Thread: Does a spotting scope need a reticle to be useful for long range shooting?

I have been considering investing in a spotting scope. Can all of you that pursue long range target shooting tell me whether a spotting scope needs to have a reticle with for example mil dot graduations to be useful? I have been developing my ability to call from fall of shot onto target and have been thinking about greater magnification than my rifle scope gives but have considered that if I cannot measure (such as with mil dot graduation) then there is not much point to it. Your thoughts appreciated

Ive never had one with a recticle in it Rushy and have never had a drama, will be interesting two see what those that use one think,
when you no the range and see the hit through the spotter I find adjustments easy to call for whoever is shooting, everyone I shoot with has moa scopes so easy as.
Same as all glass mate get the best you can afford.

Thanks BRADS your counsel is appreciated. One regret that I do have with my long range rifle is that I wish I had spent more time researching as had I done that i would not have ended up with a Mil dot reticle and moa adjustments. Still I have learned to convert between the two pretty quickly.

I prefer models that have a reticle in them , at either fixed mag , or if varipower then FFP reticle placement , it works well if you use the same in spotter , scope & clicks .
You will find that , IF you want a Spotter with a reticle in it , then , you have a very small # available , in comparision to normal spotters .

Later Chris

I would like a spotting scope with a reticle in it but as Chris said there is very few spotters with reticles & even less it would appear have a moa one....

Rushy, my target spotting scope does not have a reticle, and every single one of the spotting scopes used by other competitors that I have had a look thru did not have one.

Having said that, for NRA style target shooting, we know the distances involved. If you are shooting varied and unknown distances, a reticle like mil etc could be useful, but you need to know the sizes of your targets to do the calculations.

As Chris said, be aware that most ranging reticle only work at max magnification (unless you fork out beeeeg bucks for first focal plane) and that is also where mirage gives you the most hassles.

My preference would be a ranging reticle in the rifle scope, and a standard spotting scope. That way you can use the scope reticle for windage holdover and to measure corrections.

Leupold 53756, Mark 4 Spotting Scope,12-40x60mm, Mil Dot Reticle

Big money mate, that's why I was thinking something more like Yukon 20-50 x 50 spotting scope by Yukon Optics New Zealand this and just call where the shot falls then we (the shooter) make our own call from there.

A spotting scope with a reticle is only good for finding out how far you missed by

Originally Posted by Spanners

A spotting scope with a reticle is only good for finding out how far you missed by

That's the good thing about gongs, balls of steel and they never run.

Gimp's Leupold has a Moa reticle, it was damn handy on a steel shooting day when he was spotting and my first shot at 900 missed left, he called a correction adjustment and the next three shots were good hits.
So probably handy for spotters.
If just for yourself for hunting ....?

I think the reticles are great, can't always say "half a plate left".

If you no the distance and no the target approximate target size e"g gong shooting, I would say waste of time.
Easy enough to accurately estimate unless your shooting crazy far distances and missing by a few more than a few moa, then it would be handy to get back on track

I would rather Know zakery

Realise that very few on this site have used a spotter that has a reticle in IT , so have no real experience to base any thing on , in reguards to reticles in spotters.
Having said that , and YES if you look at all the spotters used by target shooters , no reticles , BUT most of that is because , they had no option at that time , but the world has turned since then .
I think you will see more and more Spotters with reticles in them , as they are handy , and given a choice between , having a reticle or NOT , I chose to have a reticle .
At the moment, they are more expensive , and only a few makers that make them , BUT the number & choice will improve , as demand grows .

As to a Yukon spotter , I would strongly advise you not too waste any money on one , I brought one of them yrs ago , absolute rubbish , better to use your MK1 eye ball , than those optics , but they may have improved ??

Later Chris

As Jakewire said, I have a Leupold Mk4 12-40x spotter, with P4 mil reticle, it's extremely useful for LR shooting.