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Cowboy Time Machine: Uberti Winchester 1873

My father was a big advocate of old cowboy guns. Hailing from Europe by birth and upbringing, his fascination with the old West and the cowboys who won it bordered on overzealous.
Any gun good enough to be preferred by the old-time cowboys was good enough for him.  He had a point. Thanks to companies like Uberti, people can capture and harness a little piece of the West.

Innovation is Born


 
 
 
 
 
The mid-1800s was a time of turmoil, heartache, and invention in America. The Civil war prompted an already imaginative congregate of firearm makers and designers to get even busier, and in a few short years, America left single shot muzzleloaders in the dust as it gave birth to the first truly effective high-capacity, breech-loading, repeating firearms.
Arguably the most notable was Winchester’s model 1873, which swallowed a double handful of ammunition in one gulp, cycled and fired as fast as a man could run the lever, hit with passable authority, and was good medicine for bad bears and banditos.

An American Icon — The Winchester ’73

The Winchester ’73 left the challenges of earlier lever-action designs behind, proving itself to be almost entirely problem-free.
Colt was quick to get an instrument in the band by chambering its Peacemaker revolvers for the same .44-40 cartridge (then the .44 WCF, or Winchester Center Fire). The round carried a .427-ish 200-plus grain slug pushed by 40 grains of black powder, and while not as authoritative as the larger cartridges of the day, still hit hard enough to do the job.
Suddenly, after a couple centuries of carrying a single-shot, front-stuffing longrifle and – if one was rich or lucky – a single-shot dueling pistol, frontiersmen and cowboys could pack a repeating rifle and matching pistol, both firing the same “bullet”. They were, in a sense, the AR-15 and Glock of the 19th century.

Guns of the West

The front sight of the Win. ’73 Sporting Rifle is a semi-fine post.  It’s dovetailed into the top flat of the octagonal barrel.

As a youth, I developed my own passion for classic Old West firearms.
I had learned to use a cap & ball Colt 1860 Army long before I learned to use a semi auto weapon. One of my favorite guns in my father’s small collection was a reproduction Winchester ’73 made by Uberti, used, but in beautiful condition.
When I was in my mid-teens, my father gave me the rifle. I carried that gun for years of cowboying and mountain wandering, and worn wood and bluing reflects the rough miles and time in my saddle scabbard.
It’s not as accurate as it once was – the years, miles, and several thousand rounds having taken their toll, but the old rifle still shoots fast, smooth, and reliably.
In fact, I’ll stick my neck out and opine that at close range the old rifle and I could hold our own in a steel-target matchup against the average citizen with an AR-15 – at least for the first dozen or so rounds.

Read About More Guns of the West

The author’s ’73 features a simple adjustable rear buckhorn sight.

Modern Offerings

Currently, Uberti offers fine reproduction Winchester ‘73s in seven iterations, ranging from the super-short 16.125 inch barreled Trapper up to their 24.25 inch Sporter, with available options including octagonal, round, or octagon-to-round barrels, pistol or straight grip, crescent or shotgun buttplate, blued or color case hardened buttplate, lever, and frame, and more.
Three cartridge chamberings are offered, including the aforementioned .44-40, the .45 Colt, and .357 Mag.
I tested four currently available .44-40 factory loads through my old Uberti Winchester ’73 for accuracy, velocity, and reliability.
Predictably, the rifle functioned perfectly without a single malfunction. Accuracy was less than stellar, but a younger rifle aimed by younger eyes would almost certainly shoot tighter groups. Results are posted below.

Forty-something year-old eyes and rifle aren’t a great combination for accuracy. But the author’s rifle still shoots well enough to get the job done.

 
Testing was done at 50 yards over a bench, with the accuracy determined by averaging three, five shot groups. Velocity was measured at 10 feet from the muzzle using a Shooting Chrony chronograph.

Ammunition Velocity (FPS) Accuracy (Inches)
Black Hills 200-gr. RNFP 1,141 2.06
Hornady 205-gr. Cowboy 995 2.57
Winchester 225-gr. Cowboy Action 902 2.94
Winchester 200-gr. Power-Point 1,069 2.01

The author found four currently available factory loads for his Winchester ’73. Three were designed for Cowboy Action shooting, one for hunting.

It’s a noble rifle with a noble history.

Lasting Impressions

The Winchester 1873 handles and operates more gracefully than most modern rifles, including modern-designed lever actions. It was designed during a time when men carried their firearms as a matter of course while doing chores, riding to town, or tending cattle. It was made to be a friendly companion. In other words, it balances and carries well in the hand, slides in and out of a saddle scabbard with ease, and is as graceful as a ballroom dancer.
Crossbar safeties were an evil yet to be invented, the half-cock notch on the ‘73 acting as a handy, serviceable safety. A dust cover slides completely over the ejection port. This helps prevent dirt and debris from clogging the action, automatically pushing out of the way when the action is next cycled. The lever can be locked down if desired. Simply turn the lever lock at the rear of the lever loop. Cartridges are thumbed in via a handy loading gate on the right face of the frame. They’re swallowed one after another with enchanting volume.
Sights on my rifle include a simple but effective adjustable rear buckhorn and a moderately fine post front, both dovetailed into the top flat of the full octagon barrel. Capacity is 13 + 1, and weight is right around 8 pounds.

Today’s Rifles

Nowadays, the currently manufactured “Sporting Rifle” made by Uberti is the twin to my lovely old rifle, is readily available through various gun shops across America, and sports an MSRP of $1,259. Street price would be a bit less.
For more information about Uberti firearms, click here.
To purchase an Uberti Winchester 1873 on GunsAmerica, click here.

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Allies Dear Grumpy Advice on Teaching in Today's Classroom

Well I thought it was neat looking!

The Strait of Gibraltar

STS059-238-074 Strait of Gibraltar.jpg
Now you see why the Brits will always hold onto its Rock of Gibraltar There! By the by, I have been lucky enough to have been there twice now. Image result for βράχοσ του γιβραλτάρ
I found it to be neat, clean and there is a lot of stuff to see. Plus the Folks there are extremely friendly. So I can most highly recommend going there. As it really is the last remnant of the British Empire!
Little Known fact – During The WWII Operation Torch, Eisenhower was temporarily placed in Command of the Place. The only Non Brit in almost 300 plus years!Image result for rock of gibraltar map
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Image result for strait of gibraltar

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Black Ice Matters

By the way I like Licorice!

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A Recoilless Snubbie .357? The 7-Shot Smith & Wesson Performance Center 586 L-Comp – Full Review by TOM MCHALE

Smith & Wesson's 586 L-Comp .357 Magnum Revolver

Smith & Wesson’s 586 L-Comp .357 Magnum revolver, which provides seven rounds of magnum power in a seemingly recoilless package.

To learn more, visit https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-586-l-comp.
To purchase on GunsAmerica.com, click this link: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=586%20performance%20comp.
How would you feel about shooting a .357 Magnum revolver with virtually no muzzle flip? That’s exactly what the Smith & Wesson 586 L-Comp is all about. Let’s take a closer look.
First, let’s cover a couple of pseudo-scientific opinions on the whole concept of felt recoil. “Pseudo-scientific.” How’s that for an oxymoron? OK, now back to the point. While energy is energy and momentum is momentum, there are tricks that gun and ammo manufacturers use to minimize the recoil sensation that we feel.
One of those tricks is to port the barrel in such a way that gas exiting the barrel is directed up, and sometimes a bit backward, to counter the natural motion of a gun during the recoil phase. If that gas is directed up, it counteracts the tendency for muzzle flip, so the gun remains more “flat” during recoil.

One of the differences between 586 and 686 models is the full-length underlug for extra weight under the barrel.

One of the notable features of 586 and 686 models is the full-length underlug under the barrel. A result of this is more muzzle weight, which helps tame muzzle flip and perceived recoil.

Here’s why that matters regarding what we perceive as recoil. Getting into the opinion arena, I think what I “feel” as recoil boils down to two major components: straight backward push and muzzle flip. Of the two, muzzle flip (to me anyway) is the motion that’s more violent and the one that indicates heavy versus moderate or light recoil.
If the muzzle flips towards the sky as you fire a shot, that creates an aggressive twisting motion in your hand, bending the wrist in a way that’s not natural. So you feel it. As for the straight backward push, that doesn’t bother me as much, and force is directed into your body mass.
So, in my view, that’s one of the reasons that handguns with ported barrels are much more pleasant to shoot. Sure, you always pay the price for such luxury, and in this case, that price is noise and muzzle flash.
No problem here, I’ll pay that bill gladly. With that said, let’s get back to the Smith & Wesson 586 L-Comp .357 Magnum Revolver.

The 586 L-Comp sports a 7-round cylinder.

The 586 L-Comp sports a 7-round cylinder for one more shot than most revolvers.

One of the other differences between 586 and 686 models is the classic blued steel.

One of the other differences between a 586 and stainless 686 models is its classic blued steel.

SPECS

  • Chambering: .357 Magnum
  • Barrel: 3 inches
  • OA Length: 8 inches
  • Weight: 37.5 ounces
  • Grips: Altamont rosewood
  • Sights: Adjustable, tritium
  • Action: DA/SA
  • Finish: Blued
  • Capacity: 7
  • MSRP: $1,208

Smith & Wesson introduced the original 586 model back in the 1980s. Designed as a blued version of the stainless steel 686, it was a .357 Magnum revolver built on Smith & Wesson’s L-frame.
At first glance, the K-frame and L-frame models may appear to be identically sized, but the L-frame is slightly beefed up in a couple of areas under the forcing cone. The purpose is to allow a steady diet of full-power .357 Magnum loads without risk of a frame crack.
On most L-frame models you’ll also notice a full-length underlug. That adds some extra weight up front to help tame the recoil of .357 Magnum loads.
The Smith & Wesson 586 L-Comp differs in two ways from the classic 586. First, it’s based on the 686+ revolver, which packs a seven-round cylinder.
Second, it’s a Performance Center model, so it’s loaded with some nifty extras. The Performance Center folks have been making the 586 L-Comp as a distributor special order, but now it’s available to everyone.

What makes the L-Comp version special?

The Performance Center team at Smith & Wesson operates like a company within a company. They shop the standard Smith & Wesson product lines for base models that have interesting “customization” potential. The team then takes these guns in and spiffs them up with custom shop-like features. The 586 L-Comp has several such add-ons.

The rear sights are adjustable for windage and elevation.

The rear sights are adjustable for windage and elevation.

The front sight blade has a Tritium insert for low-light use.

The front sight blade has a Tritium insert for low-light use. Note the porting forward of the front sight.

First, the cylinder is cut for moon clip use. This allows the user to preload seven cartridges in a moon clip, then drop the whole assembly into the cylinder.
Unlike a speed loader, the clip remains in place during fire and extraction, so all cartridge cases come out as a single unit along with the moon clip. The cylinder is cut with a circular recessed pattern to make this work.
What’s interesting is that you can shoot the 586 L-Comp without using a moon clip, too. There’s enough metal around the outside edge of the cylinder to hold cartridges in place. The extractor also works fine when cartridges are loaded individually without the clip.
There’s a fun fact to know about this, and we’ll get to that later. Oh, some moon clips are included in the instruction packet, but you’ll probably want to order extras. They aren’t disposable but they do bend over time, so it’s good to keep a supply handy.
The 586 L-Comp also includes a Tritium vial inset into the front sight blade for low light use. The front blade is black, so it provides a crisp sight picture in daylight conditions too.
The rear sight is adjustable for both elevation and windage using a small flat-head screwdriver. This is an important feature as you can tweak the sights to match point of impact for a wide variety of ammo types from .38 Special to .357 Magnum.
As different bullet weight and velocity combinations will vary the point of impact, so spend some time to adjust the sights to your most commonly used ammo.
The Performance Center team also does a trigger improvement job on the 586 L-Comp. The trigger itself has a well-rounded face, and the action is smoothed out.
The revolver ships with a really nice set of Rosewood grips installed. They’re gorgeous and look particularly sharp with the well-polished frame finish. As a bonus, a Hogue recoil-reducing grip is included in the box along with an installation tool.

The Altamont Rosewood checkered grips look fantastic on this revolver.

The Altamont Rosewood checkered grips look fantastic on this revolver.

The 586 L-Comp also comes with a set of Hogue recoil reducing grips, so you can choose either.

The 586 L-Comp also comes with a set of Hogue recoil reducing grips, so you can choose either.

The big deal on this model is the ported barrel. Unlike many ported barrels, which use dual cuts that direct gas up and to each side, this revolver features one generously sized port just in front of the sight blade.
That’s right, you’ll get one big blast of hot gas blowing straight up when you press the trigger. The barrel itself is three inches long, so there’s a good compromise between a decent sight radius and portability.
While the 586 L-Comp was envisioned to be a multi-purpose gun for fun, competition, or carry, I think it would shine as a concealed carry revolver or home defense gun.

The porting forward of the muzzle is the real star of the revolver, helping immensely in the taming of the powerful .357 Magnum revolver’s recoil.

Shooting the 586 L-Comp

I’ve been shooting the heck out of this gun, mostly with full-power .357 Magnum ammunition. Normally with a .357, I’ll shoot some of the big stuff followed by a heavy diet of .38 Special. However, this one is actually pleasurable to shoot with magnum loads.
Why? Certainly the porting makes a huge difference, but it’s also a fairly heavy gun for its size, and that helps dampen perceived recoil too.
I shot it side by side with a Smith & Wesson Model 66. That’s a lighter K-frame revolver, also chambered in .357 Magnum, and the difference in feel between the two, using the exact same loads, was stunning.
I did most of my shooting with the Rosewood grips, mainly because they’re comfortable and look so darn good. In the interest of being thorough, I installed the Hogue grips for a couple of shooting outings, and they work well.
They’re perfectly fit to the frame, so they mount without any screws. Be sure to read the instructions before mounting or dismounting the Hogue grips and use the included tool. If you don’t, you’ll risk breaking the grip. Don’t ask me how I know this, OK?

I tested the 586 with all .357 Magnum ammo, like this Sig Sauer 125-grain FMJ, as it was so comfortable to shoot higher power loads.

I tested the 586 with all .357 Magnum ammo, like this Sig Sauer 125-grain FMJ, as it was so comfortable to shoot higher power loads.

Let’s talk about the compensated barrel for a minute.
In my opinion, compensated guns get a bad, and unfair rap. You’ll hear comments like “Yeah, they reduce recoil, but the muzzle flash will destroy your night vision!” In theory, that makes sense. In reality, it’s a load of hooey. Yes, if you look, you can see the flame blasting out of compensator holes.
Also, if you look, you can see a fireball coming out the fiery end of most any handgun. I’ve had the opportunity to do quite a bit of night shooting using everything from 9mm to 12 gauges and AR-15s. Guess what?
Not once has muzzle blast impaired my ability to see for my second, third, and subsequent shots. Ever. Sure, if you hang out in absolute pitch dark conditions for a half hour, then light off a round of anything, compensated or not, it’ll mess with your night vision.
But I have to ask, what are you shooting at in pitch dark conditions where you can’t even see or identify your target? And don’t forget, any gun in those conditions is going to spoil your “night vision.” This is one of those things that sound logical on paper, but in reality, doesn’t hold up.
The moral of the story? If you want a compensated gun for home defense or concealed carry, get one. I can just about guarantee you’ll never see the flash, and even if you do, it won’t impair your ability to shoot. I shot the 586 L-Comp at a low-light indoor range using full-power defensive .357 Magnum ammo, and it was a complete non-issue.
So now that the ported barrel rant is over, how well did it work? Amazingly well, in fact. You’ll still feel recoil but at an incredibly reduced level. You’ll also notice that the muzzle hardly moves. Your sights will stay on target, and your wrists will thank you for avoiding that nasty snap.

Accuracy and moon clips – some interesting observations

I took the Smith & Wesson 586 L-Comp to the range with a milk crate full of ammo and high hopes. After all, this is a Performance Center masterpiece, and my first few shots with one up at the Smith & Wesson Training Academy were stunning.
The porting on this revolver makes it feel more like a .38 Special than a .357 Magnum, and the heavier L frame gives it enough beef to soak up felt recoil too. So it’s one of the most pleasant feeling .357 Magnums I’ve shot, but does that translate to accuracy?
I set up targets at 25 yards, a pistol rest weighed down with two 25-pound bags of lead shot, stuck an EyePal Peep Sight on my shooting glasses to improve the iron sight picture, and dug into the ammo crate.

Shooting the 586 side by side with a Smith & Wesson M66, I figured out that the moon clips have a dramatic impact on accuracy.

Shooting the 586 side by side with a Smith & Wesson M66 (top), I figured out that the moon clips have a dramatic impact on accuracy.

Here’s where things got weird. My first few groups were unimpressive, measuring in the five to six-inch range. Naturally, I assumed the problem was with me as this gun should shoot and I was using premium ammo like Sig Sauer V-Crown, Federal Premium Hydra-Shok, and Barnes TAC-XPD.
So I settled down, improved my hold, and tried again. Same result. Wondering what the heck was going on, I picked up a Smith & Wesson Model 66 that I also had with me and shot a few groups with the same ammo. As expected, five-shot groups were all significantly less than three inches.
After pondering this for a bit, I had one of those “oh, duh” moments. I had started shooting without the moon clips. You see, the 586 L-Comp has a cylinder cut for moon clip use, but the revolver is designed to work just fine without them too.
If you don’t have a moon clip, you can drop individual cartridges into the chambers. They’ll fire as normal and extract reliably as a group. However, given the ho-hum accuracy results, I suspected that the moon clips are a necessity if you’re going for maximum accuracy.
That theory makes sense. Without the clips, the cartridges are supported by only a portion of the rim. The cartridge rim areas closest to the center of the cylinder don’t have full support. I suspected that the “seating” of cartridges in the cylinder was microscopically wonky and that was causing erratic accuracy results.

As long as you use the moon clips, this revolver will shoot as evidenced by this group shot with Sig Sauer V-Crown .357 Magnum ammo.

As long as you use the moon clips, this revolver will shoot as evidenced by this group shot with Sig Sauer V-Crown .357 Magnum ammo.

Barnes TAC-XPD also performed very well with the 586 L-Comp.

Barnes TAC-XPD also performed very well with the 586 L-Comp.

I resumed shooting groups, using the clips, and voila, group size shrunk by multiples. To be sure, I fired a group of Sig Sauer FMJ .357 Magnum 125-grain WITHOUT using moon clips. The 25-yard group measured nearly six inches.
I immediately loaded up a moon clip with more rounds from the same box of ammo and shot a 1.89-inch five-shot group. Same gun, same ammo, same rest.
To be double sure, I repeated the process with some Hornady Critical Defense .357 Magnum ammo and again the group size shrunk in half when using the moon clips.
Here’s the moral of the story. This gun is designed to use moon clips. That’s its primary and intended mode of operation.
The ability to shoot loose rounds without a moon clip is a bonus feature, and from a functional perspective, it works fine. Just be aware that you won’t achieve the full accuracy potential of this gun in that clip-less mode.
Does this mean that all guns with moon-clip cut cylinders won’t be as accurate without the clips? Maybe or maybe not. What we do know is that this gun exhibits a notable accuracy performance difference with and without the moon clips.

I tested the 586 L-Comp with a wide variety of .357 Magnum ammo using both wood and Hogue grips. The Hogue grips made a noticeable difference in recoil reduction.

I tested the 586 L-Comp with a wide variety of .357 Magnum ammo using both wood and Hogue grips. The Hogue grips made a noticeable difference in recoil reduction.

Just to be really, really clear. This is not a flaw. The gun is designed for moon clip use, so it’s natural to expect the best performance in that configuration. It was my oversight to not use them right off the bat.
I relate the story in detail here as I thought it showed some interesting gun “science” worth sharing. If you buy this model, or another moon clip one like it, be sure to test with and without moon clips so you know what to expect in each configuration.
With that interesting diversion out of the way, I proceeded to shoot groups with a variety of .357 Magnum ammo, using the moon clips in all cases.
This revolver will shoot .38 Special of course, but since it’s an awesome example of the classic Magnum, I stuck to the big stuff – all loads shown below are .357 Magnum rounds. Here’s what I found.

Accuracy & Velocity

Velocity (fps)

5-shots, 25 yards

American Eagle 158-grain

N/A

4.27”

Barnes TAC-XPD 125-grain

1,300.8

1.7”

Federal Premium Hydra-Shok 130-grain

1,364.7

2.8”

Hornady Critical Defense 125-grain

N/A

3.08”

Sig Sauer FMJ 125-grain

1,220

2.01”

Sig Sauer V-Crown

1,301

2.75”

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135-grain

N/A

2.57”

Winchester PDX1125-grain

N/A

2.76”

Closing arguments

I love this gun. Yes, it’s a looker, but more to the point, it’s a shooter. I’ve already pointed out that its easy shooting nature, even when using full-power self-defense ammunition, makes it pleasant to run with both .38 Special and .357 ammo.
Additionally, the seven-shot cylinder offers a bonus round over the standard six while the adjustable rear sight allows you to match your favorite load’s point of impact to the point of aim. If you want a gun that has the power of a magnum without the nasty recoil, this one is well worth a look.
To learn more, visit https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-586-l-comp.

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They grow up so fast!

From this
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to this

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All About Guns Gun Info for Rookies

Read more: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/09/quick-turrets-reticle-primer-long-range-shooters/#ixzz5RPL5Ia00 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook Quick Turrets & Reticle “How To” Primer for Long-Range Shooters Ammo land Inc

Tom McHale schools us on the proper use of quick turrets and scope reticles when shooting for long distances in this continuation of his article series on long-range shooting.

There are lots of options for both scope turret and reticle types. We'll examine some pros and cons.
There are lots of options for both scope turret and reticle types. We’ll examine some pros and cons.
Tom McHale
Tom McHale

 
 
 
 
 
 
USA –-(Ammoland.com)- Turrets and reticles generally compliment each other, although sometimes they can perform the same function.
On old-school rifles, one commonly used the turrets for initial zeroing and the reticle for shooting. As the “turrets” were capped and required a screwdriver or coin to make adjustments, they weren’t conducive to on the fly adjustments in the field.
The idea was that you would do a one-time set to get the rifle shooting to where the cross hairs were indicating at a certain distance. Later, shooting in the field, the user would rely on holdover to account for longer distances. 
Before we get into nuances and differences of turret and reticle combinations, we can limit the scope of turret types. Since this is a series about long-range shooting, we’ll stick to “target” or “tactical” turrets. Those differ from more traditional capped turrets that are designed primarily for initial zeroing of a rifle.
Here, we’ll focus on turrets that remain exposed and are intended to be used in the field on a shot-to-shot basis to adjust for elevation, windage, and target movement. These taller drums aren’t just big and bulky to look cool – they show you the adjustment markings so you can adjust for each different shot requirement. 
There are numerous concepts to consider when making an optics decision when it comes to turrets and reticles, so let’s try to hit some of the biggies.

Oh, one more note before we start. To keep this article less than “one billion” words, we’re going to skip differences between first and second focal plane scopes when talking about reticle holdovers. We’ll be covering that topic separately next month.

This Steiner T5Xi has both a milliradian reticle and turrets that adjust in .1 mil clicks.
This Steiner T5Xi has both a milliradian reticle and turrets that adjust in .1 mil clicks.

Mismatched Turret and Reticle Graduations

On far too many scopes (in my opinion) you’ll find a reticle graduated in milliradians combined with turrets that adjust in minutes of angle. Sure, they both do the same thing, but it gets confusing. A milliradian represents 3.6 inches at 100 yards while a minute of angle corresponds to 1.04 inches at the same distance.
To put that practical terms, if you choose to make a shot adjustment through the reticle of one milliradian, there’s no “exact” way to do the same adjustment with the turrets unless you resort to (brace yourself)… math!
Maybe companies do this for economies of scale so they can manufacture one scope body and offer it will all sorts of MOA, mil, and ballistic compensation reticles.

Whatever the reason, it drives me nuts. It’s kind of like having car speedometers marked in miles per hour with highway speed limit signs that only show the metric numbers. 

The benefit of using the same units of adjustment on the reticle and turret is simplicity. You can make the same shot adjustment using either a reticle holdover or a turret adjustment. That’s especially handy when you use both to make a shot.
For example, you might adjust the elevation turret for drop and use the reticle to account for wind drift. You’re always working with the same units of measurement, and that’s a good thing.
Most minute of angle scopes feature .25 MOA per click adjustments. That represents a smidgen over a quarter of an inch at 100 yards. Most mil-dot scopes use .1 milliradian per click adjustments. That’s about .36 inches per click at 100 yards. 

Standard Mil-Dot and MOA Reticles

Here comes my institutional bias. There, I warned you. 
There are infinity trillion reticle designs on the market, and at least half of those are cool and useful. To me, the most practical are those that offer straightforward mil or minute of angle increments.
The reasons will become more evident as we talk about ballistic compensation reticles next, but in short, I like the flexibility of mapping my own bullet trajectories to a standardized scale.
If the reticle shows a constant array of minutes or mils with fractional indicators between them, you don’t have to remember obscure reticle designs like “OK, so the second and third lines below the crosshair are 6.3 minutes of angle apart according to the manual,” or “that circular thing is 4.2 mils wide…”

This Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50 scope features MOA adjustments on the turrets and an EBR-4 reticle also graduated in minutes of angle. Oh, and one of you is going to own it along with the Palmetto State Armory 6.5mm Creedmoor rifle on which it's about to be mounted.
This Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24×50 scope features MOA adjustments on the turrets and an EBR-4 reticle also graduated in minutes of angle. Oh, and one of you is going to own it along with the Palmetto State Armory 6.5mm Creedmoor rifle (another upcoming AmmoLand giveaway) on which it’s about to be mounted.

One added benefit is that a traditional mil or minute of angle reticle can move from rifle to rifle and caliber to caliber with ease. Not being “hardcoded” to the trajectory of a single round, you can do whatever you like with it.
Give me two “rulers” in a cross pattern any day, so I can easily see each mil or minute of angle adjustment in whole and fractional increments. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ve included one here.  These reticles, in almost any style, make me happy.

It's hard to go wrong with an infinitely flexible reticle like this classic Mil-dot pattern from Nightforce.
It’s hard to go wrong with an infinitely flexible reticle like this classic Mil-dot pattern from Nightforce.

Ballistic Compensation Reticles

Most optics companies offer reticles that have markings which correspond to the trajectory of individual cartridges.
For example, since the trajectories of standard .223 Remington and .308 Winchester rounds happen to be so similar, you might run across scopes that have markings for specific yardages in the reticle itself for those calibers. These work fine as long as you stick to standard ammunition and conditions.

Give me two "rulers" graduated in even mils or minutes any day and I'm happy, as with this Steiner SCR reticle.
Give me two “rulers” graduated in even mils or minutes any day, and I’m happy, as with this Steiner SCR reticle.

The drawback is a loss of precision. As we’ll see when we build a long range shooter’s databook later in this series, for every combination of rifle, ammo, and weather conditions, the trajectory is different.
Ballistic compensation reticles get you close, but by definition, they can never be as precise as mapping your own rifle and ammo combination at each desired distance. Also, a change in temperature and pressure will throw off BDC reticles even more. 
If your goal is to get “close enough” then BDC reticles are great. They’re simple to use and fast to get on target. If you need maximum precision, then go with standard reticle graduations and make your own distance/adjustment map based on actual performance. 

Custom Turrets

Some manufacturers offer custom turret marking services. Here’s how that works. 
You gather and submit specific information about your gun, scope, ammunition, and normal shooting conditions. This includes inputs like sight height above the bore, bullet ballistic coefficient, actual velocity from your rifle, zero distance and average temperature, pressure, humidity, and altitude in your area.
The manufacturer uses that information to calculate the ballistic trajectory of your round and makes a reticle marked with yardage distances. So, to adjust for a 600-yard shot, just spin the dial to 600 yards and, in theory, you’ll be close to dead on. 

This Nikon ProStaff has a custom turret marked in hundreds of yards specifically for a Weatherby rifle firing a specific load with the Barnes TTSX bullet.
This Nikon ProStaff has a custom turret marked in hundreds of yards specifically for a Weatherby rifle firing a specific load with the Barnes TTSX bullet.

I’ve tested a couple of these, and they work well for applications where you’ll stick with the same rifle and ammo and where you’ll be shooting in similar altitude and temperature conditions. If you travel to places where conditions differ, then you’ll be off. 

Which to Use? Turrets or Reticles?

Depending on your optic, there may be some redundancy between the turret and the reticle. While traditional hunting scopes may have a single crosshair, your long-range ready optics will likely have a complex set of windage and elevation graduations. 
Part of the decision as to whether to hold over with the reticle or use turret adjustments depends on how much time you have. If you have time before a shot, using the turrets for elevation adjustments to account for bullet drop and the reticle to account for windage and moving targets is a great approach.
That allows you to forget about the drop and focus on reading the wind or establishing the correct windage lead adjustment. The related benefit is that wind changes rapidly, so by the time you make a windage turret adjustment, you might have to do it all over again. 

This Steiner T5Xi very elegantly handles the situation of turning a turret more than one full rotation. It shows the next set of numbers in the windows so there is no confusion.
This Steiner T5Xi very elegantly handles the situation of turning a turret more than one full rotation. It shows the next set of numbers in the windows, so there is no confusion.

So, What to Buy?

If you want flexibility and precision, stick with a graduated reticle with standard and consistent milliradian or minute of angle marks.
For simplicity, make sure that the reticle pattern matches the click adjustments – mil to mil and MOA to MOA. Which system is entirely a matter of personal preference, as is the complexity of the reticle.
Some, like the Horus TReMoR3 reticle, look amazingly complicated, but they’re not as intimidating as they appear. The purpose of such reticles with an upside down Christmas tree of marks is merely a visual tool that allows fast holdover adjustment for both windage and elevation at the same time. It’s all about options. 
About
Tom McHale is the author of the Practical Guides book series that guides new and experienced shooters alike in a fun, approachable, and practical way. His books are available in print and eBook format on Amazon. You can also find him on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and Pinterest.

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Gun Info for Rookies Hard Nosed Folks Both Good & Bad Well I thought it was funny!

Some proven Gunfighter Advice (Yeah, I know too soon!)

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All About Guns Tips about Gunsmithing

Winchester 94, 30-30 to 38-55 rebarrel, rust bluing receiver, post 64 1970s winchester 94 / 1894

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https://youtu.be/DWAMtEK5qzo
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Well I thought it was interesting!                                                           Grumpy

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The Almost Forgotten WINCHESTER 264 MAGNUM

It is just a pity that this is a fun round. But When pitted against other rounds. It just could not really cut the mustard! That and now a days. It is really hard to find ammo at a decent price! GrumpyImage result for WINCHESTER 264 MAGNUM

WINCHESTER 264 MAGNUM – YouTube


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIN91iS5TsA

https://youtu.be/GIN91iS5TsA