Estimating a target distance needing help???

[Zane71464]

I posted this thread back on 1-16-10 and I think I totally was way off on the estimating and was wondering if anyone could tell me with my "calculations" that Ive put in here, If I have figured it correctly? I figured it before but have sence done more shots and on a flat shooting spot and re-figured and calculated thinking this time I got it right on with the yardage.
Any help or corrections to what I have calculated would be greatly appreciated. I know it's a lot to ask and I should be figuring this out for myself, but with the picture I have put in here, one can see it's hard to tell without a range finder of sorts.
Thanks,
Zane

EDIT: The first time I figured this, it was 597 yards. Since then I have shot at 500-1,000 yards on a almost perfect flat place and right off the bat I knew this shot was further then 600 yards. I was just haveing a heck of a time trying to calculate with the mil dots as it being my first time trying to do the math.

[jacksonco]

I don't use meters when calculating distance. The calculation is use is as follows: 27.778 X inches of target / mil dot reading = yards distance.

for an example 27.778 X 36 / 1 = 1000.008 yds. where

27.778 = constant factor of the formula
36 = estimated inches of target
1 = mil dot reading.

if your target was estimated to be 12 inches with a mil dot reading of 1.3 your calculation would be: 27.778 X 12 / 1.3 = 256 yds

I hope this is of help to you. A good program tp get is the Long Range Shooting Simulation. I got one for X mas and it is really a good program to use. I think they are about 40 dollars. They also have a demo on their site. I recomend it if you like to shoot long distance with a mil dot scope.

http://shooterready.com

From what I can tell you are not using the mil dots properly on your scope. The hight at wich your scope is mounted has nothing to do with the mil dots. If you go to the link I posted and check out all you can on it I think it will help you a lot.

[Zane71464]

Originally Posted by jacksonco

I don't use meters when calculating distance. The calculation is use is as follows: 27.778 X inches of target / mil dot reading = yards distance.

for an example 27.778 X 36 / 1 = 1000.008 yds. where

27.778 = constant factor of the formula
36 = estimated inches of target
1 = mil dot reading.

if your target was estimated to be 12 inches with a mil dot reading of 1.3 your calculation would be: 27.778 X 12 / 1.3 = 256 yds

I hope this is of help to you. A good program tp get is the Long Range Shooting Simulation. I got one for X mas and it is really a good program to use. I think they are about 40 dollars. They also have a demo on their site. I recomend it if you like to shoot long distance with a mil dot scope.

http://shooterready.com

From what I can tell you are not using the mil dots properly on your scope. The hight at wich your scope is mounted has nothing to do with the mil dots. If you go to the link I posted and check out all you can on it I think it will help you a lot.

I think I stated that wrong, my scope it set at zero, 3" high at 100 yards. Thus when aiming at center at 100 yards, it shots 3" high.
So I was thinking that would make the mil dots off that much (3 inches as well when calculating)?
I thank you for your numbers and will write your way down and see how that comes out.

[The_Rifleman]

1 mil-dot is 1 yard at 1000 yards.

1 mil-dot is 1 meter at 1000 meters.

You are confusing yourself by mixing meters in with yards, don't do that.

If aliens came down and picked-up your rifle, they would be able to use your scope with their measuring system just as easy. Their calculation would be...

(Target size [in zorts] x 1000) / mil-dots it occupies = distance [in zorts.]

That you are using a target that is 1 yard tall, makes your calculation less complicated; there is no need to convert it to inches we can leave everything in yards.

(Target size [in yards] x 1000) / mil-dots it occupies = distance [in yards.]
So your target would be.
(1 [yards] x 1000) / 4 = 250 [yards]

If I knew how big a target was in inches; I would keep all calculations in inches, then convert it into yards. For me it is easier that way.

(36 [inches] x 1000) / 4 = 9000 [inches]
9000 [inches] / 36 = 250 [yards]

[The_Rifleman]

Originally Posted by Zane71464

So I was thinking that would make the mil dots off that much (3 inches as well when calculating)?.

No, the only adjustment that can throw you off is the zoom; just make sure your zoom is set at what your scope information specified.

[Zane71464]

Originally Posted by The_Rifleman

No, the only adjustment that can throw you off is the zoom; just make sure your zoom is set at what your scope information specified.

Ah, okay. That's what had me confused a bit. My scope calls for the power to be on 10x when doing measurements/figuring distance, which that part I have right.
Here is one site that I found that helps on just about all topics with the scopes and also a unit conversion with just 2 clicks.

http://www.ottllc.com/specialtypistols/sp20.pdf

http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/distanceunits.html

The top one being about everything one would need to know when rangefinding and useing various scopes and the second one being the Distance Conversion Calculator.