Dial or Hold Off

[Reacher]

Do you prefer to dial in elevation or use one of the many range reticles for shooting at longer distances? I'm trying to decide between front or second focal plane scopes. If I decide to dial I can save a bit of money. What's your goto or preference?

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[Nwcid]

Combo. Dial is for when you have time to adjust, hold over is for when you don't.

 

[Darkker]

FFP. IF for no other reason than to have a reference point a constant size.
I typically hold windage, but always dial elevation.

 

[rick benjamin]

Mil readings are always true throughout magnification range of a FFP scope
Mil readings are only true at one magnification of a SFP scope
IMO

 

[Steve Sloan]

Combo. Dial is for when you have time to adjust, hold over is for when you don't.

+1 Time
Plus; at what am I shooting (static vs. dynamic)
Risk of miss to objects in front/behind target.
(as we are discussing longer distance)

Me. I like Christmas trees and German #4. FFP takes a back seat to better glass. At distance, wind is a call, Kentucky or otherwise.
Made due with a duplex for thirty+ years, and dope is still dope.

.0002
Steve

 

[erslll]

Shooting know distances or unknown distances? If you are shooting at known distances all the time, much easier to get away with SFP which equates to better glass for the money.

I dial for both most of the time.

 

[Morpheus]

Dial distance almost 100% unless I'm practicing doing hold-overs. I'm 50/50 on windage adjustment vis hold-over.

Once I started using FFP opitcs, I most likely won't ever go back to SFP. Yes they are more expensive for the same glass quality, but overall I like them better.

 

[Nwcid]

So for the people that "dial" all/most of the time, how do you do that on moving targets? How do you do that for targets that appear at different distances? Or do you only shoot on a range a static targets with known distances?

I can see dialing in at the range, but I guess I seldom shoot at a range.

 

[Morpheus]

Moving targets (Both assume that you have enough time for this.)
- Known range, dial up range and hold over for movement.
- Unknown range, range finder or retical range, dial up and hold over for movement.
-- For retical ranging, estimating the size of the target can help you do this very quickly. Especially if you have done homework on size vs range in your reticle.

Unknown range (Assuming you have time)
- Pretty much the 2nd item for Moving targets.

 

[DieselScout]

Combo. Dial is for when you have time to adjust, hold over is for when you don't.

This. No more explanation needed.

 

[Johnnny13]

I never dial for wind or movers. I do dial for elevation most of the time. If I'm shooting with a tight time requirement (competitons or coyote hunting) I'll hold for elevation. I prefer FFP for ranging targets on a unknown range. It's always good to practice and use a laser range finder to double check.

 

[Heywood]

I do Both. Depends on the situation.
As to FFP vs SFP. I Have both on the same brand optic, and to tell you the truth, I like shooting second focal plane scopes at long ranges much better. If for some reason I need the scope to range, which I practice a lot, it is usually done on the highest magnification to get the most precise reading any way. Also it is never too much of a stretch to multiply your mills by two or four. It can be done in a split second. If not, i would work on my math skills instead of my shooting skills.

 

[Tim K]

I nearly always dial for elevation and hold wind. Unless the reticle is cluttered up with a Christmas tree, it's just too hard to hold wind and elevation. You end up holding out in space with no lines for reference.

I tried holding the other day, just fooling around. I was surprised at how successful I was out to 600. There wasn't much wind that day, so it was pretty easy. I then tried it on a stage at a LR match. Total disaster. I'm so used to dialing that I forgot I was planning to hold for elevation. It took 3 rounds falling 50ft short for me to remember I had to hold. Stupid of me.

 

[usagi]

holdover completely eliminates any scope tracking issues. any time anyone asks me how well my scope tracks, i say 100%. "but thats a cheap scope" they cry. well, it tracks perfectly because I never touch the turrets!

also, never any question if your scope is zeroed or not.

as for "cluttered christmas tree", no problem. vortex ebr-2c reticle is perfect for reference for any holdover without holding in empty space, and the reticle is not cluttered at all. 100% perfect solution.

 

[erslll]

Are you sure your reticle is accurate? What if your .1 mil is actually .12 mil?