Dot Reticle Vs. Traditional Reticle

Traditional cross hair reticles and dot reticles are both effective ways to aim a scope. However, the dot reticle is a more complex sighting system that a shooter can use for more than simply aiming a scope at a target. Dot reticles take much more time to master and require a tremendous amount of practice to fully utilize them, but shooters who employ dot reticles can shoot more accurately than traditional reticle shooters when encountering long distances, moving targets or crosswinds.

  1. Traditional Reticle Definition

    • A traditional reticle is simply two wires, or "cross hairs," that intersect each other inside the scope. The shooter lines up the target in the intersection of the cross hairs.

    Dot Reticle Definition

    • A dot reticle, more often called a "mil dot reticle," allows the shooter to do much more than simply aim at a target. Mil dot reticles have a series of dots vertically and horizontally along the cross-hairs. They are calibrated to be one "mil" apart. A mil is an angular measurement equal to 1/6400 of a circle.

    Traditional Reticle Aiming

    • With a traditional reticle, the shooter simply holds the intersection of the cross hairs on the target. If the shooter knows the distance is farther than the distance the rifle is sighted in for, he will have to compensate by aiming over the target. However, with no dots for reference points, target holdover is uncertain at best. The lack of reference points also presents challenges for the shooter when aiming at moving targets or countering a crosswind.

    Dot Reticle Aiming

    • A shooter can use the dots on a dot reticle scope to estimate distances. If the shooter knows the approximate body length of a deer, for example, he can measure the deer's body between the dots, then use a formula to calculate the distance to the target. The shooter can then aim directly at the target, or hold over it if the distance is long, based on the calculations. The scope should come with complete instructions on how to calculate the distance. In addition to giving the correct vertical aiming point, the dots are also useful when trying to compensate horizontal aiming points when encountering a crosswind or a moving target.