Blog : benchrest

Minute of Angle (MOA) for Scope Adjustment

Minute of Angle (MOA) for Scope Adjustment

Leupold's Firedot Wind-Plex Minute of Angle Reticle
Leupold's Firedot Wind-Plex MOA Reticle

Minute of Angle (MOA) Scope Adjustments and Holds

I think most rifle shooters know the term “minute of angle” (MOA). In the breakdown of a scope, the minute of angle refers to a measurement you dial onto your scope, to change the point of impact on target by the same measure.

For example, my target scopes are calibrated so eight “clicks” on the turret, either for windage or elevation, will move the bullet on target by one minute of angle. That's my March scope featured at the top of the post. This is a relatively fine adjustment, used by the benchrest crowd.

In contrast, some scopes will be calibrated four clicks per MOA for hunting, and others one click per MOA for long-range applications. These types of scopes are sometimes used by hunters who use Aimpoint for hunting, while others are used for distance shooting.

If you need to dial 24 MOA elevation onto your scope, you won't be using one graduated in 1/8th MOA! But the fine MOA adjustable optic is perfect for short-range benchrest. I zero the rifle to shoot dead-center in a calm condition, and then hold for windage. Once I've adjusted the scope zero for range conditions, I will rarely make any further windage adjustments to the turrets during a competition, no matter how hard the wind blows.

The image above is a Leupold scope reticle dubbed the FireDot Wind-Plex. The reticle aids in compensating for crosswinds. The hash marks are in one MOA increments, and extend to ten MOA on each side. You can read more about this scope, and find other examples of MOA (and Mil-Dot) scopes on Leupold's website.

But just what is a minute of angle, and how is it used to dial, or hold, for the wind?

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Mr. and Mrs. Benchrest… Tony and Faye Boyer

Mr. and Mrs. Benchrest… Tony and Faye Boyer

Benchrest shooting secrets from the annals of PRECISION SHOOTING – AUGUST 2009

The following article, highlighting the benchrest shooting secrets of Tony and Faye Boyer, is reprinted from the August 2009 issue of PRECISION SHOOTING magazine.

Also featured in 2009 by AccurateShooter.com Daily Bulletin.

BY JAMES MOCK

The 2009 Super Shoot is now history and during this event, history was made. Tony Boyer won the two-gun for an unprecedented fifth time. He and Don Geraci had been tied with four victories each before this year's event.

The interview was done prior to the beginning of the competition, but I had a feeling that Tony was hungry for the fifth victory.

Faye Boyer is the only female member in the Benchrest Hall of Fame. This attests to her tremendous skill as a Benchrest shooter. She along with Allen Arnette and Wayne Campbell, earned Hall of Fame honors with Tony as a mentor.

Tony told me that he has no secrets, but he sure has methods that seem to improve the ability of those who he teaches.

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Rifle Kaboom!

Rifle Kaboom!

Rifle kaboom-let's discuss a serious topic!

In the benchrest shooting community there have been two back-to-back rifle kaboom events in the past two week-ends, one at a shoot I just attended.

Luckily nobody was seriously injured. But these were potentially life-threatening events.

The names and details aren't relevant; this could happen to any experienced shooter. It's worth mentioning that any experienced shooter needs a red dot target also to ensure precision of shooting. There's some pretty good red dots out on the market, and it can be difficult to choose which is best. If you need a comparison, you can check out sparc ar vs sparc 2 for the best decision. This is just one way to prevent injury and lessen the danger of handling and shooting guns.

I wanted to post this today as a cautionary reminder for all of us, to stay focused when handloading ammunition, and when behind the trigger.

Damaged bolt following rifle kaboom event.
Damaged bolt following rifle kaboom-a piece of the locking lug is shown on the bench below.

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How to Read the Wind:  Intro to Precision Rifle Shooting

How to Read the Wind: Intro to Precision Rifle Shooting

Hey hot shots – here's an introductory video on how to read the wind for precision rifle shooting.  We’ll eventually get into advanced techniques, but this first video is going to start with the basics.

The language we use to describe wind conditions is easy to understand, but it’s not intuitive.  I remember wondering whether a 3 o’clock wind was coming from or blowing towards 3 o’clock.  So here's an overview of the technical jargon and some ninja tips on reading the wind—let’s get started so we can all get on the same footing.

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