04-10-2011, 02:04 PM
Zeiss also offers ballistic reticles on some models, and they have a calculator on their website that indicates what power is optimum. With a second-focal-plane reticle and some calculation and experimentation, you can often get pretty close.
I've been the route of ballistic-type reticles before. But it kinda locks you in to a particular load. Thus, I've come to prefer a mil-based reticle with mil-based turrents, as the system works well with any load. For example, if your particular load drops 4.3 mils at 600 yards, and you have 0.1 mil clicks, you can either adjust up 43 clicks, or adjust up 3 clicks and hold on the 4-mil line of the reticle. If you change loads, it's easy to adjust accordingly. A first-focal-plane reticle makes the mil-mil system work even better, as it's applicable regardless of what power the scope is set on.
I've been the route of ballistic-type reticles before. But it kinda locks you in to a particular load. Thus, I've come to prefer a mil-based reticle with mil-based turrents, as the system works well with any load. For example, if your particular load drops 4.3 mils at 600 yards, and you have 0.1 mil clicks, you can either adjust up 43 clicks, or adjust up 3 clicks and hold on the 4-mil line of the reticle. If you change loads, it's easy to adjust accordingly. A first-focal-plane reticle makes the mil-mil system work even better, as it's applicable regardless of what power the scope is set on.
Drifter