What is the difference between MOA and MIL scopes?

by Mac Raven

What is the difference between MOA and MIL scopes, Competition shooting, long range shooting, shooting sports, reloading, ftr, prs, elr, f-class, sling shooting, service rifle, air rifle, trap, skeet, clay, bench rest, shotgun, target, rifle, how to, shooter spotlight, tutorial, shooter spotlight, interviews, article, mac raven, 5 gun nation, handloading, education, nrl, high power rifle, palma,v2 series, ammo, rifle tunning, bullets

What is the difference between MOA and MIL scopes?

When I first dipped my toes into the world of shooting, I didn’t know much about rifle scopes.
I first noticed that their adjustment turrets (elevation and wind) came in two different styles. That led directly to the question, what is the difference between MOA and MIL scopes?

Like most people, I went online to see what I could find—mistake number one. After about three minutes of searching, I started having flashbacks of geometry class. Unfortunately, people tend to over-complicate the answer to this question when they need only basic math skills.

MOA (minutes of an angle) is a scope adjustment using imperial measurements.

One MOA = 1″ at 100 yards. Then, it’s simple math to scale it up or down from there.

For example, 1 MOA at 1000 yards would equal a little over 10″.

MIL (MRAD) is a scope adjustment using metric measurements.

1 MIL at 100 meters (100 yards) equals 9 cm (3.6″).

Example: 1 MIL at 1000 meters (1000 yards) equals 1 meter (36″)

Which one should you use?

Simple, if you like to think using imperial measurements (feet and inches), then an MOA scope is for you. Suppose you prefer thinking in metric (meters and centimeters); you will like MIL scopes.

Which one is better?

Let’s be honest. They are two different ways of measuring the same thing. Kind of like the temperature; some people use Fahrenheit, while others use Celsius. Neither one is better than the other.

I know some people will get salty because I wasn’t exactly at the fourth decimal place with my numbers. If that bothers you, I’m sure I will hear about it. (LOL)

I hope I have answered the question, “What is the difference between MOA and MIL scopes?” I tried to make it understandable without the readers having to pull out their protractors and work out geometry problems. I suppose if that’s something you like to do, a three-minute search online will not disappoint you.

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