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Bullet drops in mils #8731222 11/10/22 04:14 PM
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Sewer rat Offline OP
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I have been switching to all mil scopes and am getting the hang of it for the most part. Specifically when sighting in I no longer measure the distance from bullseye on the target in inches and convert to mils rather I use the reticle to determine how many mils to adjust. I understand the beauty of this as it works at any distance.

What I am unsure of is what is the most efficient way to adjust for drops at distance. I know if I am shooting paper or see my bullet impact I can use the reticle to determine the adjustment at any distance but let’s say for example my rifle is zeroed at 100 yards and the ballistics chart tells me it 400 yards the bullet will drop 19.7” and I want to make a first shot at a target at 400 yards.

Do I break out the calculator and figure that at 400 yards each mil is 14.4” and thus to go up 19.7” I need to dial up 1.4 mils?

Drop in inches at distance in yards / (Distance in yards X .036) = mil adjustment



Is there an easier way or something that I am missing? Do I just make a little cheat sheet for the mil adjustments at various ranges for each rifle or is there an easier way to know what to dial for a first shot at a specified distance?

Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731231 11/10/22 04:24 PM
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I use JBM Ballistic calculator. At the bottom of the input page it gives you a choice of what measurement you want in both column 1 and 2. I make column 1 MIL and column 2 INCHES.

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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731233 11/10/22 04:26 PM
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Use a ballistic calculator that gives you info in MILs. Almost all of them do. Then go shoot it and verify. Make notes. The ballistic calculator will likely not be 100% accurate, but will get you close enough to make the corrections.
edit: Looks like Kyle posted as I was typing.

Last edited by unclebubba; 11/10/22 04:27 PM.
Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731235 11/10/22 04:27 PM
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First, you are doing it 100% correct on your corrections for zeroing. That's the whole point of the reticle. Second, you are now using mils. Forget inches and pretend they don't even exist anymore. Think in mils. Find a good ballistics program on the computer or on your phone and have it give you your drop data in mils. Enter in all the data of your load and environmental conditions you are shooting in, and it will tell you your drop data in mils. You are on the right track!!!


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731295 11/10/22 05:31 PM
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Thanks. Sounds like my next purchase needs to be a chronograph so I can input good data into these calculators. I have always just looked on the back of the boxes of my ammo for this information. I know it isn’t very reliable as the MV can be way different depending on the gun but it is what I have had to work with and it was reasonably close for my purposes.

Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731316 11/10/22 05:53 PM
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Correct, it will get you reasonably close for your purposes, especially only out to 400 yards. You can fine tune your drop data to your set up when shooting further out. Basically, calculate your velocity based on precise drop data with exact BC and environmental conditions.


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731327 11/10/22 06:02 PM
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One thing of note...that all works not because it's MIL but because it's First Focal Plane (FFP)...they make MOA scopes in FFP where the reticle at any distance and any power is correct, just like you are doing with MIL.

You're questions have been answered, just felt the point needed to be made this isn't MIL magic but instead FFP magic wink

Also, if you know your dope...you can back door into your speed and not need a chrongraph...but a good chrono makes life much easier.


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: ChadTRG42] #8731329 11/10/22 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by ChadTRG42
First, you are doing it 100% correct on your corrections for zeroing. That's the whole point of the reticle. Second, you are now using mils. Forget inches and pretend they don't even exist anymore. Think in mils. Find a good ballistics program on the computer or on your phone and have it give you your drop data in mils. Enter in all the data of your load and environmental conditions you are shooting in, and it will tell you your drop data in mils. You are on the right track!!!


^^This

Right now I am waiting on a barrel to cool.

600 yards, calculator said 3.6 Mils, but it landed .2 Mils high on steel. The DOPE is 3.4

Adjust the MV to get the calculator and the DOPE to match. So in this case, I increase the MV in the calculator.


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Judd] #8731495 11/10/22 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Judd


Also, if you know your dope...you can back door into your speed and not need a chrongraph...but a good chrono makes life much easier.


This is pretty much what I do. I don't have a a chronograph I guestimate on the speed and use the calculator to get close then shoot the distances to confirm dope and write it down. Easy peasy.


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: Sewer rat] #8731762 11/11/22 03:47 AM
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Since I am fresh off a Precision Rifle training class and staying at a Holiday Inn express maybe I can add .02 cents worth.

Now that we have at least two really solidly reliable chronographs available to us Magnetospeed’s and Lab Radar that makes one part of the equation of getting your rifle/ ammo combo drop data easy. The next value you really need besides your current environmental conditions is the bullet you are shooting BC value…. That value can vary from lot to lot of bullets as well as type and condition of the barrel you are shooting along with twist rate.

This particular class was not much class room but mostly shooting and lots of it. But first half of day one was getting solid zero and velocities then moving to a 1000 yard “trueing bar”. This bar was a about 5 inches tall and 15ft long laying horizontal at 1000 yards. You would use your Kestrel with your known velocity and start out using BC from the manufacturer or ballistics app.
You would fire shots and if you were consistently low or high you would adjust your BC until you were hitting the bar regularly and now you have “your” ammo and rifle combo’s Dope.
Now out to 1000 yards if you miss you blame the wind cheers


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Re: Bullet drops in mils [Re: DStroud] #8731826 11/11/22 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by DStroud
Since I am fresh off a Precision Rifle training class and staying at a Holiday Inn express maybe I can add .02 cents worth.

Now that we have at least two really solidly reliable chronographs available to us Magnetospeed’s and Lab Radar that makes one part of the equation of getting your rifle/ ammo combo drop data easy. The next value you really need besides your current environmental conditions is the bullet you are shooting BC value…. That value can vary from lot to lot of bullets as well as type and condition of the barrel you are shooting along with twist rate.

This particular class was not much class room but mostly shooting and lots of it. But first half of day one was getting solid zero and velocities then moving to a 1000 yard “trueing bar”. This bar was a about 5 inches tall and 15ft long laying horizontal at 1000 yards. You would use your Kestrel with your known velocity and start out using BC from the manufacturer or ballistics app.
You would fire shots and if you were consistently low or high you would adjust your BC until you were hitting the bar regularly and now you have “your” ammo and rifle combo’s Dope.
Now out to 1000 yards if you miss you blame the wind cheers


Wish I could blame the wind when I miss at distance……once I got an accurate rifle I learned how hard it is to shoot sub MOA at longer distances. It’s fairly easy at 1-200 yards but once you stretch it out it gets harder. Knowing you can hold 1/2 MOA at 1000 is quite an accomplishment.


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