October 1,
The Traditional Method: Dialing Up Elevation
Precision optics that allow rapid, accurate target engagement are highly sought after by dangerous game and brush country hunters, designated marksmen, military/LE snipers and competitive shooters. The traditional method of &#;dialing up&#; elevation corrections into a riflescope is accurate but requires time to adjust manually. Dialing in also requires light to see elevation knob markings or the ability to count many&#;often hundreds of&#;clicks. When used in a fast-moving and dynamic environment, dialing up will hamstring the shooter by slowing him down and requiring a return to the &#;zero&#; setting prior to changing to a different elevation setting for additional targets. Failure to keep track of clicks on the elevation knob often results in missed shots or even a loss of zero when using target knobs.
Pros: Traditional method for target engagement; easy to teach new shooters; provides precise aiming point
Cons: Time consuming; requires ability to see or count clicks; Difficult to use for rapid engagement of multiple targets
Ballistic Reticles
An old solution to the dialing up problem is the use of a &#;ballistic&#; or custom reticle that is calibrated for a specific cartridge. Ballistic reticles work well where precision is not required. They incorporate ballistic data for a specific projectile, velocity and set of atmospheric conditions. This data is used to construct reticle hold-over points within a scope&#;s field of view. The idea is that no effort is required to adjust the riflescope once range has been determined. The shooter simply places the appropriate hold-over point (indicated in the reticle) on the target and fires. While ballistic reticles usually get you close, they have a number of weaknesses.
They use data for a specific cartridge, or an average of cartridges and conditions to create a generic reticle intended for use on any firearm of that caliber. A good example can be seen in many of the low powered optics fielded by the US military. Reticles are generally either calibrated for either the 5.56 NATO M855, 62 grain or the 7.62 NATO M80 Ball, 147 grain cartridge. Unless you use one of these ballistic reticle-equipped sights on the exact same type firearm it was calibrated for, in the exact atmospheric conditions with ammunition from the same lot, your actual points of impact will vary from the reticle hold over points. The difference may be ½&#; or it may be a foot or more, depending on how many variables change from the reticle&#;s calibration. Obviously we&#;re not likely to find ourselves in the same laboratory conditions used during reticle calibration. In most cases we&#;ll be using a different firearm, cartridge and set of atmospheric conditions. Consistently hitting your intended point of impact with precision isn&#;t possible this way. Another problem is that when ballistic reticles are incorporated in 2nd Focal Plane scopes, only the highest power setting may be used for hold over points. This eliminates any accurate use of lower powers for all distances beyond zero.
Pros: Provides rapid aiming points for multiple distances; no dialing up required
Cons: Calibrated to specific ammunition/gun/weather; typically not suitable for precision fire needs
Mil Dot Reticle Holds
An option that doesn&#;t require the shooter to dial in elevation and that doesn&#;t rely on a specific set of ballistic data is to use a mil-dot reticle to hold over for elevation. Using &#;mil holds&#; is a rapid system that requires you to first determine where specific ammunition types impact at different distances beyond the zero range. For example, an M110 firing M118LR using a 100m zero may require a hold of .75 Mil high for 200m, 2 mils high for 400m, 5 mils high for 600m, etc. Again, the exact hold points are specific to the gun, ammunition type and atmospheric conditions. Hold points will fall along the vertical stadia, below the reticle center/zero point. While using a standard mil-dot reticle for hold-overs is a faster way to engage targets at multiple ranges, most such reticles are limited to 5 mil-dots available as hold points below center. If the reticle is placed in the 2nd focal plane, the highest zoom setting is required for mil hold-overs to remain accurate. Standard mil-dot reticles also lack precise aiming points beyond each specific mil dot. If a target requires a 3.6 mil hold over, the shooter must guess the proper point to hold between the 3rd and 4th mil-dots. Over all this system is superior to ballistic or custom reticles but still lacks precision and is limited to moderate ranges only.
Pros: Provides rapid aiming points for multiple target distances; not caliber or gun specific
Cons: Hold over points are generally limited to mil dots/lines only&#;no in between hold points; limited number of mils available below the zero point
The Horus Reticle System
Horus reticles are designed for accuracy, flexibility and engagement speed to help you shoot more effectively. The Horus system allows you to hold-over your intended target in the reticle by employing the same method as any conventional mil-dot reticle used for holding over. However Horus reticles provide 5X the accuracy of standard mil-dot reticles due to hold points spaced 2/10th milliradians (mils) apart. These &#;hash marks&#; are placed along the vertical stadia&#;extending to 44 mils on some reticles&#;and horizontal stadia as well as throughout the gridded area below the center of the reticle. Using reticle reference points to hold on targets at any range eliminates the need to dial-in corrections for elevation to the scope itself. This allows the shooter to maintain his or her shooting position when transitioning from one target to another. It also allows the scope to remain &#;on zero&#; at all times. The Horus reticles&#; mil numbers provide a quick reference for holds by indicating the mil number corresponding that line. The beauty of the Horus reticle is that this confirmation doesn&#;t require you to change head and eye position, no light is required to examine your scope knob at night and no memorization of click numbers is required.
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A very important capability provided by using Horus reticle holds is that multiple ammunition types may be used in the same scope/rifle combo. For example, a military sniper&#;s scope may be zeroed for M118 LR at 100m but he may also need to shoot delinked Armor Piercing rounds or M80 Ball ammunition. He can shoot these&#;or any other munitions&#;and note their deviation from the regular 100m zero, then determine specific hold over points within the Horus reticle grid. This applies to hunters and competitive shooters too. Any Horus reticle will work on any rifle or carbine, with no limitation to ammunition types or weather conditions. If you don&#;t use a ballistic program to determine your elevation holds for different rounds, you&#;ll need to shoot them at all likely distances and record the holds. Remember that environmental factors like temperature, barometric pressure and humidity affect these holds each time weather changes. A good ballistic software program like Horus Vision&#;s TragMP will make determining and recording all elevation holds a simple and effective process, but ballistic software it is not a requirement to use Horus reticle-equipped scopes.
Additional benefits of Horus reticles include unmatched accuracy in determining range through milliradian-based reticle measurements, accurate wind holds at any distance without adjusting windage knobs, moving target holds and a very accurate system for applying fail-safe second-shot corrections when needed. This latter capability allows the shooter to follow up an observed shot with a second round with an extremely high hit probability. For example, when the shooter follows through a shot by quickly placing the original reticle hold point on the target, the impact point of a miss is noted on the reticle. The shooter need only hold that point of impact (within the reticle grid) on the target and re-engage. If wind, range and other relevant conditions haven&#;t changed, and provided the shooter does his job, second shot correction will place the follow-up shot on target.
Unlike most US-made and current-issue US military optics, all Horus reticles are placed in the riflescope&#;s 1st focal plane. When the scope is zoomed up or down, the reticle&#;s size remains relevant to the target&#;s image size, so all reticle markings and holds remain true at all powers. This can be particularly useful in low light conditions, when using lower power settings allow greater visibility through the riflescope.
Pros: Provides extensive rapid aiming points for multiple target distances; not caliber or gun specific; most flexible system for all needs and environments; hold points spaced every 2/10th mil along stadia; specific hold points for windage, moving targets and second shot correction; all reticles placed in 1st focal plane for maximum scope flexibility;
Cons: Horus reticles will spoil you to the point that you won&#;t ever want to use any other aiming system again
Horus Vision reticles, scopes and software have been used in active ground combat by US military snipers for many years. Our system is also in use by several key US allies fighting alongside our troops. Snipers in both the Special Operations and conventional military communities find Horus reticles to be supremely useful and flexible accoutrements to their traditional equipment. The best indicator to the effectiveness of our system is that tactical shooters around the world continue to ask manufacturers of quality optics to place our reticles in their scopes. Taking the time to learn this system and apply it to your own shooting needs will open your eyes to a whole new world of precision shooting in dynamic environments. No other system allows you to engage multiple targets at varying distances as quickly and effectively as Horus Vision.
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October 1,
The Traditional Method: Dialing Up Elevation
Precision optics that allow rapid, accurate target engagement are highly sought after by dangerous game and brush country hunters, designated marksmen, military/LE snipers and competitive shooters. The traditional method of &#;dialing up&#; elevation corrections into a riflescope is accurate but requires time to adjust manually. Dialing in also requires light to see elevation knob markings or the ability to count many&#;often hundreds of&#;clicks. When used in a fast-moving and dynamic environment, dialing up will hamstring the shooter by slowing him down and requiring a return to the &#;zero&#; setting prior to changing to a different elevation setting for additional targets. Failure to keep track of clicks on the elevation knob often results in missed shots or even a loss of zero when using target knobs.
Pros: Traditional method for target engagement; easy to teach new shooters; provides precise aiming point
Cons: Time consuming; requires ability to see or count clicks; Difficult to use for rapid engagement of multiple targets
Ballistic Reticles
An old solution to the dialing up problem is the use of a &#;ballistic&#; or custom reticle that is calibrated for a specific cartridge. Ballistic reticles work well where precision is not required. They incorporate ballistic data for a specific projectile, velocity and set of atmospheric conditions. This data is used to construct reticle hold-over points within a scope&#;s field of view. The idea is that no effort is required to adjust the riflescope once range has been determined. The shooter simply places the appropriate hold-over point (indicated in the reticle) on the target and fires. While ballistic reticles usually get you close, they have a number of weaknesses.
They use data for a specific cartridge, or an average of cartridges and conditions to create a generic reticle intended for use on any firearm of that caliber. A good example can be seen in many of the low powered optics fielded by the US military. Reticles are generally either calibrated for either the 5.56 NATO M855, 62 grain or the 7.62 NATO M80 Ball, 147 grain cartridge. Unless you use one of these ballistic reticle-equipped sights on the exact same type firearm it was calibrated for, in the exact atmospheric conditions with ammunition from the same lot, your actual points of impact will vary from the reticle hold over points. The difference may be ½&#; or it may be a foot or more, depending on how many variables change from the reticle&#;s calibration. Obviously we&#;re not likely to find ourselves in the same laboratory conditions used during reticle calibration. In most cases we&#;ll be using a different firearm, cartridge and set of atmospheric conditions. Consistently hitting your intended point of impact with precision isn&#;t possible this way. Another problem is that when ballistic reticles are incorporated in 2nd Focal Plane scopes, only the highest power setting may be used for hold over points. This eliminates any accurate use of lower powers for all distances beyond zero.
Pros: Provides rapid aiming points for multiple distances; no dialing up required
Cons: Calibrated to specific ammunition/gun/weather; typically not suitable for precision fire needs
Mil Dot Reticle Holds
An option that doesn&#;t require the shooter to dial in elevation and that doesn&#;t rely on a specific set of ballistic data is to use a mil-dot reticle to hold over for elevation. Using &#;mil holds&#; is a rapid system that requires you to first determine where specific ammunition types impact at different distances beyond the zero range. For example, an M110 firing M118LR using a 100m zero may require a hold of .75 Mil high for 200m, 2 mils high for 400m, 5 mils high for 600m, etc. Again, the exact hold points are specific to the gun, ammunition type and atmospheric conditions. Hold points will fall along the vertical stadia, below the reticle center/zero point. While using a standard mil-dot reticle for hold-overs is a faster way to engage targets at multiple ranges, most such reticles are limited to 5 mil-dots available as hold points below center. If the reticle is placed in the 2nd focal plane, the highest zoom setting is required for mil hold-overs to remain accurate. Standard mil-dot reticles also lack precise aiming points beyond each specific mil dot. If a target requires a 3.6 mil hold over, the shooter must guess the proper point to hold between the 3rd and 4th mil-dots. Over all this system is superior to ballistic or custom reticlescustom reticles but still lacks precision and is limited to moderate ranges only.
Pros: Provides rapid aiming points for multiple target distances; not caliber or gun specific
Cons: Hold over points are generally limited to mil dots/lines only&#;no in between hold points; limited number of mils available below the zero point
The Horus Reticle System
Horus reticles are designed for accuracy, flexibility and engagement speed to help you shoot more effectively. The Horus system allows you to hold-over your intended target in the reticle by employing the same method as any conventional mil-dot reticle used for holding over. However Horus reticles provide 5X the accuracy of standard mil-dot reticles due to hold points spaced 2/10th milliradians (mils) apart. These &#;hash marks&#; are placed along the vertical stadia&#;extending to 44 mils on some reticles&#;and horizontal stadia as well as throughout the gridded area below the center of the reticle. Using reticle reference points to hold on targets at any range eliminates the need to dial-in corrections for elevation to the scope itself. This allows the shooter to maintain his or her shooting position when transitioning from one target to another. It also allows the scope to remain &#;on zero&#; at all times. The Horus reticles&#; mil numbers provide a quick reference for holds by indicating the mil number corresponding that line. The beauty of the Horus reticle is that this confirmation doesn&#;t require you to change head and eye position, no light is required to examine your scope knob at night and no memorization of click numbers is required.
A very important capability provided by using Horus reticle holds is that multiple ammunition types may be used in the same scope/rifle combo. For example, a military sniper&#;s scope may be zeroed for M118 LR at 100m but he may also need to shoot delinked Armor Piercing rounds or M80 Ball ammunition. He can shoot these&#;or any other munitions&#;and note their deviation from the regular 100m zero, then determine specific hold over points within the Horus reticle grid. This applies to hunters and competitive shooters too. Any Horus reticle will work on any rifle or carbine, with no limitation to ammunition types or weather conditions. If you don&#;t use a ballistic program to determine your elevation holds for different rounds, you&#;ll need to shoot them at all likely distances and record the holds. Remember that environmental factors like temperature, barometric pressure and humidity affect these holds each time weather changes. A good ballistic software program like Horus Vision&#;s TragMP will make determining and recording all elevation holds a simple and effective process, but ballistic software it is not a requirement to use Horus reticle-equipped scopes.
Additional benefits of Horus reticles include unmatched accuracy in determining range through milliradian-based reticle measurements, accurate wind holds at any distance without adjusting windage knobs, moving target holds and a very accurate system for applying fail-safe second-shot corrections when needed. This latter capability allows the shooter to follow up an observed shot with a second round with an extremely high hit probability. For example, when the shooter follows through a shot by quickly placing the original reticle hold point on the target, the impact point of a miss is noted on the reticle. The shooter need only hold that point of impact (within the reticle grid) on the target and re-engage. If wind, range and other relevant conditions haven&#;t changed, and provided the shooter does his job, second shot correction will place the follow-up shot on target.
Unlike most US-made and current-issue US military optics, all Horus reticles are placed in the riflescope&#;s 1st focal plane. When the scope is zoomed up or down, the reticle&#;s size remains relevant to the target&#;s image size, so all reticle markings and holds remain true at all powers. This can be particularly useful in low light conditions, when using lower power settings allow greater visibility through the riflescope.
Pros: Provides extensive rapid aiming points for multiple target distances; not caliber or gun specific; most flexible system for all needs and environments; hold points spaced every 2/10th mil along stadia; specific hold points for windage, moving targets and second shot correction; all reticles placed in 1st focal plane for maximum scope flexibility;
Cons: Horus reticles will spoil you to the point that you won&#;t ever want to use any other aiming system again
Horus Vision reticles, scopes and software have been used in active ground combat by US military snipers for many years. Our system is also in use by several key US allies fighting alongside our troops. Snipers in both the Special Operations and conventional military communities find Horus reticles to be supremely useful and flexible accoutrements to their traditional equipment. The best indicator to the effectiveness of our system is that tactical shooters around the world continue to ask manufacturers of quality optics to place our reticles in their scopes. Taking the time to learn this system and apply it to your own shooting needs will open your eyes to a whole new world of precision shooting in dynamic environments. No other system allows you to engage multiple targets at varying distances as quickly and effectively as Horus Vision.
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