I've always used the hoppes target with the 4 pie shapes in the center for sighting in and load development. Its really all I've ever been exposed to but I would like some ideas or suggestions on something better. I have seen the benchrest targets in my Sinclair catalog but I dont understand how they are to be used. Trying to get a precise and more importantly a consistent aiming point can make all the difference in the world when your shooting for groups. Any info would be greatly appreciated!! Does anyone out there have a home "brew" target style that they would like to share? Thanks!!

Reverse the color of the 190s insignia.
White interior space and black exterior angle bars.
Alter the white interior space to just fit your crosshair width so you can see a little white on each side.
for iron sights do the same thing but the bottom half of the black bars should look like the legs of the letter A. Size the angle and gap to fit your front sights with some white on each side.

ireload, thats similar to what I use now. On the pie shapes of the hoppes target, I place the crosshairs over the two straight lines that are at right angles to each other. I have also made some targets in the past that had four large squares in the middle of the target instead of the pie shapes, that gives you more right angles to use. Thanks for the tip!!

quote:

Originally posted by ireload2:
Reverse the color of the 190s insignia.

Not many 190s in the air any more. One just crashed in Germany not too long ago. Great Machine.

Target; 50 yds. 1/4" dia. red dot, 8ea. 1/16" dia. black dots 1" from center radially spaced every 45 degrees. roger

Cobrajet, the benchrest targets are meant to be used with very high magnification scopes eg. 36X Weavers. You are also meant to NOT have the gun shooting to point of aim, otherwise you obscure the POA. Remember you are shooting for groups in the BR game.
Peter

So you would end up obscuring the POA with the reticle? Okay, lets go a different direction then. What is the best reticle to use for groups that would also be a good hunting reticle? Am I asking for too much in wanting a do-all reticle? All of the scopes that I have are equipped with the duplex style. Thanks again!!

It's really not the reticule, it's the intended purpose of the rifle. For example, I sight in my hunting rifles about 1" high at 100 yards. Thus the aiming point is not obscured by the bullet holes. If I sighted dead on at 100 then the bullet holes would obscure the aiming point. Hope this makes sense!
Peter.

Okay I think I got it. Its not so much that your obscuring the POA as much as you are "shooting it out". But that still doesn't help me figure out which target or maybe the scope reticle offers the most precise aiming point. I like the looks of the fine crosshair with the target dot but I've never used it, just seen it in magazines and on T.V.

[/QUOTE]

.......... cool!!!!

For groups or hunting, normally you do not want to shoot your aiming point out, but adjust the crosshairs to hit 1" or more above the aiming point. You'll find that the fine crosshair/tgt dot combo to be too fine for use in the field on big game. Some are so fine they don't even make a good varmint reticle! Groups only.
The duplex seems to be the best all-around reticle for groups and hunting. What I use as a target is a black box of about 2" square on a white sheet of paper. Snuggle your crosshairs up to either the lower left or right corner so you juuuuuust see a hint of white at the corner between your verticle and horizontal crosshairs and the box.
Your group, with proper adjustment of the reticle should be on one of the top corners, 2" high. By using this type of target, you have the maximum amount of contrast for anyone's eyes.

cobrajet,

This is my single favorite target because it works well for me at different ranges and for open sights or scope, rifle or pistol:

http://www.remington.com/pdfs/target1.pdf

I consider this to be the ultimate target for sighting in a scope:

http://gsgroup.co.za/target.html

Many different targets can be found by looking around:

http://gunloads.com/modules.php?name=gallery2&g2_view=c...owItem&g2_itemId=231

http://www.protargets.com/targets/index2.htm

I like the Leupold Standard Duplex Reticle better than any other. For me it is the best for hunting.

Hey Cobrajet, I also shoot at the corner of a Black Square with my scopes.

My eyes are getting to the age that a BIG Black Circle is needed for my Iron Sights. I just set it on top of the Front Sight, or that is my intent.

quote:

Originally posted by cobrajet:
...What is the best reticle to use for groups that would also be a good hunting reticle? Am I asking for too much in wanting a do-all reticle? All of the scopes that I have are equipped with the duplex style. ...

I've wrestled with that for a lot of years. But you are living in the very best time of all for different types of Reticles. I can see where it would be easy for a person to get confused with all the options that everyone is offering today. It seems that one Reticle which works great for one person and their Hunting or Target shooting just isn't as good for someone else doing the same thing - more confusion.

Long ago the Reticles were very Thin, no Duplex nor multiple line Reticles. There was the HEAVY German Post with a thin Horizontal wire, but that was about it.

Then we got into the Duplex and HEAVY Duplex reticles. For me, each had it's place. For normal routine Varmint and Livestock chasing pests, the Standard Duplex did a fine job during the daylight hours.

The HEAVY Duplex was a huge step up for Twilight, Cloudy and Foggy Hunting of Deer, Hogs and Bear. In the places that allow Hunting 1-hour prior to sunrise until 1-hour after sunset, the HEAVY Duplex was(and still is) very difficult to improve on.

The MilDot Reticles are wonderful for taking l-o-n-g shots when there is enough light to see well. If you can estimate the distance closely and if you have created your own Drop Chart by actually shooting the specific rifle and the specific Load, it can be amazingly accurate. But the "Fine" lines between the MilDots as well as the MilDots are impossible to see in Low Light.

Then we have Illuminated Reticles, Illuminated Dot on a Reticle, Illuminated MilDots and Illuminated Triangles. Some are pitiful, some pretty good and some just absolutely amazing. Needless to say "if" the Illumination is "Dim enough" on the Low Setting so as not to cause your eye to cause night blindness, then you really have something in Low Light. And if it is "Bright enough" on the High Setting to eliminate Fade Out in Bright Light, then it can be a great assett for long distance shooting during mid-day cloudless conditions.

Again there are compromises with the Illuminated scopes. Some people spend a considerable amount of time Deriding the fact they have a Battery. Tales of woe about Battery Failure. If you ask them specific questions about it, you will find out two things:
1. They probably have never had an Illuminated scope and are talking about something where they have ZERO First-hand experience.
2. If the Battery should finally run out of power, then the normal Reticle is still there to use. It is no different than having a non-illuminated scope.

NOTE: I'm not talking about the Red Dot Sights typically used on Pistols that "only have" a Red Dot and no Reticle. They are a separate issue.
-----

What works well for me may not be worth a clinton for you. It really depends on how you intend to use the rifle and the environmental conditions, as to what is the "current" Best Style for your needs. So, when you get multiple answers about what is "The Best" from everyone, it should not be a surprise. If you provide them more specific information about how you want to use it, then they can give you better recommendations.

Best of luck to you.

Prof242, thats in interesting style and I will try it. I've never tried to leave a space or as you suggest a hint of white. I've always just eased the crosshairs into the black and when I "loose" the white, thats where I stop. I'll try your way and see if it works for me. My only concern would be keeping the gaps consistent from shot to shot. I appreciate all of the replies!!

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey Cobrajet, I also shoot at the corner of a Black Square with my scopes. I like this technique but lately have found that point of aim is easier to hold by shooting at Vees. Size to suite. roger

My eyes are getting to the age that a BIG Black Circle is needed for my Iron Sights.

Scope it forward. roger

This one is my favorite for scope workups. It gives you five targets per page and 1" gridlines. With low powered scopes I aim for the center of the diamonds with the impact area above it. With high power scopes I aim for the bottom point of the diamonds.


http://www.uspalma.com/Targets/PDFs/Circles%20in%20Diamonds%20on%20Grid.pdf

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
... Scope it forward. roger

I use a couple from this site: mainly the diamonds and small squares....

http://uspalma.com/Targets/targets.htm

quote:

What is the best reticle to use for groups that would also be a good hunting reticle?

When the target is sized properly for the duplex it works fine for me. I have benchrest scopes with the ultra fine crosshairs and the even finer cross hair with a dot. The benchrest reticles are eye killers and are worthless for hunting. I would much rather use a dot than the ultrafine plain cross hair. I would rather use the duplex than either benchrest reticle.

quote:

Originally posted by John in SC:
cobrajet,

This is my single favorite target because it works well for me at different ranges and for open sights or scope, rifle or pistol:

http://www.remington.com/pdfs/target1.pdf

I consider this to be the ultimate target for sighting in a scope:

http://gsgroup.co.za/target.html

Many different targets can be found by looking around:

http://gunloads.com/modules.php?name=gallery2&g2_view=c...owItem&g2_itemId=231

http://www.protargets.com/targets/index2.htm

I like the Leupold Standard Duplex Reticle better than any other. For me it is the best for hunting.

THANKS!

I already had some urrl´s for targets, but in your´s there were some new and original ones!

I am very keen on trying them out!

Especially if one uses a driven hunt scope with thick crosshairs the target MAKES a difference!

WH H