I need to order a variable scope of up to 24x for my Varmint rig. I want to be able to shoot PD up to 450 yards with it. (and use it the most of the time for 100 yard paper punching)I am not the kind of guy who re adjusts the elevation clicks for each shot. I rely entirely on holdover beyond 100yards. Being I have not previously done any hunting, I have little experience with shooting beyond 100 yards.

Am I overlooking something here....but I can't see any reason why a Mil-Dot scope reticle like as in my Elite 4200 for example, isn't always the best scenario and the way to go. The center crosshair of my Elite mil-dot scope is fairly fine so it wouldn't block out a small target either.

Isn't a regular multi x, duplex or fine crosshair reticle hard to judge how much hold over to use when compared to a mil-dot style reticle?

I happen to prefer the 6x-24X Elite 2400 scope with a side focus. It is only available in the mil dot. It's a great value at under $500.

in my scopes the mildot reticule is too big, the dots cover to much target - I preser either a fine crosshair or a 1/8-1/4 minute dot

I have used the Leupold Mil-Dot reticle 6-24 side focus and it worked okay for me.

I like the night force Mil dot a bit better though. Allows you to see through the dot itself if you need to.

I haven't used the elite scope 2400 with the mil dot. Mine has the duplex reticle in it and it worked fine as well.

I tend though to also what to use the gun to shoot other varmints (coyotes) as well and the small dots (1/8-1/4 minute) would get lost in the coyote fur depending on whether it was a sunny day or not.

The gun that I had built up just for p dogs though has a leupold on it with a Preimer Reticle sent up for the load I was using. I had them put in the windage as well as yardage 1/4 minute dots. On a windy day, this was the gun I used the most.

With my 223Rem R93 I use a fixed power 6x42mm Leupold with a Mil-dot conversion by Premier.

It works great out to 400 yards or so. If you can't clearly see the prairie dog at 6x, then they are too far for the 223Rem and I switch to a bigger gun.

I zero the rifle at 200 yards and the first dot down is about 330-360 depending on the bullet I'm using.

So then it seems that what I'm hearing is that I am essentially on the right path. Some sought of dot reticle system will indeed be very helpful in judging hold over. (vs a scope with just a plain old X reticle)

I just have to be sure that the dots aren't so big as to blot out the target.

I really believe that the Bushnell Elite 4200 6x-24x scope is a heck of a good buy with SIDE FOCUS and mil-dot for under $500. I'll just have to see if the mil-dot that comes with the scope can be applied to PD shooting. If price were not of the essance, I could probably shop a world of possible options. But, all this for under $500 does matter to me.

If you can, try one before you buy.
Many people (myself included) find the mil dot reticle a little busy/ distracting. And PD shooting can be fast paced. I have found lower power scopes to be more useful at the dog towns. 16X is about as high as I like to use.

Just my thoughts

muck

6flute: You did not mention what caliber your Rifle will be in and that is a definite factor!
I have become so used to and familiar with the Du-plex reticles on my various Varminters that I prefer to use them.
The mil-dots systems I have shot through (on my Varminting buddies Rifles) do seem thickish and slow to figure for each shot, I prefer the fine Du-plex reticles.
I sight my various Varminters in with a bullet point of impact and the crosshairs "coinciding" out at about 225 to 250 yards! THEN I just use my laser rangefinder and the appropriate amount of "guesstimated" hold over (and hold into for windage) for the shot.
I seldom shoot past 500 yards on Colony Varmints and the fine Du-plex on the higher powered variables suits me pretty well!
As you maybe can gather I have tried and rejected the knob click counting - adding & subtracting of clicks on the elevation and windage adjustments "method", as well!
In the distant past (before good laser rangefinders were available) I would sight the intersection of the Du-plex crosshairs in to be an inch high at 100 and then use the point of the Du-plex where it turned from thick to thin as "another" sight in "point" - this point ranged in a sight in distance that varied with caliber (Bullet trajectory) That worked pretty well. You might consider that feature also. But anymore I seldom shoot at Colony Varmints with my centerfires UNDER 200 yards distant so I settled on the system I now use.
I vote for the Du-plex (fine crosshaired Du-plex at that!) for your mystery calibered Colony Varmint Rifle!
Best of luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You may want to try the Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle; I just got one and it works pretty good. The only problem with "holdover" reticles is that they work great at even increments - but holding on something at 440 yards is an entirely different story. In the time it takes to figure out the holdover, you could click.

Problem with the MIL-Dot is that it is to coarse for small targets, especially with front focal plane reticle scopes, where the reticle appears larger as you increase the power.

The solution in my view is some sort of subdivided reticle like the MOA or Horus H-25 as shown below.

If you sight in the .204 Ruger at 50 yards, this sight picture works from about 50 to 300 for sage rats: