OK...I've narrowed my scope choices down. Now, I'd like to know what reticle is best for hunting deer-sized game at ranges from 100-350 yards, in open country and with good sunlight?

My choices are the traditional plex, heavy plex, ballistic-style plex, German #4 or mil-dot.

Target acquisition shouldn't be much of a problem since this is open country...but pinpoint accuracy and the ability to distinguish one animal from another in a herd will be important.

Any help in this area will be greatly appreciated...thanks!

Duplex reticle will serve all your needs.

Duplex reticle will serve all your needs.

YUP!

Jim

I've been using the duplex reticle for as long as it's been available. All the rifles in the safe have scopes with this reticle except for a couple of the varmit rifles.

I've been looking at friends whom have the Burris and Leapold with the new balistic plex reticles and they've proved very effective for this open country hunting here in Idaho.

I won't be replacing what I've got til it breaks, but from what I've seen and from shooting these new reticles that sure are dandy.

Keep it simple.....stick with the standard duplex.

OK...I've narrowed my scope choices down. Now, I'd like to know what reticle is best for hunting deer-sized game at ranges from 100-350 yards, in open country and with good sunlight?

My choices are the traditional plex, heavy plex, ballistic-style plex, German #4 or mil-dot.

Target acquisition shouldn't be much of a problem since this is open country...but pinpoint accuracy and the ability to distinguish one animal from another in a herd will be important.

Any help in this area will be greatly appreciated...thanks!

Heavy plex reticles (like the German or the Heavy plex) are pretty thick...love them at shorter ranges in bad light, but find them distracting in good light or at long range. Mildots are kind of "the thing" right now, but I've been less than thrilled with them on game....just looks cluttered when you need to shoot in a hurry, seem to work when you've got lots of time.

Dots are mostly for target shooting....get one big enough to be useful on game as nothing seems to get lost on game as fast as a dot.

Have used a few old post reticule scopes...basically, you use them as if it was a blade front. That's proably why they werre popular...made the transition from iron to scope go down easier for some people. Sufffer the same faults as a front bade too: less control of the vertical error.

Get a good duplex.

A good duplex. Everyone makes one.

A good duplex. Everyone makes one.
Am I the only dinosaur around who loved Bushnells old flip up command post? People claimed they broke etc but I 've had three of them since the early seventies and two got used hard with no problems. Most of my deer shooting has been in the brush down and dirty at usually running deer and I found nothing that worked like the big flat top command post to pick up the deer in the brush. I tried weavers post which tapered to a point but the fine point always disappeared in brush while trying to put it on a running deer and you tended to shoot high with it. I will put my old bushnell 1.5 to 4.5 command post set at 1.5 up against any open sight for speed in the brush. Sorry about the ranting! I just wish I had bought a dozen of them years ago.
Mike B.

In good light thinner reticles are more prone to accuracy. If it is absolute precision you can't go wrong with a thin wire cross hair. In practice though you need more reticle for hunting and therefore a duplex is never a bad choice. I am very fond of the German reticles (#4 and #1). The 4 is great for general hunting and is perfection for low light as you can bracket and shoot and game drops. The 1 is the 3 post and for some reason I have shot the smallest groups ever in my life with this style of reticle. It is extremely fast and easy to use and anyone who knocks the post likely hasn't used one. They are especially good when they have the thin central wire that in good lighting lights up and is a landing beacon for the target to sit on. They also are perfect for low light. Open country deer hunting still might mean going into a coulee at dusk in a snow storm for the worlds greatest buck and a skimpy duplex would not be my first choice under that lighting, so prepare for the worst case scenario and then practice, practice, practice.

Idoc

OK...I've narrowed my scope choices down. Now, I'd like to know what reticle is best for hunting deer-sized game at ranges from 100-350 yards, in open country and with good sunlight?

My choices are the traditional plex, heavy plex, ballistic-style plex, German #4 or mil-dot.

Target acquisition shouldn't be much of a problem since this is open country...but pinpoint accuracy and the ability to distinguish one animal from another in a herd will be important.

Any help in this area will be greatly appreciated...thanks!

I doubt if the reticle style you choose will have influence on your hunting success under the conditions you outlined. I'd say go with what ever you like the best. I'd go with either the German #4, or the heavy plex myself, but that is just personal choice.
However if you ever sell the scope, it will probably sell faster if it has a traditional plex reticle.
Good luck.
Rod

I have used the Burris Ballistic Plex and I really like it. It is mounted on a Remington 700 in 300 RUM and I have taken 2 Caribou in excess of 400 yards. One at 467 and the other at 443. Both lasered. The scope was sighted in with Swift Scirocco 150 grain at 1.75 high at 100 yards. Then it was fired at actual range to make sure that the reticle worked as designed. It did.

My dad has one of those on his slug gun. I also think it works very well on that gun because of its intended use. He uses it just like you.Am I the only dinosaur around who loved Bushnells old flip up command post? People claimed they broke etc but I 've had three of them since the early seventies and two got used hard with no problems. Most of my deer shooting has been in the brush down and dirty at usually running deer and I found nothing that worked like the big flat top command post to pick up the deer in the brush. I tried weavers post which tapered to a point but the fine point always disappeared in brush while trying to put it on a running deer and you tended to shoot high with it. I will put my old bushnell 1.5 to 4.5 command post set at 1.5 up against any open sight for speed in the brush. Sorry about the ranting! I just wish I had bought a dozen of them years ago.
Mike B.

My dad has one of those on his slug gun. I also think it works very well on that gun because of its intended use. He uses it just like you.

Ask him if he'd like to sell it! ;)

I will chime in with Kdub on this topic! A standard Duplex is all that you need if your eyes are in good shape, other wise go to the thicker recticule, which are more distances under the 200 yard marker on deer size game. ;)