MOA vs. MILs for Long Range Shooting with Billy Leahy 

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3 clicks vs 4 clicks.

If you describe object size in inches, feet, and yards, you will be better able to zero your rifle to target distance from sights graduated in MOA and misplaced shots at target distance can be corrected more quickly in MOA rather than mils. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Now, for ranging distance to target via a mil or MOA scaled reticle you will do better with a mil scaled reticle because the formula is easier: target size in yards times 1000 divided by target size in mils equals yards to target. Also, the mil scaled reticle might be good for a bullet drop compensation function. So, what is best is a scope which mixes mil scaled reticle to MOA elevation/windage adjustments. This is hard to find these days, since scope marketers' market to novice shooters who perceive that mixing is bad because someone on RU-vid said it was, it's not. It actually delivers the best outcomes. At any rate here's complete instruction on the matter: MOA (minute of angle) and mil (mil-radian) are angular units of measurement. A MOA equals 1.047 inches per 100 yards, while a mil equals 3.6 inches per 100 yards. Sights and scopes move in MOA or mils and scopes may have a reticle scaled in mils or MOA, which is a means to estimate distance to target, as well as serve a bullet drop compensation function. Common to all functions, the amount of sight movement in mils or MOA describes the distance in inches the sight adjustment will make at target distance. For example, a 1 MOA sight adjustment would move bullet impact approximately 1 inch at one hundred yards, 2 inches at two hundred yards, 3 inches at three hundred yards, and 10 inches all the way out to one thousand yards. Understanding the effect of sight movement in MOA or mils is important to correctly adjust sights for line of sight and bullet path to intersect at target distance. Sight movement in MOA can use simple in-head math as shown, to quickly determine up/down sight adjustment and right/left adjustment needed for bullets to go where aimed. 1. First, think what the value of 1 MOA is at target distance: Distance to Target in Yards / 100 = Value of 1 MOA in Inches at Target Distance 2. Next, think how many of those MOAS will fit into inches of needed movement: Inches of Movement Needed / Value of 1 MOA in Inches at Target Distance = MOA Adjustment 3. Finally, figure out how many clicks to sight for needed movement: MOA Adjustment / Sight MOA Click Value = Clicks to Sight for Needed Movement So, let’s say you have set your target out to 100 yards, and you have produced a group which is 2 inches low and 3 inches right of the target’s center. In this scenario your scope’s windage and elevation adjustment controls have a .25 MOA value per click. First, figure out adjustment needed to sight control up/down movement: 1. 100 yards / 100 = 1 Inch 2. 2 Inches / 1 = 2 MOA 3. 2 MOA / .25 = 8 click turn of elevation control in up direction for needed vertical movement of grouping on target Now, repeat steps to figure out adjustment needed to rear sight drum controlling left/right movement: 1. 100 yards / 100 = 1 Inch 2. 3 Inches / 1 = 3 MOA 3. 3 MOA / .25 = 12 click turn of windage control in direction to move group left for needed horizontal movement of grouping on target Now, when Mils or MOA are scaled to a scope’s reticle, the reticle will have a bullet drop compensation function and can be used to discern target distance through a range estimation equation. Here’s the MOA range estimation equation. Target Height in Inches X 95.5 / Target Height in MOA = Yards to Target Shooting at a target 44 inches in height appearing to be about 4.2 MOA the equation would look like this: 44 X 95.5 / 4.2 = 1000 Yards Now, here are the mil range estimation equations: Target Height in Inches X 27.78 / Target Height in Mils = Yards to Target, or Target Height in Yards X 1000 / Target Height in Mils = Yards to Target Shooting at a target 36 inches in height appearing to be about 1 Mil the equation would look like this: 1 X 1000 / 1 = 1000 Yards Finally, the MOA Wind Constant equation is a means to understand sight adjustment or hold needed to counter wind. After the shooter has appraised wind value, for example, a 10-mph wind from a quartering direction would be said to have a 5-mph value, a simple equation will allow the shooter to adjust for the distance that the wind displaces the bullet, when the MOA constant for the cartridge/distance has been gleaned from a ballistics calculation. Distance to Target in Yards / 100 X Wind Value in MPH / Constant = Bullet Drift in MOA For Example, here’s the equation using the constant of 7 which is correct when shooting 5.56 M855 ammunition from an M16-A4 at 600 yards: 600 Yards / 100 X 5 MPH / 7 = 4 MOA Bullet Drift To get the drift in inches the shooter will take the distance to target in yards / 100 X Bullet Drift in MOA. Shooting at 600 yards, with wind appraised as having a 5-mph value, the equation would look like this: 600 Yards / 100 X 4 MOA = 24 Inches of Drift The bottom-line is get a scope with mil scaled reticle and MOA elevation/windage adjustments for the best of everything. If you cannot get that get a scope with MOA scaled reticle and dials. Creds: CMP-USAMU cert. Military Rifle Instructor assisting USAMU deliver SDM, TTT, and SAFS.

.6 mils but you would dial closer to 13” If i am understanding correctly. Im new to milli

Thanks from an 11B. Looking to get a 1-6 for my personal rifle and it looks like I will go with the Trijicon VCOG 1-6 MOA.

Please don't buy a scope with different reticle and turrets. I am begging you not to do harm to yourself lol

It's because that's true of MOA as well, you're just better at decimal math.

MOA is better suited than mils at describing the distance in inches a sight adjustment will make at target distance.

If your early schooling illustrated height and width in metic units to objects then your brain is hard wired for use of mils rather than MOA.to understand sight adjustment need. However since all US Service Rifles for over 100 years have iron sights in MOA those with early schooling in imperial unit relationships to matter will easily come to understand sight adjustment need in MOA.

That's why I am here searching in the comments

Maybe because they are in units of 10? Easier to do mental math maybe?

mils is faster than MOA for ranging distance to target, while MOA is faster for describing the distance in inches a sight adjustment will make at target distance. Proof: bullet impact at 600 yards is 12 inches low. How much sight adjustment is needed in MOA? Now, how much adjustment in mils? Your MOA calculation was probably faster, since it only requires a little head math. Now, ranging a target that is 6 feet tall and appears to be 2 mils on reticle. Here's the formula, target size in yards times 1000 divided by apparent size in mils equals distance to target, or 1000 yards. Now, using MOA formula, target size in inches times 95.5 divided by target apparent height in MOA (7.2 MOA), or 955 yards. In this scenario mils are not only faster but more accurate too.

@@charlesludwig9173 So MOA is more useful for quick corrections after a miss, whereas MILs provide faster and more accurate first shots on fresh targets?

@@Ironpine27iss? A Marksman is not going to miss, since he will make calculations for target distance, slope. and wind counter before taking a shot. But, while distance to target and slope are static and wind is not there is a chance that the Marksman might not correctly counter for wind and at long range that incorrect counter could be a miss. So the idea is to counter for wind before it might change direction or velocity. This can be done faster in MOA by using the MOA Wind Constant Formula. Here’s the formula: distance to target in yards divided by 100 times wind value in mph divided by MOA constant . So let’s say you have a target at 600 yards and a full value 10 mph crosswind and the MOA constant for your cartridge at 600 yards is 10, here’s the formula: 600/100=6 X 10=60 / 10=6 MOA or 36 inches which can be favored from an MOA scaled reticle or dialed from an MOA graduated windage adjustment. This is really fast and only requires preliminary calculation of the wind constant at distance which can be discerned from a ballistics table for selected cartridge. The constant for M855 or M118LR at 600 yards is about10, while a cartridge like 6.5/284 is about 20.