HOW TO USE TRIJICON ACCUPOINT MIL-DOT RIFLESCOPES

A MIL-Dot reticle refers to a standard, specific pattern of duplex crosshair reticles with four small 0.25 MIL diameter dots
placed along each axis. These dots are arranged to allow for range estimation. A trained user can measure the range to objects
of known size, determine the size of objects at known distances, and compensate for both bullet drop and wind drifts at known
ranges with a MIL-Dot reticle-equipped scope.

A MIL-Dot reticle is not to be confused with a Bullet Drop Compensating (BDC) reticle, which compensates for the effect
of gravity on the bullet at given distances. However, a MIL-Dot reticle can be used to estimate an approximate hold-over,
or perform an elevation adjustment of the scope, if the weapon and ammunition ballistics are also known.

A “MIL” relates to the U.S. military variation of a unit of angle known as a milliradian. The distance between the centers
of any two adjacent dots on a MIL-Dot reticle scope equals 1 Mil, which is about 36” (or 1 yard) @ 1000 yards, or 3.6 inches
at 100 yards. Trijicon MIL-Dot reticle is based off of the U.S. Army round mil dot version. The table below lists the distance
subtended by one MIL at various ranges.

It is important to note that the MIL-Dot reticle is designed Range One MIL Range One MIL
to be used at the highest magnification on Trijicon MIL- (Yards) in Inches (Yards) in Inches
Dot second focal plane scopes. Therefore, the scope
must be set at the maximum magnification setting 100 3.6 Continued
(i.e. 9x for TR20-2, 10x for TR22-2) to utilize
the reticle for range estimation. 150 5.4 600 21.6

200 7.2 650 23.4

250 9.0 700 25.2

300 10.8 750 27.0

350 12.6 800 28.8

400 14.4 850 30.6

450 16.2 900 32.4

500 18.0 950 34.2

550 19.8 1000 36.0

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Once the scope is set to high magnification, the easiest way to range a target is to take the height (or width) of the target in
yards or meters multiplied by 1000, then divide by the height (or width) of the target in MILs to determine the range to target.
Of course the measurements can be taken in inches. The following examples illustrate this point:

Example 1: Prairie Dog – Cross Hair Method (measurement starts at horizontal cross hair, scope at the highest
magnification).

A 10” tall prairie dog fits in between the vertical crosshair and the bottom of the first MIL-Dot which equals 0.875 MILs.
How may yards is it out?

Target Size x 27.778

= Yards to Target
MIL Size

10 “ x 27.778
= 317.5 yards
.875

Example 2: Deer – Cross Hair Method (measurement starts at horizontal cross hair, scope at highest magnification).

A buck in the field and the estimated girth of his body is 18”.
The body fits within 2.5 MILs of the reticle. How many yards is he out?

Target Size x 27.778

= Yards to Target
MIL Size

18 “ x 27.778
= 200 yards
2.5

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Example 3: - Heavy Post Method (measurement starts at the bottom vertical heavy post, scope at highest
magnification).

Suppose a target, estimated at 6 ft (2 yards) tall, fits between the bottom heavy post and top heavy post on the MIL-Dot reticle
which equals a total of 10 MILs. Then (2*1000)/10 = 200 yards.

Target Size x 1000 2 x 1000

= Yards to Target = 200 yards
MIL Size 10

Example 4: MIL-Dot Method (measurement starts at any MIL-Dot, scope at highest magnification).

If the same 6 ft target fits between any 4 dots on the reticle, then (2*1000)/4 = 500 yards is the distance to the target. If it is
known that the weapon and ammunition combination being used results in a 36” (1 yard) drop at 500 yards with the present
zero, then the shooter can hold 2 MILs high (recalling that 1 MIL= 36” (1 yard) at 1000 yards, and therefore 1 MIL = 18” (1/2
yard) at 500 yards) to achieve the desired point of impact on the target.

Target Size x 1000 2 x 1000

= Yards to Target = 500 yards
MIL Size 4

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The MIL-Dot reticle can be most easily and quickly used if the shooter takes time before their hunting or shooting session
to do the required math and create a table using the specific target size expected, and incorporating the ballistic information
of the weapon and ammunition combination that will be used. An appropriate MIL hold-over or scope adjustment can then
be made immediately after measuring the target in MILs. Following are two examples:

Varmint - 10” tall, .223 40 gr, 200 yard zero Deer - 18” girth, .30-06 180 gr, 100 yard zero
(Ballistics are for example only) (Ballistics are for example only)

Target Target
Range Bullet Drop Hold-Over Range Bullet Drop Hold-Over
Height Height
(Yards) (Inches) (MILS) (Yards) (Inches) (MILS)
(MILS) (MILS)
100 2.75 -1.6 -0.4 100 5.00 0.0 0.0

150 1.85 -1.5 -0.3 150 3.33 1.1 0.2

200 1.39 0.0 0.0 200 5.00 3.7 0.5

250 1.11 3.2 3.2 250 2.00 7.8 0.9

300 0.93 8.3 8.3 300 1.67 13.4 1.2

350 0.79 16.0 16.0 350 1.43 20.9 1.7

400 0.69 26.6 26.6 400 1.25 30.3 2.1

450 0.62 40.9 40.9 450 1.11 41.9 2.6

500 0.56 59.7 59.7 500 1.00 55.8 3.1

550 0.51 84.0 84.0 550 0.91 72.0 3.6

600 0.46 114.7 114.7 600 0.83 91.1 4.2

Additional Target Calculations based on units:

Yards Meters
(Target Size (yds) x 1000) / MILs read = yards to target (Target Size (mtr)x1000) / MILs read = meters to target

(Target Size (in) x 27.778) / MILs read = yards to target (Target Size (in) x 25.4) / MILs read = meters to target

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