Now one of the best things about graduated reticles is the ease and accuracy of holding over/under. For example: ( reference load .308 175 SMK @ 2800 fps) With a 200 yard zero and a Duplex reticle @ 100 yards POI 1.79 inches above POA. Yet @ 300 yards POI is 7.63 inches below POA. So with a Duplex reticle simply holding DEAD ON the 8 inch center of a Deer's vitals would cause the projectile to hit 3.63 inches below the 8 inch vital target. Without reticle graduations you would have to guess how high above the 8 inch vital target to aim, and you don't have any reticle reference to use for range estimation. Now the Military uses a 10 inch vital target, so that's larger than a Deer's 8 inch vital circle. So while the Military MAXIMUM POINT BLANK RANGE for the example would be 345 yards with a 290 yard zero, that wouldn't work on the smaller 8 inch Deer vitals so zeroing a Duplex to MPBR would limit hits to 250 yards. Instead of POI 5 inches above to 5 inches below POA, MPBR for the 8 inch vital circle of a Deer would make it POI 4 inches above to 4 inches below POA. So the 6 inch vital circle of a Hog would allow POI 3 inches above to 3 inches below POA. Obviously the vital size of the game being hunted, limits the MPBR which limits the effective range of a Duplex Reticle. Holding under at distances that your POI will strike above your POA, just like Holding over at distances that your POI will strike below your POA, can be much more accurately corrected for with a graduated reticle. Now like Jester896 stated, it's imperative to know the ballistics of the firearm you are using to properly calculate a successful firing/shooting solution. WOW! Long winded again.
The MINI-30 was zeroed in long ago. It expends 154 grain Silver Bear HP's. Since it is used for Hunting it has been tailored to the first Clean Cold Bore shot. You will notice that the group drifts until the 3,4, and 5th round have been expended. At that time the remaining shots will group (or can be adjusted REZEROED to center on shots 3, 4, and 5.) into the the three shot grouping which it will hold until the end of the shooting session. Then it can be returned to Original Zero awaiting the next Clean Cold Bore shot, as the first round is of greatest significance when Hunting. JMHO. A tack-driver it's not, but it is relevant out to 150 yards and has taken Hog, Deer, & Black Bear. This is not one of the firearms I intend to mount the Vortex on. The 2-10 Weaver with enhanced illuminated Mil-dot reticle is more than enough for these Old Eyes at 150 yard max. So here is a normal target shot at 100 yards with a 150 yard Clean Cold Bore Zero.
30-06 with IMR-4831 & 175 SMK. Don't always hunt in the back forty, have been known to Travel. Have been Trained to stalk game, and see no reason to abandon such skills due to a lack of proper equipment. Last Traveling Hunt found me on the Ice Pack, kind of difficult to find anything to tie tattletales on. LOL. Old Habits die hard, it ain't that difficult to find FFP variable magnification day scopes with Mil-dot reticles. At least things have improved since the days when a 10X fixed Leupold was the cats meow. JMHO.
I'm not sure which is worse, carrying a pocket full of those disk shaped CR batteries or spinning .25 -.5 MOA turrets to matchup with Mil-dot graticules? Just not sure I need all the Windage substentions cluttering up the view to perform sub three hundred yard shots on game? Seem like all that clutter would be better used at the 600 yard one way range? Especially with the extra drift of .223 projectiles? Guess if I had cut my teeth on a HORUS instead of a Leatherwood they would suit my eye better. LOL.
I've got a .223 Mil-spec and a .556 AR that I'm figuring to mount them to eventually.
