HOW do you RANGE the distance to your quarry (outside your PBR)❓

[Vidwize]

Thanks for your answers.

To be sure: My interest here is in how to find the distance to the quarry — not, how to figure out how to adapt the trajectory correctly for a range outside the PBR (which is where the range card or a ballistic calculator come in).

The method OldSpook is using is genius, I only know of one other shooter using this method. — It effectively "hides" the process of ranging (using the parallax focus wheel) as it conflates it with trajectory adaptation. It's quick and practical — cudos!

Matthias

I would use that method in my younger days but now I’d first have to put my reading glasses on. Lol

 

[jwrabbit123]

Maybe I replied different then what I meant jungle shooter , we all have range finders yes , I was trying to say If you didn't or it did not work then the reticle is what I was taught to use not a parallax wheel , Infact 95% of all hi end scopes have no markings on wheel as they were not made to range with them . I have noticed on this forum many use the parallax to range ,and not many or any Mil targets the way I was taught , I am a scope snob and just love good glass and threw decades have tried pretty much every teir 1 scope out their and even scopes I own which I consider upper end such as Tangent theta , Hensoldt ,IOR ,ZCO , eception is like my Schmidt bender but have very few graduations so not able to range with it ,
I also want to point out now I have had this happen many times where temperature changes can cause parallax settings to be off alot , here is an example , I was shooting my schmidt bender and an example is at 100 yards usually parallax is clear at the 100 yard mark , however when temperatures change in excess of say 30 degrees rapidly the same setup may need to be set at say 300 yards during a rapid sudden shift of temps , I have had this happen with multiple hi end scopes , and have read others say it on some long range forums like snipers hide or others and my point is if you used the parallax method to range it would be a huge miss if you relied on it , I bring this up cause parallax does change with environments , Now I did not brings this up about temp changes so someone can say the medal in tube expands or lens shift due to temps of things but just to say it is not always same , but if you milled a target and it was xxx mils then you know the distance by doing a simple calculation such as

Known target size in Inches X 95.5 = Distance to target in yards
Target size in MOA


or


Known target size in Inches X 27.77 = Distance to target in yards
Target size in mils

here is a few videos on ranging with reticles enjoy

 

[N2 Shooter]

I'm coming late to the party, but figure I'd comment anyway. I have the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro and the ABL Laser Rangefinder add-on, and that is the laser rangefinder that I primarily use for ranging. See, the scope and the rangefinder are connected through Bluetooth, so whatever I push the range button on the scope (or the connected ATN X-Trac remote control on the bottle), the rangefinder ranges and sends the distance back to the scope.

The nice thing about this combo, is the built in Ballistics Calculator in the ATN scope. I create a profile for my ammo, and enter in its weight in grains, it's ballistic coefficient and the velocity, as well as the scope height above bore and the zero distance. After that, I just range and the scope moves my reticle to the POI, no holdover or holdunder required.

I shoot a groundhog at 25 yards, then shoot one at 115 yards five seconds later. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, it's almost like cheating!

 

[JungleShooter]

Maybe I replied different then what I meant jungle shooter , we all have range finders yes , I was trying to say If you didn't or it did not work then the reticle is what I was taught to use not a parallax wheel , Infact 95% of all hi end scopes have no markings on wheel as they were not made to range with them . I have noticed on this forum many use the parallax to range ,and not many or any Mil targets the way I was taught , I am a scope snob and just love good glass and threw decades have tried pretty much every teir 1 scope out their and even scopes I own which I consider upper end such as Tangent theta , Hensoldt ,IOR ,ZCO , eception is like my Schmidt bender but have very few graduations so not able to range with it ,
I also want to point out now I have had this happen many times where temperature changes can cause parallax settings to be off alot , here is an example , I was shooting my schmidt bender and an example is at 100 yards usually parallax is clear at the 100 yard mark , however when temperatures change in excess of say 30 degrees rapidly the same setup may need to be set at say 300 yards during a rapid sudden shift of temps , I have had this happen with multiple hi end scopes , and have read others say it on some long range forums like snipers hide or others and my point is if you used the parallax method to range it would be a huge miss if you relied on it , I bring this up cause parallax does change with environments , Now I did not brings this up about temp changes so someone can say the medal in tube expands or lens shift due to temps of things but just to say it is not always same , but if you milled a target and it was xxx mils then you know the distance by doing a simple calculation such as

Known target size in Inches X 95.5 = Distance to target in yards
Target size in MOA


or


Known target size in Inches X 27.77 = Distance to target in yards
Target size in mils

here is a few videos on ranging with reticles enjoy

Thanks for your explanation — yeah, I think I misunderstood your earlier post, glad you helped me get it right.


The issues with parallax ranging are that:
▪ it only works at close range (40 to 50y is pretty normal)
▪ it requires a high magnification — the further out you want to range, the higher the magnification (for 40 to 50y I read that 24x is marginal, 30x and higher is better)
▪ it requires a large objective lens (for a 24x magnification, a 56x is better than a 50x)

Matthias

 

[jwrabbit123]

ok jungle thanks for also explaining I been on forumn for over 4 years but prior , my background in shooting point bland is under 300 yards , and short distance is 300 to 500 yd and medium range like to 800 and beyond 1000 yd is long distance , So now you explain how it is good for like 50 or under yards . Ok I get this now . I always got confused here with ranging this way but I get it turn parallax till it is clear and look at marks .
LOU

 

[Jwangster]

RAPTAR or similar gun mounted laser zeroed to crosshairs is the easiest answer if budget is not an issue

 

[Simonjello]

Parallax Wheel for things that I eyeball to be 50yards or nearer.
For anything that seems further than 50 yards, I'll take the time to bring out the laser rangefinder.

That said, if I had the funds, the ATN scope+rangefinder combo sounds like a godsend. I find myself shaking my head and sounding like an "old person," but really... technology these days is something else.

 

[Quad82]

If sitting with gun or bow deer hunting, I have markers at different ranges that I made using a rangefinder beforehand. But for walking like squirrel hunting, I just figure the distance in my head. Usually within a yard or two for anything under 100 yards. Always been good at it. In FT I use to bet other shooters using ranging scopes. won most of my side bets too. Growing up on the farms, I learned early that a normal corn row was 36” wide. Made it easy to guess distance. Even tonight, I guessed and then measured 50 and 100 by walking. Comes within a couple feet of the range finder.

 

[JungleShooter]

I just figure the distance in my head. Usually within a yard or two for anything under 100 yards. Always been good at it.
In FT I use to bet other shooters using ranging scopes. Won most of my side bets too. Growing up on the farms, I learned early that a normal corn row was 36” wide. Made it easy to guess distance. Even tonight, I guessed and then measured 50 and 100 by walking. Comes within a couple feet of the range finder.

Quad!!
You are phenomenal!

Very, very cool! You've got a gift.
Thanks for responding to this thread.

Matthias

 

[Airgunmann]

I use a mtc laser rangefinder paired to my phone with ffp scope dirty retical and write up a dope sheet for hold over works well at any power

 

[Squack]

I use my duplex crosshair. We didn't have range finders when I learned to shoot.

 

[TheCarFather]

Most of my shooting is done at home and my typical shots are in the 20-35yd range. On rare occasions I stretch out to near 60yds for birds but all fall within my PBR. If I'm away from home my laser rangefinder comes with me.

 

[Believer12]

Ranger finder, range some and guess from there if will be on stand for a while, mostly spot and stalk or long range so I range, drop card check, send it