HEAD0001

I need some help. I got talked into buying a Zeiss Conquest 6.5x20x50 for a Custom barreled 6.5x284 Encore that I plan to use for groundhogs. The scope has the Mil-Dot Reticle. This is the first Mil-Dot I have ever owned. I went to the Zeiss web site for an explanation on how to use their Mil-Dot. I could not find anything. There was not any information in the box either. I looked up a couple of sites on Mil-Dot's. Kinda vague-maybe I did not find the right site? Is the Zeiss Mil-Dot different? Is there a standard for all Mil-Dot's? Anybody got a simple explanation that a Hillbilly Redneck might understand? Tom.

ranger140892

It's too early to explain this one.
Mil's are like degrees (on a compass). Except there are 6400 mil's in a circle instead of 360. There are roughly 17.777 mil's in one degree.A mil is roughly worth 1 meter inwidth or heightat 1000 meters. Confused yet? I was when my drill sergeants first tried to cram this down my throat years ago.

We use mils for lots of reason, but for your scope it's used for range and deflection estimation. To estimate range with the mil dots, you need at least one known factor. Usually theheight of your target or something next to it. The easiest thing to use is an adult male torso, which is roughly 1 Meter tall. Or ahousehold doorway which is roughly 2 meters tall.If you look at a 1 meter tall target through your scope, and it covers 1 mil, guess how far away it is? 1000 meters. If it covers 2 mil's, it's 500 meters away. get it? It may be confusing nowbut when it "clicks" you'll slap your head and say, "this is so easy"!

DANTHEHUNTER

www.riflescopes.com

bigcountry

First you need to find out what power the mil dots are valid. I bet 10X. Next, I suggest buying a mildot calculator.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=131691

HEAD0001

I tried to find that out at the Zeiss web site. Nothing there. Unbelievably vague. I will try the site that Dan recommended. Mil-Dot calculator-WOW I should have just bought the Leupold with VH reticle. I have a couple of them, and they work great. Oh well-something new to work with. Ain't that a shame. I guess I will just have to shoot it. What a drag. Tom.

bigcountry

When you say the VH reticle works great, what do you mean? I have tried them, and they are always off. You can't just use the lines to coorespond to 300yards, and then 400 yards, and 500 yards. For dead zero, they are different on differnet guns for different scope heights. Mil Dot works off the same principle, but at least its a standard where, when one learnsto use, it, they can make accurate determinations, on range.

Maybe a little advanced for you. Back to the kiddy table with your Leupold recticle.

ranger140892

Once you learn to usemil dots you'll like it.Best thing is, you've already got the scope on target. Once you get your range you're ready to fire without fiddling around with extra equipment.It's a perishable skill, so you have to practice some.
And by the way, an average whitetail doe is...you guessed it...roughly 1 metertall frombackbone to ground, so there's another known factor for range estimation.

DANTHEHUNTER

Ranger that is great advice!! And right on the money.