Mil vs moa

rjm158

rjm158

Handloader
Oct 15, 2009
699
587
I've seen/ heard the terms used when referencing reticles in scopes. All of my scopes are moa, but I know many of the long range scopes use mils. What are any advantages/disadvantages of either type? As a base line, I'm not a PRS guy but I get the opportunity to shoot long range (out to 500) occasionally and am learning to dial up distance.

I am planning to put a new scope on my 6.5 PRC and am interested in the new Leupold MK4. Depending on what I learn, I will decide whether to go with a mil or moa version.

Thanks in advance.

Ron
 
rjm158 said:
I've seen/ heard the terms used when referencing reticles in scopes. All of my scopes are moa, but I know many of the long range scopes use mils. What are any advantages/disadvantages of either type? As a base line, I'm not a PRS guy but I get the opportunity to shoot long range (out to 500) occasionally and am learning to dial up distance.

I am planning to put a new scope on my 6.5 PRC and am interested in the new Leupold MK4. Depending on what I learn, I will decide whether to go with a mil or moa version.

Thanks in advance.

Ron
Click to expand...
Use what you are comfortable with or what you prefer the most.
It really does NOT matter for what you are doing.
Another consideration is, if you shoot with guys who primarily use one or the other, it can be advantageous to use what your buds use, especially when calling correction at distance.
 
I agree with XPhunter .
the bunch of guys I shoot with all use MOA . it definitely makes it easier when the spotter is calling corrections for all to be using the same unit of measure .

not long ago I found this article , it explains things pretty well . they have simplified MOA as 1 inch at 100 yards . this should be 1.047 inch at 100 yards . this doesn't sound like much , but it does add up as you start shooting at extended distances . also notice the MOA has a smaller unit of measure .
www.midwayusa.com

Mil vs MOA | MidwayUSA

Mil versus MOA… The baseline is that both things are units of measure, like inches or centimeters. When talking about a projectile's vertical and horizontal ...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
 
XP and Jim, thanks for your help and insight. The article Jim sent really helped me decide that I will likely stay with my MOA scopes since I'm already more familiar with that system. I don't think this old dog could learn the new trick so easily.

Ron
 
I have an older Mark 4 with the TMR reticle. This is one confusing option Leupold offered. The reticle is in Mils and the turrets are MOA.
I also prefer MOA but sometimes the price is right and a Mil is purchased.
 
rjm158 said:
XP and Jim, thanks for your help and insight. The article Jim sent really helped me decide that I will likely stay with my MOA scopes since I'm already more familiar with that system. I don't think this old dog could learn the new trick so easily.

Ron
Click to expand...
When you get things squared away, a relatively quick phone call will answer your questions, and it won't be so confusing.
Whichever system a person picks, once the data is into a ballistic calculator, it just comes down to shooting by the numbers.

That may seem confusing, but with a quick chat, it won't be.
You will have a distance...which is a number, example: 500 yards
This is in MOA
You will also have a number for the drop and the wind drift at 500 yards...
DROP= 8.0 and I set my wind for a 10 mph full value/crosswind/from 3:00 or 9:00 DRIFT: 1.5

Once you have zeroed your rifle at 100 yards, and zero out your elevation and wind turrets.
I simply turn my top dial which is correcting for drop to the "8". You do NOT need to count clicks, just dial it to 8.
On your MOA turrets: In between every whole number, think of a yardstick that only lists measurements in whole number, 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4, and then the next whole number.
IF, I have a 5 mph wind from the right (My 10 mph correction is 1.5 MOA), I will only need to dial half of that, .75 MOA or three clicks to the Right on my turret on the right side of my scope.
Get your fundamentals of shooting all squared away, and hit the target.

If it is basically a NO Wind day, and you are shooting at 500 yards, just dial 8 MOA and hit the target.
 
XPhunter beat me to it . learn to read your turrets . good tall turrets are numbered , and can easily be set to zero . I can't agree with XP any more on this either , DO NOT count clicks , it's a bad habit and you will screw up , it also takes forever .
if I could make another recommendation , get a scope with a zero stop . this makes dialing almost fool proof . the zero stop is set at your 100 yard zero . the stop won't let the scope dial down below this 100 yard zero . if you get lost while dialing , just turn the scope back down to the zero stop and start again . it's well worth the extra money . when shooting and you change target distance , go back to zero and dial up for the new target . I ALWAYS return to zero when I finish shooting .

there are other things you'll need to be aware of , when you start dialing . the scope must be mounted true . if it's not , as you dial elevation you will add windage . scope tracking is probably not a big deal shooting out to 500 yards ,. it would be a pretty crappy scope to be off much at this distance . as you shoot longer distances tracking becomes very important .
 
It doesn't matter at the end of the day. One is 1/4" and the other is basically .36"

In other words, MOA is a tad finer. However, you usually get more revolutions/range with a MIL based scope.

I'm old, I learned on MOA over 25 years ago and will never change. It really doesn't make a craps worth of difference. It's personal preference and what you're comfortable with.

I honestly can't wrap my head around MILs. I've tried, and I just can't do it. All my scopes are in MOA so I just choose to keep it simple for the sake of myself and stay with MOA. Both work equally as well for LR hunting/shooting or PRS.
 
Mil fits between moa measurements. Learning new computations has its + and -'s. Most moa's are found in 1/4, but if you need/want finer adjustments there's 1/8. I have optics in moa of 1/4 & 1/8 and mil in .1 and .05. I run conversions in my head from moa to mil.
 
I messed myself up wondering what all this "mil" stuff was about and got a great scope that is in mils. Everything else I've got is MOA...

I need to make a mental shift every time I use that mil scope! It works fine, but my brain has to make a shift. I can do it, just fine. But it slows me down and I'd recommend staying with whatever system you're more comfortable with.

Guy
 
The only difference is the numbers...This is my 7-300 Win Mag/180g ELDMs at 3100. Strelok Pro (which by the way is the best shooters app period) but good luck getting it now thanks to our worthless government. Anyways, you range, you dial to what it says, and you shoot. It doesn't make any difference. I don't get why all these guys are so high on MILs honestly.

Screenshot_20240310-175154_Strelok Pro.jpg
 
Thanks to everyone talking about this, I was wondering if I should go to a MIL scope or stay with MOA. I'm just starting to get into dialing a scope so this discussion has been very helpful. Sounds like they are both great so just pick one and go with it. Probably will just stick with MOA unless a great deal on a MIL scope comes up.
 
remingtonman_25_06 said:
The only difference is the numbers...This is my 7-300 Win Mag/180g ELDMs at 3100. Strelok Pro (which by the way is the best shooters app period) but good luck getting it now thanks to our worthless government. Anyways, you range, you dial to what it says, and you shoot. It doesn't make any difference. I don't get why all these guys are so high on MILs honestly.

View attachment 22207
Click to expand...
truly funny!
 
Honestly, I don't really understand why long range shooters use MILs instead of MOA since MOA is a bit finer adjustment. I prefer MOA, but I also don't dial much so I could really do with either.
 
since 1996 I have been wiring my brain to think MOA,, its what I work best with. have used mil reticles to judge a bucks spread is it, if inside spread is 1 mil or more at 500 better shoot now
 
In the Pro and Con conclusion, there is a conditional "Con" on the last two/only two "con" on the yardage turret box.
Some ballistic software compensates DA (Density Altitude), and if it connected to a LRF, it will also compensate for shooting angles.
If, you have those features, One Turret will work in any DA and with any angle, as long as you dial it to the distance the software tells you to.

I also do not think the one "CON" under MOA turrets is relevant either. If you teach "Shooter's MOA" that is extremely simple, and it helps in other shooting times, when you are not hunting
 
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