Mildot Master

[Ovenpaa]

Has anyone got one or used the Mildot Master and have any views on it or suggest a suitable alternative for people that do not own a range finder or fancy ranging in an alternative way.

[Dangermouse]

I have had one, I do have views on it, and you don't need one!


I got mine from Brownell's back when the Dollar was good, paid around £10 for it.
On handling it I realised that as a target shooter, I had no use for it.
The Mil Dot master will do two things for you. Give you a range to the target - if you know the size of the target,
Give you the size of the target - If you know the range to the target.

Target shooters all know what distances they are at and can find out the size of their targets easily enough.

The size of the target, or range to the target are reasonably important in getting a solution. Most Military shooters can afford to be off a bit, as a hit is a hit. From a Police point of view, more often than not, a shot has to be precisely placed and no error can be made.

It is convenient then that in a rural setting, few things in nature have a standard hight / width, but military shooters will use the average hight of a man or the width of a head to get their solution and this is normally good enough.

Luckily for Police Riflemen, they tend to work in urban settings where the sizes of man made objects can be pre measured before hand which can give more accurate results ie length of a car number plate, width/hight of phone kiosk or post box, basically you are only limited by your imagination and the measurements that you have already taken (police marksmen will have little black books of pre measured every day objects).

I do not believe that there is any use for these in hunting, I would suspect that by the time you worked out the average hight of your quarry, made the scope adjustments and doped for wind, the animal would have wondered off!

My advice is play with one before you buy and ask yourself if you really need one,

DM

[Dangermouse]

If you guess at the size of an object and get it slightly wrong then your solution can be out by a noticeable amount.

Calculation for distance:
Distance (M) = Hight (M) x1000 / mils

You have to be really quite good at counting Mils (assuming your scope is in the correct focal plane in the first place)

Say you work out that your target is 6" or 1.8 meters

Distance (M) = 1.8 X1000 / 2.6 Mils (just an example)
would equal a distance of 692 meters

But actually you get a above average target who is 6.4" or 1.95 meters

That would equal a distance of 750 meters

How much difference to your POI would that 58 meters make those distances?

Looking at my data for a 185 grain Berger you would be out by around 6" (most standard ammunition would be out be a greater amount). As previously posted, that is good enough to still be an effective shot for a military marksman but may not be good enough for the Police - although I will accept that the Police have probably never shot anyone in the UK at anything near those distances.

DM

[Scotsgun]

I have had one, I do have views on it, and you don't need one!.................

The size of the target, or range to the target are reasonably important in getting a solution. Most Military shooters can afford to be off a bit, as a hit is a hit. From a Police point of view, more often than not, a shot has to be precisely placed and no error can be made.

Complete bollox. When you've actually went through the course and by course i mean not sat in an armchair reading some book then you can make such statements. Until you've successfully passed through Sennybridge or similar, you're just showing your ignorance.

The fact is that a Police Rifleman will never take a long range shot. What few shots are taken are very rarely beyond 100-150yds. Mates who have since passed from the services into the various Police forces have commented on the fact. Don't go getting your training confused with real, actual situations.


Dangermouse is correct in that it's purely a system whereby you can calculate ranges if you know predetermined heights or sizes. It's of use to those unwilling or unable to actually use the full Millrad system as created by the US Marines. However, if you put in the time and practice in order to gauge ranges, determine heights and use the Millrad as intended then there is no need for the master.

[tikkathreebarrels]

But, if anyone wants one, I have one here, as new, still in it's clear plastic wallet with all the bits. Any takers?