Scope Magnification vs distance?
 

if your scope is at 6X, and you hold 2 inches over the target...is the distance from the target the same at 12X? 18X? 24X?

am i making sense?

If you could vice it and zoom, it'd still point to the same spot. But if you had a drop-compensating reticle, things can change.

its a mil reticle

The answer is yes.

mil dot's are set to be a certain measurement at a certain magnification.

usually it's at 10x or max magnification, you'll have to check your manufacturers info.

in order for the dots to be the same distance through the change in magnification range they would have to change in size....so if they do not change in size, then a dot only represents say 2" at a certain magnification.

yall understand that the distance i am talking about..is 2 inches over the target..if ya lock the rifle down, per say, 2 inches high, at a 200 yard target...and change the magnification..is it still 2 inches high? through both the scope, and above the target?..hard to explain what im asking. sorry

so it would be easy to misjudge 2" goin from 6X to 24X?

The distance will be the same regardless of what power setting you have it set on. Now with that said, a second focal plane scope made by any manufacture can have enough run out in the mechanism to be off some. There are some scopes, especially the cheaper models that when you shoot through the different power maginfications, the POI will wander. This is just inhererent with 2nd plane models.

I have Swarovski, Zeiss and US Optics with the reticle in the first focal plane and the POI will absolutely will not shift through power change. The reticle size increases as the magnification increases. Also, with the 1st or front focal plane reticle, your ranging abilities, be it mil dots, moa hashs etc will read correctly regardless of the power. The same cant be said with a 2nd FP. It's just the nature of the beast.