to see or visualize.
In field conditions it is better for a guy to go with the unit of measure he can visualize. If a person can more accurately estimate yards than meters, stay with the Imperial system! If a person can more accurately estimate in meters, go with the metric system.
If your brain is trained to see in yards, go with minutes of angle. If your brain is trained to see in meters, go with the mils.
Here is a good way to determine if one or the other is better for you. It deals with estimating range using a reticle calibrated in either mils or minutes. In order to estimate range using the reticle, you must know the target size in the unit of measure your reticle is calibrated for. Yards or meters. Measure a stop sign. If you automatically went to the metric side of the tape measure, you will probably like mils. If you automatically went to the inches side, you will probably like minutes of angle. Next, stand about a hundred feet from a larger object like a car or pick up truck from the side. Now estimate its length in meters and yards. If you automatically went to feet and then converted into yards, you are way better off staying with minutes of angle.
We had to use the metric system in the military so even I picked it up but I was always able to estimate ranges and sizes in inches, feet, and yards far more accurately and faster than in meters and centimeters. I will not buy an optic calibrated in anything but minutes.
LR55