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MULTIPLE DOTS: RANGE FINDING A smaller, second dot located 3", 4" or 6" below the first
makes an simple and effective rangefinder based on comparing the known distance between dots and the size of game hunted.
The spacing between dots increases as the range to the target increases. By fitting the animal between the LEE
DOTs, range can be accurately estimated. For example, a 6" space between dots at 100 yards is 12" at 200 yds, 18" at
300 yds, and 24" at 400 yds. The average height of a Whitetail deer's mid-section is 18". If the space between
the dots covers 2/3 of the brisket, the deer is approximately 200 yards away; if he fits between the dots, 300 yards; and
if he fills 3/4 of the space, 400 yds. The principle is the same for other animals. Withers-to-brisket measurements
for other animals are: Elk 24"; Sheep 22.5"; Bear 18"; Antelope 14"; Coyote 9"; Chuck erect 18"; prairie dog 9".
THE MIL-DOT RETICLE A Mil means 1/1000. If you are working in “yards”,
then one Mil equals 1 yard (spacing) at 1000 yards, or 36 inches. If you divide this by 36 inch spacing at 1000 yards by 10,
you get the 100 yard spacing of 3.6". This also equals 7.2" @ 200 yards, 10.8" @ 300 yards, 14.4" @ 400 yards, and 18" @ 500
yards, 21.6" @ 600 yards, 25.2" @ 700 yards, 28.8" @ 800 yards, 32.4" @ 900 yards and 36" @ 1000 yards.
To use a mil-dot reticle to measure range to the target, there is a formula:
Object’s
Height or Width in Inches x 27.77
Target’s Measured Height
or Width in Mils = Range in Yards
If you do not want to take a hand held calculator to the
field, you create a chart and tape it to your stock. The problem with a mil-dot reticle is the large spacing between
the dots. If you are trying to range small targets, there is a large margin of error. We can help this if your
scope is a variable scope such as a 6x24, or 8x32 by installing the mil-dot spacing at 12x or 16x. Then, with the scope
power cranked up to 24x, or 32x power, the spacing would be one-half a mil. The formula would still work, you just take
the result and double it. This makes the range estimate much more accurate.
As for bullet
drop, consider the following table of mil spacing and see if it is of use with your trajectory:
Yards
100 200
300 400 500
600 700 800
1 mil 3.6" 7.2" 10.8"
14.4" 18" 21.6" 25.2"
28.8"
2 mil 7.2"
14.4" 21.6" 28.8" 36"
43.2" 50.4" 57.6"
3
mil 10.8" 21.6" 32.4"
43.2" 54" 64.8" 75.6"
86.4"
4 mil 14.4"
28.8" 43.2" 57.6" 72"
86.4" 100.8" 115.2"
The traditional
“mil” dot reticle has four dots on each leg of the crosshair and none at the intersection of crosshairs. However,
our crosshair is so fine that it usually does not make a good sight picture unless a dot is at the intersection. In
addition, most people don’t need the dots above the intersection or four dots left and right and would rather have them
added to the bottom. We do not have “standard” mil-dot reticle, so you can design what your want.
Since the mil-dot involves odd numbers, we think most shooters are more confortable with a two or three inch
spacing rather than a 3.6 inch spacing. Consider the spacing for 3 MOA on the vertical wire, which keeps things
simple:
Yards
100
200 300 400 500
600 700 800
3 moa 3" 6"
9" 12" 15"
18" 21" 24"
6 moa 6" 12"
18" 24" 30"
36" 42" 48"
9 moa 9" 18"
27" 36" 45"
54" 63" 72"
12moa 12" 24" 36"
48" 60" 72"
84" 96"
A 2
moa spacing for the dots would work better for a varmint cartridge out to reasonable range. In
addition, the closer spacing would be more accurate for use as a range finder.
Yards
100 200
300 400 500 600
700 800
2 moa 2"
4" 6" 8"
10" 12" 14"
16"
4 moa 4"
6" 12" 16"
20" 24" 28"
32"
6 moa 6"
12" 18" 24"
30" 36" 42"
48"
8 moa 8"
16" 24" 32"
40" 48" 56"
64"
After you figure
out what works for you, you may simplify it to which dot or fraction of space corresponds to your load. For example 1 dot down = 300 yards drop, 1 ½ dots = 400 yards.
MULTIPLE DOTS: BULLET DROP Multiple LEE DOTs can be used on the vertical crosshair
to coincide with bullet drop. Each LEE DOT can be located to correspond to the point of impact at different ranges,
eliminating the need to "hold-over". The best way to determine your bullet drop is to actually fire your preferred ammo
at the different ranges and measure your bullet drop based on the range you are zeroed for. If you cannot do this, then
we can plug information into a computer ballistic program and develop a trajectory table for your gun. We need caliber,
velocity, make of bullet or its BC, weight, zero range, temperature, elevation and height of scope above the bore (1 1/2"
assumed) If a large number of dots are desired, we suggest that additional crosshairs be installed at the
600 - 800 yard mark to prevent confusion. Rather than match your trajectory exactly, you may want to look at the tables
above to see is a even spaced multiple dot reticle would work for you.
LEE DOTs can
also be used on the horizontal crosshair to help compensate for wind drift. (Dots can be installed on any and all of
the four legs of the crosshair.) There is no "best" spacing of dots for wind as speed and direction are variables.
Spacing of 3 MOA to 5 MOA are a good starting point for consideration.
Being a custom
installation, YOU select the number, size and spacing of multiple LEE DOTs to fit your special needs. Get what you want,
at the spacing that you want. Remember, in a variable power scope, the spacing between the dots changes on a 3:1
or 4:1 ratio, so state the power that the spacing is to be installed on.
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