Podcast: Play in new window
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This is the edited down audio podcast version of my recent stream with Jeff Gurwitch and Ilya Koshkin about reticles.In that edition of Marksman Live, the conversation covered a huge swathe of topics, and had a lengthy Q&A session at the end. In all, it was nearly two hours.
This edited down version covers the highlights of the conversation and gets you the goods in a bit over 20 minutes. Keep it in your pocket for future reference!
Keep in mind that the stream also included a lot of visual elements, including pictures of reticles, example optics, and questions popping up on the screen that we were responding to. I took most of that out from the edited version so that it wasn’t confusing, but if something caught your attention you can go back and check the stream recording itself.
Don’t forget to check out the respective channels for Ilya and Jeff.
Key Takeaways
When it comes down to it, there isn’t really a “right” answer to this question. Jeff rightly brings up that a BDC dominates when speed is of the essence, a sentiment I’ve heard many times from combat veterans.
On the other hand, Ilya explains that the deviation between a BDC and MRAD reticle, especially within 500 yards, is too small to worry about. So an MRAD-based reticle gives you more flexibility for precision without making it much more difficult to shoot.
I think there’s an argument to be made for BDC reticles being suited for inexperienced shooters who just need a “hold here and pull the trigger” marking.
In the end, my main takeaway is that in this class of optic, a prism or LPVO, the reticle choice between BDC or MRAD is secondary to other functions of the scope like optical performance, durability, and illumination.
do you happen to know what degree offset that jeff was using?? i have a 45 and a 30. just asking what worked for him