Nikon new BDC reticle

I saw on their web site that they are offering a new BDC reticle on many of their scopes.  Has anyone seen one?  What are your thoughts?

all BDCs are a compromise of how well the rounds you just bought match the "distancing" in the reticle. Thus if you had say a 30-06 with a BDC that was set for the velocities obtainable in a 24 in barrel but you decided to use it on your DSA 16" the scope would be way off. This is why ACOG has two scopes, one for 20s and one for M4s. No BDC can be as well matched as handloads, chronographed and then "dialed in". It is possible to cross match . Given the ballastic curve of the BDC, find all bullets and velocity combinations following that shape with the Ballastic coef. of other calibers or at least close to it, then use handloads to duplicate that ballistic profile. Programs such as Sierra's and Ohlers make this pretty easy. Mil-dot type systems approach this problem by eliminating the progressive drop as distance increases. Nikon hasn't gotten into many reticle wars for who knows what reason. This hind sight on their part may prove a smart move afterall as laser rangefinders "outdate" all in scope ranging reticles.

My ballestic plex reticles in my Burris scopes have worked very good for me in hunting situations.  I simply shoot my favored load and come up with my own chart on the marks.  I use a range finder, then adjust to the proper tick mark and squeeeeeeeeze.  In coyote hunting I just don't feel that I have time to "dial in" but you bring up a good point that doing so is by far the most accurate way.  I was just curious what people thought of the looks and layout of their new reticle.

That's the secret you have known fixed points (lines inside the scope) and you shoot  enough to determine what distance those fixed points in the scope represent with your ammunition..

 

P.S. Laser rangefinders are great until the battery goes out at the worst possible time.

You fellows may find this interesting. I'm trying to find loads in .223 and .308 with close trajectory to optimize my BDC on Burris FF-II .

Federal American Eagle Full Metal Jacket

AE223N                          AE308D

WT   62                            150
BC   307                           408
100   1.6                           1.8
200   0.0                           0.0
300   7.5                           7.9
400   22.4                        23.0
500   46.6                        46.8

Maximun difference is .6 of an inch. With all things considered this is usable on a BDC scope. You just need to test fire at range and chart the scope hash marks to the distance.

Usually for my applications i apply a "tactical" system with the reticle, since the handguns i'm using don't match std. trajectories well. Besides that if i wanna use a mil-dot reticle i want a system that gives me exact zeros, and then interpolative for the in-between ranges. Here's the system i use--

 

1) Convert stadia subtensions from inch per hundred yds. to MOA

 

2) Run ballistics program for load.

 

3) Match up MOA calcs for reticle zeros.

 

4) Check each zero at range

 

5) Note difference (in MOA) between ballistic profile and real world shooting for stadia zeros.

 

6) Adjust BC or muzzle velocity of load in ballistics program until i get the best reticle-trajectory fit.

 

7) Calculate interpolative zeroing between stadia.

 

8) Calculate the same for windage.

 

9) Make range sticker for gun and laser.

 

10) Recheck occasionally.