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Tactical Scopes: Reticles

So far in this series, I’ve touched on optical performance and ergonomics, and now this post will focus on reticle options available in each scope.

It can be hard to find all of the reticle options for each scope, especially for easy side-by-side comparison. So I’ve compiled the full list of tactical reticles available on each model (at least as of August 2014), and listed them here. Some companies don’t make it easy to even see what options are available, or they don’t publish good diagrams of the reticles. I actually had to make some of these, or at least touch them up significantly in PhotoShop.

Here is what I’m defining as a tactical reticle:

Tactical Reticle: Any reticle with evenly spaced marks on both the vertical and horizontal axis.

I completely made that definition up, but that seems to be the minimum requirements for a good long-range reticle. So simple crosshair or duplex reticles don’t fit that definition of a tactical reticle. Those don’t allow you to hold for wind. A BDC reticle (Bullet Drop Compensation) or ballistic reticle also don’t fit, because they don’t have evenly spaced lines (for example, in mil or MOA units). A BDC reticle (like the Zeiss Rapid Z, Nikon BDC, Swarovski BR, Leupold Boone & Crocket) attempts to give you hold-off points that roughly correlate to your rifle’s ballistics. In Optics Planet’s explanation of BDC reticles they actually say “Beware, these are not exact. There are too many variables in gun barrels, ammunition, temperature, elevation, humidity, etc. When sighted in for a hunt at 300 yards here, I was about 10 inches off …” While a BDC reticle might be great for a hunting scenario for quick, short range shots, it isn’t even close to the precision you need for consistent long-range hits. I’ve only listed tactical reticle options for each scope here, which means I completely ignored simple duplex or BDC reticle options.
Scope Reticle

Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21×50

  • G2 Reticle (aka G2DMR, GAP) – George Gardner, President/Senior Rifle Builder of GA Precision, helped develop this reticle. George is an accomplished shooter, and a perennial top 10 competitor in the Precision Rifle Series. So this is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle designed by one of the most demanding shooters in the industry.
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2 Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.
  • Mil-dot Reticle

Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS 4.5-30×50

  • G2 Reticle (aka G2DMR, GAP) – George Gardner, President/Senior Rifle Builder of GA Precision, helped develop this reticle. George is an accomplished shooter, and a perennial top 10 competitor in the Precision Rifle Series. So this is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle designed by one of the most demanding shooters in the industry.
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2 Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.

Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56

  • MRAD Hash Reticle – This is an improved mil-dot reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions, and with hash marks and see through posts that won’t obscure long-range targets. It does feature 0.2 mil subtensions inside the posts for precise range estimation. It is refreshingly simple and uncluttered, which was Hensoldt’s intent in this design.

Kahles K 6-24×56

  • AMR Reticle – Developed by Nick Young and Russ Wallis of Desert Tech (formerly Desert Tactical Arms). It is Christmas-tree style, mil-based reticle for quick target engagement. It features 0.2 mil subtensions and a modified floating dot center. This reticle was released in 2013 and has a lot of people talking.
  • MSR Reticle – The MSR reticle was developed by competitive long-range shooters, military snipers, and other professionals at FinnAccuracy, and is licensed to be used in scopes by Kahles, Schmidt and Bender, and Steiner. The MSR is the most popular reticles among the top 50 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (view data). It was designed to have good usability in long and extremely long shooting ranges, and sensible usability at close ranges. It offers precision milling capabilities and pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation, with an uncluttered design on the top half of the reticle for observation/spotting. For this reticle, practicality was prioritized above ultra-fine precision, benchrest-type shooting.
  • Mil 4 Reticle – A modified mil-dot reticle, with the added feature of pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation.
  • Mil 6 Reticle – A Christmas-tree style, mil-based reticle that uses a unique blend of shapes and colors to help a shooter stay oriented in the scope. Features a fine floating center dot for precise aiming.

Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44

  • Horus H58 Reticle – The H58 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. It features extended wind dots placed in 1 mil increments outside the main hash grid. These wind dots are unobtrusive, providing a clearer view than an extending grid, but still allows accurate holds in high winds. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2 Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.
  • TMR Reticle – The Leupold Tactical Milling Reticle is an improved version of a mil-dot reticle that offers increased precision. A standard mil-dot reticle has 1.0 mil subtensions, where the TMR offers 0.5 mil subtensions. It also has 0.2 mil subtensions in part of the reticle for added ranging accuracy. The intersection of the crosshair is left open, creating a small, clear aperture for increased precision at longer ranges.
  • Mil-dot Reticle

Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56

  • Horus H58 Reticle – The H58 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. It features extended wind dots placed in 1 mil increments outside the main hash grid. These wind dots are unobtrusive, providing a clearer view than an extending grid, but still allows accurate holds in high winds. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2 Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.
  • Mil-dot Reticle

March Tactical 3-24×42 FFP

  • FML Reticle – The March FML is an improved mil-dot reticle. A standard mil-dot reticle has 1.0 mil subtensions, and the FML offers 0.5 mil subtensions. It also offers a floating aiming dot for increased aiming precision.
  • FML-1 Reticle – The March FML-1 is a mil-based reticle with a  floating dot aiming point, and 0.5 mil subtensions and finer 0.2 mil subtensions on the outside of the reticle for more precise range estimation. Unlike the FML, it has numbers indexes along the vertical and horizontal axis, and it has 14 mils of has marks on the vertical axis for longer range holds.
  • FMA-1 Reticle – The March FMA-1 is a MOA-based reticle that is very similar to the FML-1 (which is mil-based).
  • FMA-2 Reticle – The March FMA-2 is a MOA-based reticle that is simply a finer version of the FMA-1 reticle. Where the FMA-1 has 0.2 MOA line thickness and a 0.25 MOA aiming point, the FMA-2 is half that size with 0.1 MOA line thickness and a 0.125 MOA aiming point. This finer reticle can be more precise for long range shots at high magnification.

Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56

  • MIL-R Reticle – A mil-based reticle with 1.0 and 0.5 mil subtensions, all the way down to 0.1 mil graduations in the unique inverted T scale for accurate range estimation. It has an uncluttered design, with lots of room for observation/spotting in the top half of the reticle. Uses a floating center crosshair for precise aiming. Numerical indicators provide quick references on both axes. The thick posts at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are excellent for quick target acquisition, and make this reticle ideal at even at low magnifications.
  • MOAR Reticle – A MOA-based reticle similar to the MIL-R reticle. Has a floating center crosshair for precise aiming. 1.0 MOA subtensions provide accurate ranging and hold-offs compared with typical reticles with coarser markings. The standard MOAR reticle has thicker lines than most Nightforce reticles, and has numerical indicators on windage and elevation axes for fast acquisition in field conditions. The design is easier to see in low light and visible against dark backgrounds and shadows than other MOA articles. The thick posts at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are excellent for quick target acquisition, and make this reticle ideal at even at low magnifications.
  • MOAR-T Reticle – A MOA-based reticle just like the MOAR, except with thinner lines. The lines on the MOAR-T reticle are 50% thinner at .0625 MOA thick, where the MOAR lines are 0.140 MOA.

Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56

  • MIL-R Reticle – A mil-based reticle with 1.0 and 0.5 mil subtensions, all the way down to 0.1 mil graduations in the unique inverted T scale for accurate range estimation. It has an uncluttered design, with lots of room for observation/spotting in the top half of the reticle. Uses a floating center crosshair for precise aiming. Numerical indicators provide quick references on both axes. The thick posts at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are excellent for quick target acquisition, and make this reticle ideal at even at low magnifications.
  • MOAR Reticle – A MOA-based reticle similar to the MIL-R reticle. Has a floating center crosshair for precise aiming. 1.0 MOA subtensions provide accurate ranging and hold-offs compared with typical reticles with coarser markings. The standard MOAR reticle has thicker lines than most Nightforce reticles, and has numerical indicators on windage and elevation axes for fast acquisition in field conditions. The design is easier to see in low light and visible against dark backgrounds and shadows than other MOA articles. The thick posts at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are excellent for quick target acquisition, and make this reticle ideal at even at low magnifications.
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2 Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.
  • MD2 Reticle – The MD2 is an improved mil-dot reticle with standard 1 mil spacing between dots. It features a see-through design that doesn’t obscure small targets at long ranges. Four posts allow centering the target quickly, especially in poor light.

Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50

  • MLR Reticle – Not to be confused with the MIL-R reticle, this is an improved mil-dot reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions for more accurate ranging and hold-offs. It features a see-through design that doesn’t obscure small targets at long ranges.
  • MOAR Reticle – A MOA-based reticle similar to the MIL-R reticle. Has a floating center crosshair for precise aiming. 1.0 MOA subtensions provide accurate ranging and hold-offs compared with typical reticles with coarser markings. The standard MOAR reticle has thicker lines than most Nightforce reticles, and has numerical indicators on windage and elevation axes for fast acquisition in field conditions. The design is easier to see in low light and visible against dark backgrounds and shadows than other MOA articles. The thick posts at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are excellent for quick target acquisition, and make this reticle ideal at even at low magnifications.
  • MOAR-T Reticle – A MOA-based reticle just like the MOAR, except with thinner lines. The lines on the MOAR-T reticle are 50% thinner at .0625 MOA thick, where the MOAR lines are 0.140 MOA.
  • NP-R1 Reticle – A MOA-based reticle with 1 MOA subtensions on the vertical axis, and 2 MOA subtensions on the horizontal axis.
  • NP-R2 Reticle – A MOA-based reticle similar to the NP-R1, but with 2 MOA subtensions on the vertical axis, and 5 MOA subtensions on the horizontal axis.
  • Mil-dot Reticle – Nightforce’s version of the mil-dot reticle includes see-through dots and posts that don’t obscure targets, and also allow for more precise range estimation.

Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56

  • H2CMR Reticle – The Schmidt and Bender H2CMR reticle is a mil-based reticle very popular among precision shooters (view data on what reticle the pro’s use). It features 0.2 mil subtensions in the primary aiming area, but also has 1 mil subtensions out 15 mils in each direction from center (i.e. 30 mils marked on each line) for extreme holds.
  • P4L Fine Reticle (aka P4L Fein) – The Schmidt and Bender P4L Fine reticle is a popular mil-based reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions. It provides a massive 27 mils of elevation marked below the point of aim, and 5 mils of marks for wind hold-offs in each direction. It features a floating crosshair, and has 0.2 mil subtensions just inside the posts for more precise range estimation. The 3 thick posts at the 9, 12, and 3 o’clock positions help with quick target acquisition at lower magnifications, even in low light. The fine 0.03 line thickness on this reticle allows precise aiming without obscuring the target. It also offers pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation, with an uncluttered design on the top half of the reticle for observation/spotting.
  • Horus H37 Reticle – This is Horus’s ultra-long-range reticle, and is designed for extreme-range shooters. Its central targeting grid is 4 mils higher in the field of view, allowing more grid to be used at increased magnification. It features thin lines for precise shot placement without obscuring long-range targets. This reticle is capable of engaging targets at 2000 yards and beyond.
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2  Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.

Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56

  • MSR Reticle – The MSR reticle was developed by competitive long-range shooters, military snipers, and other professionals at FinnAccuracy, and is licensed to be used in scopes by Kahles, Schmidt and Bender, and Steiner. The MSR is the most popular reticles among the top 50 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (view data). It was designed to have good usability in long and extremely long shooting ranges, and sensible usability at close ranges. It offers precision milling capabilities and pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation, with an uncluttered design on the top half of the reticle for observation/spotting. For this reticle, practicality was prioritized above ultra-fine precision, benchrest-type shooting.
  • H2CMR Reticle – The Schmidt and Bender H2CMR reticle is a mil-based reticle very popular among precision shooters (view data on what reticle the pro’s use). It features 0.2 mil subtensions in the primary aiming area, but also has 1 mil subtensions out 15 mils in each direction from center (i.e. 30 mils marked on each line) for extreme holds.
  • Horus H37 Reticle – This is Horus’s ultra-long-range reticle, and is designed for extreme-range shooters. Its central targeting grid is 4 mils higher in the field of view, allowing more grid to be used at increased magnification. It features thin lines for precise shot placement without obscuring long-range targets. This reticle is capable of engaging targets at 2000 yards and beyond.
  • Horus H58 Reticle – The H58 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. It features extended wind dots placed in 1 mil increments outside the main hash grid. These wind dots are unobtrusive, providing a clearer view than an extending grid, but still allows accurate holds in high winds. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • Horus TReMoR 2  Reticle (aka TRMR2) – The TReMoR2 is a very fine, mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions and refined “chevron” mil markers subtend to 0.1 mils. Versatile marker groupings throughout the reticle for measuring targets. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the elevation hold of the reticle for even faster shooting.
  • P4L Fine Reticle (aka P4L Fein) – The Schmidt and Bender P4L Fine reticle is a popular mil-based reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions. It provides a massive 27 mils of elevation marked below the point of aim, and 5 mils of marks for wind hold-offs in each direction. It features a floating crosshair, and has 0.2 mil subtensions just inside the posts for more precise range estimation. The 3 thick posts at the 9, 12, and 3 o’clock positions help with quick target acquisition at lower magnifications, even in low light. The fine 0.03 mil line thickness on this reticle allows precise aiming without obscuring the target. It also offers pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation, with an uncluttered design on the top half of the reticle for observation/spotting.
  • P4L Fine MOA Reticle (aka P4L Fein MOA) – Just like the P4L Fine reticle, but with MOA units. It features 1 MOA subtensions, with 0.4 MOA subtenions near the posts for more precise range estimation. Line thickness and other features are similar to the P4L Fine reticle described above.
  • P4L Reticle – A mil-based reticle like the popular P4L Fine reticle, but with slightly thicker lines.
  • P3L Reticle – An improved mil-dot reticle with a floating crosshair.
  • Police Reticle – A mil-based reticle similar to the P3L reticle, but with the addition of pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation.
  • Klein Reticle – An improved mil-dot reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions and see-through dots that won’t obscure the target.

Steiner Military 5-25×56

  • MSR Reticle – The MSR reticle was developed by competitive long-range shooters, military snipers, and other professionals at FinnAccuracy, and is licensed to be used in scopes by Kahles, Schmidt and Bender, and Steiner. The MSR is the most popular reticles among the top 50 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (view data). It was designed to have good usability in long and extremely long shooting ranges, and sensible usability at close ranges. It offers precision milling capabilities and pre-calculated reference marks for instant range estimation, with an uncluttered design on the top half of the reticle for observation/spotting. For this reticle, practicality was prioritized above ultra-fine precision, benchrest-type shooting.
  • G2B Mil-dot Reticle – An improved mil-dot reticle with 0.5 mil subtensions.

US Optics ER25 5-25×58

  • GAP ReticleGeorge Gardner, President/Senior Rifle Builder of GA Precision, helped develop this reticle. George is an accomplished shooter, and a perennial top 10 competitor in the Precision Rifle Series. So this is a hold-over reticle designed by one of the most demanding shooters in the industry. This mil-based reticle features 0.5 mil subtensions, and a total of 9 mils from the center down on the vertical axis, and 4 mils to the left and right of center on the horizontal axis.
  • Gen 2 XR Reticle (aka Gen-II XR) – Patented by Premier Reticles, the Gen 2 XR reticle is a mil-based Christmas-tree reticle. It features 0.5 mil subtensions. A row of hold-off marks are at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mils below the center, and each features 0.5 mil subtensions in the horizontal direction.
  • Horus H37 Reticle – This is Horus’s ultra-long-range reticle, and is designed for extreme-range shooters. Its central targeting grid is 4 mils higher in the field of view, allowing more grid to be used at increased magnification. It features thin lines for precise shot placement without obscuring long-range targets. This reticle is capable of engaging targets at 2000 yards and beyond.
  • Horus H59 Reticle – The H59 reticle is a “field-tuned” version of the H58. The H59 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle with 0.2 mil subtensions designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, but the Horus grid accommodates shots out to 1500 meters. The hash grid is extended horizontally by 1 mil more on each side than the H58 for additional wind capability, and it features an aiming dot in place of the H58’s heavy crosshair. The Accuracy 1st Speed Shooting Formula is built into the reticle (staircase pattern in top half of reticle) to allow quick and precise target engagement using a refined milling-to-drop method (see Todd Hodnett’s explanation).
  • MPR Reticle – A fine mil-based reticle with 0.2 and 0.3 mil subtensions. A total of 10 mils on the lower vertical axis, 5 mils on the upper, and 5 mils on the left and right side axis.
  • MDMOA Reticle – This is a MOA-based reticle similar to the GAP reticle. This reticle offers a total of 40 MOA on the lower vertical axis, 20 on the upper, and 30 MOA on the left and right axis of the horizontal. 1 MOA subtensions are used on all axes for precise ranging and hold-offs.
  • Horus H102 Reticle – The H102 is a mil-based, Christmas-tree style reticle designed for the Entry-Level Rifleman, Designated Rifleman, and the experienced Sniper. The H102 grid has 15 horizontal stadia lines which represent 15+ Mils of elevation hold. The H102 reticle is packed with features including an inverted “L” rangefinder, 5 ballistic targeting ovals for rapid target engagement; wind holds of up to 20mph and leads for moving vehicles at speeds of up to 60mph. The H102 also features a small circle around center cross hair which allows engagements from point blank range to 300 meters on a 6 ft. target that fits inside circle and is also used as a lead for a fast walking target moving at 4 MPH.
  • MOA Scale Type 1 Reticle – This MOA-based reticle was designed to be a simple MOA reticle that allows for precise hold over shots and ranging. Each hash mark is 2 MOA with numbering every 10 MOA for reference. A total of 40 MOA on the vertical axis below the center, and a total of 30 MOA on each side of center on the horizontal axis.
  • PCMOA Reticle – The PCMOA is a MOA-based reticle similar to the MOA Scale Type 1, but with a little finer increments. Each axis from center offers a total of 40 MOA in 2 MOA increments, with the center 10 MOA broken into 1 MOA increments out to 10 MOA.
  • RDP Reticle – This reticle is available in both mils and MOA. Designed in conjunction with R&D Precision, the RDP offers a very fine center crosshair for extremely long distance shooting. The vertical axis below the horizontal line has a total of 15 mils divided into 0.5 mil increments. The right and left sides of the horizontal axis are divided into 1 mil increments for a total of 15 mils.
  • Mil-dot Reticle

Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50

  • Modified MP-8 Dot Reticle – This reticle is available in both mils and MOA. The mil version features 0.5 mil subtensions, with a total of 15 mils on the vertical axis below the center, and 5 mils on each side of the center on the horizontal axis. The thick solid posts help with rapid target acquisition at lower magnifications.

Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50

  • MP-8 Xtreme X1 Reticle – This Christmas-tree style reticle is available in both mils and MOA. The mil version features 1.0 mil subtensions, with a total of 25 mils on the vertical axis below the center, and a massive 20 mils on each side of the center on the horizontal axis. It also has 0.5 mil subtensions available for more precise range estimation at the 9 and 12 o’clock positions, just inside of the posts. It features a floating dot aiming point for precise aiming, and the hold-off grid enables rapid target engagement. The thick solid posts help with rapid target acquisition at lower magnifications.

Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50

  • EBR-3 Reticle – The EBR-3 is a mil-based reticle that is popular among top precision rifle shooters (view the data). The EBR-3 is a sophisticated reticle with lots of modern features, but also has very simple and uncluttered feel. The primary subtensions are 0.5 mils, but it features marks as small as 0.1 subtensions for very precise range estimation. The heavy posts at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions make target acquisition quick at lower magnifications.
  • EBR-2B Reticle – This Christmas-tree style reticle is available in both mils and MOA. Heavier windage dot references on the drop lines increase visibility at all magnifications as well as during low light conditions. Numbered subtensions on the crosshairs ensure quick and easy referencing. The intersection of the crosshair is left open, creating a small, clear aperture for increased precision at longer ranges. The heavy posts at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions make target acquisition quick at lower magnifications.
  • EBR-1 Reticle – This is a MOA-based reticle that features 2 MOA subtension marks. It has a fine .2 MOA thick line for the axis, and heavy 5 MOA lines for posts at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions to make target acquisition quick at lower magnifications.

Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56

  • Reticle 43 (aka Mil-dot) – This is essentially a standard mil-dot reticle.
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Other Post in this Series

This is just one of a whole series of posts related to this high-end tactical scope field test. Here are links to the others:

  1. Field Test Overview & Rifle Scope Line-Up Overview of how I came up with the tests, what scopes were included, and where each scope came from.
  2. Optical Performance Results
    • Summary & Part 1: Provides summary and overall score for optical performance. Explain optical clarity was measured (i.e. image quality), and provides detailed results for those tests.
    • Part 2: Covers detailed results for measured field of view, max magnification, and zoom ratio.
  3. Ergonomics & Experience Behind the Scope
    • Part 1: Side-by-side comparisons on topics like weight, size, eye relief, and how easy turrets are to use and read
    • Part 2 & Part 3: Goes through each scope highlighting the unique features, provides a demo video from the shooter’s perspective, and includes a photo gallery with shots from every angle.
    • Summary: Provides overall scores related to ergonomics and explains what those are based on.
  4. Advanced Features
    • Reticles: See every tactical reticle offered on each scope.
    • Misc Features: Covers features like illumination, focal plane, zero stop, locking turrets, MTC, mil-spec anodozing, one-piece tubes
    • Warranty & Where They’re Made: Shows where each scope is made, and covers the details of the warranty terms and where the work is performed.
    • Summary: Overall scores related to advanced features and how those were calculated.
  5. Mechanical Performance
    • Part 1: Shows how precisely calibrated the clicks are on each scope.
    • Part 2: Reticle cant, measured elevation travel for each scope, and other mechanical tests
    • Summary: Overall scores related to mechanical performance.
  6. Summary & Overall Scores: Provides summary and overall score for entire field test.

About Cal

Cal Zant is the shooter/author behind PrecisionRifleBlog.com. Cal is a life-long learner, and loves to help others get into this sport he's so passionate about. His engineering background, unique data-driven approach, and ability to present technical and complex information in a unbiased and straight-forward fashion has quickly caught the attention of the industry. For more info on Cal, check out PrecisionRifleBlog.com/About.

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9 comments

  1. Awesome post! I may be biased though, given this was the one I was the most interested in:). I do have an observation: in the description of Valdada’s MP-8 Xtreme X1 reticle, you state that the “mil version features 0.5 mil subtensions, with a total of 25 mils on the vertical axis below the center, and a massive 20 mils on each side of the center on the horizontal axis”, but looking at the picture of the reticle, the subtensions seem to be at 1 mil when taking the markings into consideration. Am I missing something here? If those are indeed 1 mil subtensions, then, despite the whole christmas tree look, I would characterize it more as a slightly busier mildot reticle than as a christmas tree reticle like the Horuses, the AMR, the Kahles Mil 6 or the Vortex EBR-2B. That’s quite a pity, conidering that the scope seemed to be faring rather well up to this point.

    • Sorry for the confusion, I should have worded that differently. I meant 0.5 mil subtensions were the smallest units available on the reticle (they’re at 9 and 12 o’clock just inside the posts). You’re right, the primary units on the scope are 1.0 mil, and that is what I should have called out there. I updated this in the post. Thanks for your comments!

      • Thank you for the clarifications, and for all the work you put into this research. This is a real gold mine of information that you’ve put together.

  2. I am very impressed with this scope by schmidt & bender. because Mechanical Performance.

    Couldn’t be happier with this scope. For the quality, it’s the best. I’m a retired marine . I leveled this scope on my Barret M-82 cal .50 . Zeroed at 100 yds and went back to 900 yards. after of more 1000 rounds Incredible

    The glass is incredibly bright and sharp. The scope focuses and zooms easily.

  3. Hi there,…..a lot of great info there!
    I have the Kahles Mil 6, and wondered if you could expand a little on best practice with thius scope.
    Any help appreciated.
    Andrwe

    • Hey, AJ. The Kahles Mil 6 is very similar to Horus reticles. These are hold-off reticles that are very precise and quick. There are a couple videos that can help explain that style of reticle.

      This video is a short overview of gridded “Christmas-tree-style” reticles like the Kahles Mil 6 or Horus reticles:
      [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8tv8C00pCE%5D

      This video is a longer educational video that walks you through using this style of scope in detail. It is actually talking about a specific Horus reticle, but 99% of the concepts will transfer to your Kahles Mil 6 reticle:
      [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBhxdpuHFoI%5D

      These should help you get the most out of that style reticle.

      Thanks,
      Cal