{"id":37966,"date":"2026-04-29T13:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=37966"},"modified":"2026-10-04T02:22:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T07:22:00","slug":"mil-dot-made-easy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/mil-dot-made-easy\/","title":{"rendered":"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mil dot formula is simple: range in yards equals the target&#8217;s size in yards times 1,000, divided by its size in mils. A mil, or milliradian, is an angle that covers 3.6 inches at 100 yards, 1 yard at 1,000 yards and 10 centimeters at 100 meters. Because a mil-dot or MRAD reticle is marked in the same angle as the scope&#8217;s turrets, you can use the same numbers to range a target, hold over for drop, hold for wind and dial corrections. Learn three versions of the mil relation formula below and you can work almost any problem in your head. If you think in inches and MOA instead, see our companion guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/minute-of-angle-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">minute of angle explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-mil-dot-and-mrad-at-a-glance\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">Mil Dot and MRAD at a Glance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-a-milliradian\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">What Is a Milliradian?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-scopes-use-angles-instead-of-inches\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">Why Scopes Use Angles Instead of Inches<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-mil-relation-formula\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">The Mil Relation Formula<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-formula-1-find-the-range\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">Formula 1: Find the Range<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-formula-2-find-the-correction-in-mils\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">Formula 2: Find the Correction in Mils<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-formula-3-find-the-size\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">Formula 3: Find the Size<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-use-a-mil-dot-reticle\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">How to Use a Mil-Dot Reticle<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-first-focal-plane-vs-second-focal-plane\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">First Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-zeroing-with-mils-and-moa\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">Zeroing With Mils and MOA<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mil-vs-moa-which-should-you-use\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">Mil vs MOA: Which Should You Use?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mil-dot-faq\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"2\">Mil Dot FAQ<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-the-mil-relation-formula\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">What is the mil relation formula?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-many-inches-is-1-mil-at-100-yards\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">How many inches is 1 mil at 100 yards?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-is-it-6-283-or-6-400-mils-in-a-circle\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">Is it 6,283 or 6,400 mils in a circle?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-many-moa-are-in-a-mil\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">How many MOA are in a mil?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-can-i-range-with-a-second-focal-plane-scope\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">Can I range with a second focal plane scope?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-a-0-1-mil-click-at-100-yards\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" data-level=\"3\">What is a 0.1 mil click at 100 yards?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mil-dot-and-mrad-at-a-glance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mil Dot and MRAD at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1 mil equals 3.6 inches at 100 yards, 36 inches (1 yard) at 1,000 yards, and 10 centimeters at 100 meters.<\/li>\n<li>1 MOA equals 1.047 inches at 100 yards, so 1 mil is about 3.44 MOA.<\/li>\n<li>Most mil scopes adjust in 0.1 mil clicks, about 0.36 inch at 100 yards.<\/li>\n<li>Ranging formula: range in yards = target size in yards x 1,000 \/ mils.<\/li>\n<li>Correction formula: mils = drop or miss in yards x 1,000 \/ range in yards.<\/li>\n<li>A traditional mil-dot reticle spaces its dots 1 mil apart, center to center.<\/li>\n<li>First focal plane reticles range at any magnification. Second focal plane reticles range correctly only at their calibrated magnification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/steiner-mil-dot-1.jpg\" alt=\"Steiner rifle scope with turrets that adjust in 0.1 milliradian increments\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-a-milliradian\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Milliradian?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A radian is an angle. Walk around the edge of any circle a distance equal to its radius, and the angle you covered is one radian. A full circle is 2 times pi, or about 6.283 radians. A milliradian is one thousandth of a radian, so a true circle has about 6,283 milliradians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may also hear that a circle has 6,400 mils. That is the NATO artillery convention, rounded to make compass and map math easier. The Warsaw Pact used 6,000, and other armies have used other numbers. Rifle scopes and mil-dot reticles use true milliradians, which is why 1 mil equals exactly 1 unit at 1,000 units of range. Stick with the true mil and the math below always works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practical terms, if you could hold your hands apart at an angle of exactly one milliradian and look between them, you would see 3.6 inches of a target at 100 yards, 7.2 inches at 200 yards and 36 inches at 1,000 yards. Angles scale with distance, which is what makes mils so useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/mils-angle.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram showing a milliradian as an angle that grows with distance\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-scopes-use-angles-instead-of-inches\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Scopes Use Angles Instead of Inches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bullet starts falling the moment it leaves the barrel. The scope sits above the bore and is angled slightly down toward it, which is why a bullet appears to rise and then fall across its path. To hit a distant target, you have to aim higher, and the farther the target, the more you hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could figure that in inches, but inches do not scale. A 10 inch correction at 300 yards is not the same as 10 inches at 600 yards. An angle does scale. A 1 mil correction moves impact 3.6 inches at 100 yards, 10.8 inches at 300 yards and 21.6 inches at 600 yards. That is why turrets and reticles are marked in mils or MOA rather than inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-mil-relation-formula\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Mil Relation Formula<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All the useful mil math comes from one relationship between size, range and angle. Use yards for both size and range, and 1,000 as the constant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-formula-1-find-the-range\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Formula 1: Find the Range<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Range in yards = target size in yards x 1,000 \/ size in mils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Example: a deer&#8217;s back to brisket is about 18 inches, or 0.5 yard. If it measures 1 mil in your reticle, the range is 0.5 x 1,000 \/ 1 = 500 yards. If it measures 2 mils, the range is 250 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you prefer inches, multiply the target size in inches by 27.78, then divide by mils. An 18 inch target at 1 mil gives 18 x 27.78 \/ 1, or about 500 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-formula-2-find-the-correction-in-mils\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Formula 2: Find the Correction in Mils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mils = drop or miss in yards x 1,000 \/ range in yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Example: your ballistic data says the bullet drops 36 inches, or 1 yard, at 428 yards. That is 1 x 1,000 \/ 428 = 2.34 mils. With a 0.1 mil turret, dial 23 clicks up, or hold 2.3 mils high in the reticle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-formula-3-find-the-size\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Formula 3: Find the Size<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Size in yards = range in yards x mils \/ 1,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Example: a target 400 yards away measures 1.5 mils. It is 400 x 1.5 \/ 1,000 = 0.6 yard, or about 21.6 inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/mil-dot-reticle-formula.jpg\" alt=\"Mil dot range calculation formula written out\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-use-a-mil-dot-reticle\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Use a Mil-Dot Reticle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A traditional mil-dot reticle has dots along the crosshairs, spaced 1 mil apart center to center. Modern MRAD reticles use hash marks or Christmas tree grids at 0.5 or 0.2 mil spacing, but the math is the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Holdover: if your data says 3 mils of elevation at a given range, put the target on the third dot below center.<\/li>\n<li>Wind: if you need 0.5 mil of wind, hold halfway between the center and the first dot into the wind.<\/li>\n<li>Ranging: bracket a target of known size between the crosshair and the dots, read its size in mils and use formula 1.<\/li>\n<li>Spotting misses: if a shot lands 0.4 mil low and 0.2 mil right, dial 4 clicks up and 2 clicks left on a 0.1 mil turret.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/mil-dot-reticle2.jpg\" alt=\"Traditional mil-dot reticle with dots spaced one mil apart\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-first-focal-plane-vs-second-focal-plane\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">First Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a first focal plane scope, the reticle grows and shrinks with magnification, so a mil is a mil at every power. On a second focal plane scope, the reticle stays the same size while the target changes, so the mil spacing is only correct at the magnification the maker calibrated it for, often the highest power. Check your manual before you range with a second focal plane scope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-zeroing-with-mils-and-moa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zeroing With Mils and MOA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mils also make zeroing easy, as long as the reticle and turrets use the same unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Example: you fire a group at 100 yards and it lands 3 inches high. In mils, 3 inches at 100 yards is 3 \/ 3.6 = 0.83 mil, so dial about 8 clicks down on a 0.1 mil turret. In MOA, 3 inches at 100 yards is about 2.9 MOA, so dial about 11 to 12 clicks down on a quarter MOA turret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same goes for longer range corrections. A 36 inch drop at 428 yards is 2.34 mils. In true MOA, it is 36 \/ (4.28 x 1.047), or about 8.0 MOA, about 32 clicks on a quarter MOA turret. The popular shortcut of inches divided by hundreds of yards gives 8.4 MOA, which is close but drifts farther off as range increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mil-vs-moa-which-should-you-use\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mil vs MOA: Which Should You Use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both work. The best system is the one where your reticle and turrets match, so you never have to convert in the field. Mil scopes dominate precision rifle competition and are popular with shooters who work in meters or with spotters calling corrections in mils. MOA is common on hunting scopes and is easier for shooters who think in inches at 100 yards. For the MOA side of the story, read <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/minute-of-angle-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">minute of angle explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/hawke-mil-dot-1.jpg\" alt=\"Hawke Optics tactical scope with a mil-dot reticle\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are shopping for a scope with a mil reticle, our reviews of the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/sightron-sviii-ffp-5-40x56-rifle-scope-full-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">Sightron SVIII FFP 5-40&#215;56<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/arken-ep-5-genii-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">Arken EP-5 Gen II<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/leupold-vx3i-lrp-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">Leupold VX-3i LRP<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/budget-riflescope-riton-x3-conquer-6-24x50-conquered-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">Riton X3 Conquer 6-24&#215;50<\/a> are a good place to start, along with our guides to the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/best-rifle-scopes-under-1000-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">best rifle scopes under $1,000 in 2025<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/best-lpvo-scopes-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"mil-dot-made-easy\" title=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\">best LPVO scopes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mil-dot-faq\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mil Dot FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-is-the-mil-relation-formula\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the mil relation formula?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Size divided by range, times 1,000, equals mils, as long as size and range use the same units. Rearrange it to find range (size x 1,000 \/ mils) or size (range x mils \/ 1,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-how-many-inches-is-1-mil-at-100-yards\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many inches is 1 mil at 100 yards?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3.6 inches. At 1,000 yards, 1 mil is 36 inches, or 1 yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-is-it-6-283-or-6-400-mils-in-a-circle\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it 6,283 or 6,400 mils in a circle?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A true circle has about 6,283 milliradians, and that is what rifle scopes use. 6,400 is the NATO military convention for artillery and compasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-how-many-moa-are-in-a-mil\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many MOA are in a mil?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 3.44 MOA per mil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-can-i-range-with-a-second-focal-plane-scope\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I range with a second focal plane scope?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, but only at the magnification the reticle is calibrated for, usually the highest power. At other magnifications, the reticle&#8217;s mil spacing is wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-is-a-0-1-mil-click-at-100-yards\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a 0.1 mil click at 100 yards?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 0.36 inch, or about 1 centimeter at 100 meters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mil-Dot system is exceptionally versatile &#8211; if you know how to use it. If you shoot a rifle, you can use mil-dot to hold the correct amount over a distant target. There\u2019s a lot of fancy math behind the whole mil-dot thing, but we\u2019re going to ignore most of that here and explain the concept, and more importantly, how you can use it, in plain English. There won\u2019t even be a quiz at the end, I promise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":37968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"manual","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,286,209],"tags":[132,102,2499,2498,620],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":["post-37966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gunsamerica-authors","category-ballistics","category-tom-mchale","tag-buzz","tag-feature-articles","tag-mils","tag-moa","tag-tactical"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.6 (Yoast SEO v28.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained (2026) | GunsAmerica Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The mil dot formula and mil relation formula, explained: how to range targets, hold and dial corrections in mils, plus mil vs MOA conversions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/mil-dot-made-easy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mil-Dot and MRAD Explained: The Mil Relation Formula and Ranging\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Mil-Dot system is exceptionally versatile - if you know how to use it. If you shoot a rifle, you can use mil-dot to hold the correct amount over a distant target. There\u2019s a lot of fancy math behind the whole mil-dot thing, but we\u2019re going to ignore most of that here and explain the concept, and more importantly, how you can use it, in plain English. 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