Does anyone have any recommendations for a reticle that is versatile enough to allow very fast target acquisition at close range but still allow precise shooting at up to 300 yards? Thanks!

Jim

My 2 cents I prefer the CPC reticle which is a tapered crosshair I shot and killed a huge mule deer doe in NW Colorado with my Sako 300wm,Leupold 3x9x40 with a CPC reticle set at 9 power shooting 180 sierra game king bullets,72gr of IMR 4831 & Rem 9 1/2 mag primer in mixed brass Rem or Win in excess of 600 yards, in the packing house in Meeker she hung with the 6x and 7x mule deer bucks noses just clearing the floor.

I Like the various German #4 Reticles.

I really like the #4 reticle on a big bore. You can pick it out in the dark and shoot little groups in the good light. After having one done on a 1.75-6x by premiere reticles, all my scopes on the big bores will have this reticle.

A German #4 is definitely not a bad choice. Another good reticle is Leupold's "Heavy Duplex". Basically, you need something simple and fool proof - a reticle you can pick up really quick when you badly need it, which is as simple as possible, so it does not let you down when the blood pressure rises.

For that reason, I stay away from specialty reticles with multiple sight points, battery driven operation or what not. KISS is right for DG!! Gadgets are for the range....

- mike

Here below is the reticle on my Leupold 1.5-5, it's a German N° 1 which I had installed by Premier Reticles. I understand they no longer do this work, but if you can convince them to do it again, I think it is a very good reticle on a very good scope for DG. The point on the post allows for precise shooting at fairly long ranges.

and the reticule was and is a good sniper reticule, i have a S&B 3-12x42 with it and its easy to aim, just put the post where you want it and the bullet goes there.

There must be a scientific reason for it, but any of the three post reticles like the no. 4 or the one above seem to force my eye to the center quicker than a 4-post duplex. Has anyone else noticed this?

In fact, I think the German N° 1 would be even better with just the bottom vertical post and no horizontal bars! It would be like a peep sight only better because no parallax considerations.

The German #1 and #4 are hard to beat in thick cover close quarter situations especially in low light. For medium and large size game, either are useable for longer shots but I favor the #4 on shots much over 200 yards (but that is not for DG). The LEU HD is very easy to pick up even in low light but it covers too much field of view for my taste. The LEU WD may be a better choice than the HD.

You can keep all the graffiti, dotted lines, dashes, cartoons & hieroglyphics.

Give me a standard duplex anyday.


Kyler

i just got a 1-4x20 Leupold and its great with the duplex reticule, the eye senters in the middle and very fast,plus good eyerelief also is a mandatory thing when the recoil gets tough

another vote for the german #4.
ozhunter

And another vote for the German #4. But the illuminated version.

I have used a lot of "Picket Post" reticles in European scopes and like them. I also have a 1.5-5, a 1.75-6, a fixed 6x and a 2.5-8 Leupold with the heavy duplex.

Both are good choices.

whats wrong with a duplex?? I personally don't care for the various german reticles, ideal would be duplex with a dot in the middle, that dot is super fast for target aquisition

Forget the Leupold heavy duplex .I went to the fine duplex when I found that the heavy duplex covered 3" at 100 yds !!! That was more than it was supposed to but was ridiculous for a 1 MOA rifle !

Standard duplex is best for me. I'm experienced with it and it offers both enough detail for fine shooting and quick target acquistion at close range and moving animals. Don't buy heavy duplex without actually looking thru one. It definitely restricts view to me.

...not for Leupold tho it would be great to have one:

P-1 (Bryant) reticle
The P-1 Reticle was developed for Schmidt & Bender by Deputy Sheriff Robert Bryant, who has many years of experience as a SWAT team member and advisor to police departments. You will find the Bryant design very user-friendly and exceptionally efficient in high stress situations.

The horizontal lines under the crosshair make it possible to estimate distances up to 500 yards by cradling an 18" object between them. The posts, lines and the circle are all proportioned to help in rangefinding and in making allowances for wind or movement. Complete details are included with the scope.



source: Schmidt & Bender

I believe that for DG, Illuniminated is the way to go. Whether in a Lion or leopard blind or against the dark hide of Buffalo Illuminated makes the most sense.

I think the Zeiss no:11 (variation of German no:1 is the best of the non illuminated.
Course enough to bee seen in bad light (good for us who hunt at nights) And fine enogh for the really precisce shot.

With a no1 you can aim at a bullethole in the target or at the bullethole patch, with no¤ or heavy duplex you covers to much.

THe side bars on no:1 is great in poor light to determine the height of the middlebar when its lost in the dark pig in the middle of the night.

NO11 is like the no1 but it's bars is conical and the bars and the aiming point is centered.

Regards StenGun

I use a 4-12X Burris Compact plex reticle on my XP-100 17 Mach IV handgun, and it's the simplest ballistic/ranging reticle going. Made a shot on a coyote last fur season @ 300 yds. lasered in a 10 mph 3 o'clock wind. Once a "tactical-type" system is established for it, the plex reticle (or a "derivative" of it) is a terrific system for intermediate range shooting, but it's very infrequently used to it's fullest potential. I had to aim .6 of the distance to the lower post from the center axis, and 1.25 "plex units" windage. I have also successfully reticle-ranged (by use of a modification of the mil-ranging formula) antelope to over 700 yds. with the same scope/reticle when it was on a rifle (tho i'm not an advocate of reticle-ranging game to those kind of ranges).

Here is the system i apply for ballistic/ranging reticles-- www.ottllc.com/specialtypistols/sp20.pdf

quote:

Originally posted by cummins cowboy:
whats wrong with a duplex?? I personally don't care for the various german reticles, ideal would be duplex with a dot in the middle, that dot is super fast for target aquisition

On two hunts years ago I was hunting Red Deer on the south Island of New Zealand and Sambar Deer of the Victorian High Country with a Leopold and Swarovski set with the standard Duplex.
On these two trips I missed two stags on twilight due to the crosshairs being lost in the shadows. I have not had this problem with the heavy no4.
Although not ideal at the range for precise target shooting. it is great for hunting including DG.
ozhunter

I have hunted DG with the german#4 (burris), the heavy duplex(leupold) and the standard duplex (leupold). Of the three, I much prefer the standard duplex.

My first Zeiss Conquest had the Z-plex reticle, which I liked, so when it came time for another, I ordered another one. Lo and behold, in the Zeiss box marked Z-plex, was a Conquest with a German #4. Before I mounted it, I called BearBasin and they said send it back, we'll replace it. But the more I looked through it, the more I liked it. I mounted it on my .375 Taylor. It REALLY draws your eye to the center of the scope.

Yet another vote for the German #4. (Remember, your opinion is for a DG scope)...

MKane160

I like the heaviest German #1 as installed by Premier Reticles. I have used it extensively in th efield and find it the fastest, especially when shooting running game in heavy cover.

For a DG scope? I have to agree on the #4 though an illuminated #4 or a #4 with the addition of a red dot would be like adding a full tank of gas to a ferrari.

AllanD

I also would like to make a vote for the nr 11 it´s both swift and precise.

I make sure to sight my rifle to hit just precisly above the tip of the bottom bar at max range.

When shooting at short ranges or at moving targets or in dark one just uses the three bars to guide in the shoots.

I have a Ziess 1,5-4,5x 36 and at 3x the bars are perfect in size to make any shoot out to 120 meters at larger game.

Best regards Chris

quote:

Originally posted by StenGun:
I think the Zeiss no:11 (variation of German no:1 is the best of the non illuminated.
Course enough to bee seen in bad light (good for us who hunt at nights) And fine enogh for the really precisce shot.

With a no1 you can aim at a bullethole in the target or at the bullethole patch, with no¤ or heavy duplex you covers to much.

THe side bars on no:1 is great in poor light to determine the height of the middlebar when its lost in the dark pig in the middle of the night.

NO11 is like the no1 but it's bars is conical and the bars and the aiming point is centered.

Regards StenGun

If the rifle is to be used for BOTH fast close in shots and 300yd precision shooting I prefer a Leupold std. duplex reticle.