Poor Man's Rangefinder

[Pilgrim]

Are any of you skilled at estimating longer distances using your scope field/reticles?

If so and willing, please share your insight.

[Optimax90]

Whats your idea of "longer ranges"????

Depends what power your scope on and if you have a MOA reticle.....

[Pilgrim]

Opti

Thanks for the reply. I should have clarified as skill/method without mildots, bracketing...

Longer ranges can be any distance beyond zero (or need for estimating holdover), or just a general snapshot reference method whether either side of a particular distance. Essentially, how it could be done before duplex reticles.


How about this:

There's a coyote standing still and square beyond your zero's range and you need to estimate holdover. Are shooters able to reliably determine whether the coyote is within or beyond 400 yards using a scope with a plain crosshair (no duplex)?

If so, how is it done?

I can think of one way: An adult coyote is 32" H x 32" L. Adjust scope to highest magnification and use one quarter of your field, then estimate how much of that area is filled by a 32"x 32" box at 400 yards. If height or length of coyote in scope exceeds that area, he's less than 400. If smaller, he's beyond.

Are there other methods?

[bucksnbears]

heres how i do it Pilgrim. i put my scope on the coyote. when the crosshairs are on the dog i pull the trigger

[LeviM]

heres how i do it Pilgrim. i put my scope on the coyote. when the crosshairs are on the dog i pull the trigger

Thats more technical then my method. I put the finger in the mouth, hold it in the air, I am pretty good at judging distance out to 300 yards, but after that, if I dont have my rangefinder, its a crap shoot!

[bucksnbears]

if i can see it it's in range if Decoy can see it it's within sling-shot range

[Prairie Ghost]

Working with Mil-dot but i'm the same way without a range finder i'm still just guessing.

[Optimax90]

Before I got my Leica, anything past 400 was out of bounce for me... Now that I have spent a summer shooting (a barrel out of a new 700) at all ranges, things are alot better for me. Still without the rangefinder im lost I'm zero at 250 and have made about 2/3 of my shots under that this year. But I have also made 4 kills over 500, including one at 685yds. With out a leica that is a total luck shot in my skills of judging distances....

I try to divide the coyote in two to three ranges when they stop, three spot at 75-100yds equal 225-300 and so on...... seems to be the only quick way for me to judge without a leica

[Pilgrim]

I'm making progress... I have a plain,fine crosshair in my 204's scope. Now that I'm discovering more stuff I wish it had a fine duplex reticle. I have other duplex scopes, but none greater than 10X. Even so, here's a nugget for you guys that have high power magnification with duplex reticles. Consider this method if you have a duplex reticle in a scope that's at least 14X:

An adult coyote is 32" tall from head to claw, standing square or sitting and looking your way. Convenient for us, the same coyote is 32" long from nose to base of tail. A 'BOX'.

duplex.jpg (4.84 KiB) Viewed 10336 times

Whatever your zero is, determine a distance where you're going to require MOA holdover. For my 204 I'm zeroed at 250, so I need to think about holdover at 320 or so. If I could determine either side of, let's say 400 yards, I could minimize a lot of guesswork just by knowing whether the coyote is inside 400, or beyond 400. Whatever you determine that distance to be, set a 32" reference (a 32" box, 32" stake, dead coyote...) at that distance and adjust your magnification to what it takes to fill the 32" object perfectly into the ends of your reticle where the crosshair thickens (a "bracket"). Mark that magnification # on your scope. Zoom to that exact magnification on a cooperating coyote- If he's bigger than the bracket, he's within. If smaller, beyond. Keep in mind that bracket widths vary, and that the greater the magnifcation, the easier to estimate.

[Tim Anderson]

I took a half sheet of plywood and painted a orange square on it that represents the length and hieght of a coyote. I then placed the plywood sheet up against a stop sign so i could bounce the lazer from my range finder off of it and get a good reading.. I would then back up 100 yds at a time and each time i would look at the orange square and line up the mil-dots on my scope and then write down the number of dots and the distance and made a reference card ... too much stuff to remember and the coyote dose'nt always give you enough time to find out what range it is..
What i do now is just range different distances with a range finder and make a guess before i do, after awhile you can train youre eye to the size of the coyote and come close to its distance...I also use a Kenton BDC dial, i look at the coyote and guess its distance and then dial it in on the dial and then hold top of fur when i shoot.. Its not 100% but it is working very well for me so far...For hunting here at home i look to see how far a coyote is from a half mile fence line, which is 800 and some yards. If the coyote is half way between the fence and road then i know it is about 400 yds and i will dial in 450 to be on the safe side..

[Pilgrim]

Bucks

I know you're only kidding about Dcoy and the slingshot. In reality, not a lot gets by him. He's not normal.

Few guys around my age (or younger) will to do the sorts of things Dcoy is willing to do, and the two others that will can't know what he knows. It all comes with a price, though. Last week I listened to his 'Boneyard' radio station w/ songs like, "Balls to the walls", and he would only agree to allow watching the Vikings/Bears game with the sound turned off, and we discussed the economic usefulness of nuns and some other stuff. He assured me the Vikings would lose no matter, and they did (lose, in overtime).

[bucksnbears]

Pilgrim, the thing about the sling-shot was meant to be about his eyesight. he's posted that it ai'nt worth a crap anymore all in fun my friend tell Greg i love the snowshoes. he a great guy to deal with

[Pilgrim]

bucks

I bet your snowshoes are dang nice- Will let Greg know of your endorsement!

Know what you mean about kidding along. Until very recently I figured the smilies on internet forums were just a silly novelty. I'm now convinced they are there to keep matters in order. So, just to be 'safe' with regard to confirming my friendly intent, a smilie


Tim

Higher the magnification & wider the separation the duplex, the better.