Why are there so many crosshairs on a sniper scope, and which one to aim at

  • Dec 14, 2020
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Why are there so many crosshairs on a sniper scope, and which one to aim at.
Why are there so many crosshairs on a sniper scope, and which one to aim at.

Surely everyone, at least in the movies, had to see what the reticle looks like on the telescopic sight of a sniper rifle. As a rule, it has a large number of different lines and strips. Getting confused in all of them is easy. That is why it becomes doubly interesting: how snipers understand these nets, and which of the risks you need to aim at in order to hit like a squirrel in the eye.

Why are there so many crosshairs on a sniper scope, and which one to aim at

All elements are needed. / Photo: ya.ru.

The lines and strips on the optics of the sight are what is called the "reticle". There is this not only on sniper sights, but in general on any other optics, including for machine guns, anti-tank grenade launchers, as well as visual surveillance equipment (rangefinders). The reticle is located in one of the focal planes of the sight, making it seem that it lies on the same level with the lens.

An example of a grenade launcher. / Photo: youtube.com.

The reticle pattern can have different configurations from the simplest one, for example, in the form of a cross, to a complex set of lines and crosshairs. Most often, the mesh is made by etching a pattern on metal foil or made from wire directly on the lens. The main advantage that any telescopic sight gives thanks to the reticle is the absence of the need to constantly refocus the eye when changing the point of view. This allows you to see the target, the front sight of the weapon and the rear sight slot at the same time and clearly, which is very important for accurate shooting.

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Here is the rifle scope. / Photo: nokto.info.

Angles and reticle lines are needed in order to effectively aim at objects at different distances. The characteristics of each line and angle depend on the configuration of the specific scope. For example, in optics for SVD - PSO-1, the uppermost corner is responsible for the ability to shoot at targets at a distance from 0 to 1,000 meters. The second corner on the PSO-1 grid, which is located below, increases the maximum range by 100 meters to 1,100. The third is another 100, and so on.

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There is also a rangefinder on the sight. / Photo: allzip.org.

The bottom line is that the further away the target, the higher you need to lift the weapon. The same goes for lateral vertical marks. Only they are used in order to take a lead not by range, but by the horizon. Lead is needed if the target is moving and / or the wind is blowing. Another important element of the reticle is the strange curved line. Its purpose is very simple - it is a rangefinder, which allows you to determine, by aiming at a target, how many (approximately) meters to it.

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The soldier must know all the meanings of his sight. / Photo: youtube.com.

It is also important to note that each scope comes with its own manual (shooting instructions), which describes in detail all the subtleties of the reticle, depending on the characteristics of a particular optics. A soldier must know all these meanings and rules for his weapon by heart and always remember. In the armies in the post-Soviet space, conscripts most often have to deal with two sights: PSO-1 for SVD and PGO-7V for RPG-7.

Continuing the topic, read about
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A source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/050420/54041/