Mil-Dot Range CalculatorMil-Dot Formula, Mils to Yards & Mil to MOA Calculator
Range (yards) = target size (inches) × 27.78 ÷ mils, and range (meters) = size (meters) × 1000 ÷ mils. Enter what you know to solve for range, target size or the mil reading, see the MOA equivalent and the error band of your reading, and preview how the target fills a mil-dot reticle.
Built on the SI definition of the radian (NIST) and the 3.6-inches-at-100-yards relation used in U.S. Army marksmanship training.
305 m
What it looks like in the reticle
The mil-dot range formula
Range in yards equals the target’s size in inches times 27.78, divided by its size in mils; in metric, range in meters equals size in meters times 1,000 divided by mils. A mil (milliradian) is 1/1000 of the distance, so an object 1 meter tall that spans 2 mils in your scope is 500 meters away. The formula works with any mil-dot or mil-hash reticle at the magnification the reticle is calibrated for.
Formulas
Worked example: a whitetail buck’s chest is about 18 inches from back to brisket. If it measures 1.5 mils: 18 × 27.78 ÷ 1.5 = 333 yards. In meters: 0.457 m × 1000 ÷ 1.5 = 305 m.
Where 27.78 comes from: 1 mil at 100 yards is 3.6 inches, and 1000 ÷ 36 = 27.78. Some charts round it to 27.8.
How to range with a mil-dot scope
- Set the right magnificationOn a second focal plane scope, mils are only true at one power (often the highest). First focal plane scopes are true at every power.
- Know the target sizeUse a known height or width: deer chest about 18 in, steel plate 12 in, a standard door 80 in.
- Measure in milsLine one edge on a hash mark and read the other edge to the nearest tenth of a mil. Small errors in mils make big errors in range.
- Apply the formulaEnter size and mils in the calculator, or use the table below for an 18-inch target.
Range chart for an 18-inch target
| Reading | Range (yards) | Range (meters) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mil | 1,000 yd | 914 m |
| 1 mil | 500 yd | 457 m |
| 1.5 mil | 333 yd | 305 m |
| 2 mil | 250 yd | 229 m |
| 2.5 mil | 200 yd | 183 m |
| 3 mil | 167 yd | 152 m |
| 4 mil | 125 yd | 114 m |
| 5 mil | 100 yd | 91 m |
| 6 mil | 83 yd | 76 m |
| 8 mil | 63 yd | 57 m |
| 10 mil | 50 yd | 46 m |
Mil vs MOA conversion
| Angle | Equivalent | Size at 100 yards | Size at 100 meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mil | 3.438 MOA | 3.6 in at 100 yd | 10 cm at 100 m |
| 0.1 mil (1 click) | 0.344 MOA | 0.36 in at 100 yd | 1 cm at 100 m |
| 1 MOA | 0.291 mil | 1.047 in at 100 yd | 2.9 cm at 100 m |
| 0.25 MOA (1 click) | 0.073 mil | 0.26 in at 100 yd | 0.73 cm at 100 m |
MOA (minute of angle) is 1/60 of a degree. Keep the reticle and turrets in the same unit to avoid conversion mistakes.
Mistakes to avoid
On a second focal plane scope set to half power, every mil reading doubles and your range estimate is off by half.
Using inches with the meter formula (or centimeters with 27.78) gives answers off by a factor of about 2.5. Pick one system.
A 10% error in assumed size is a 10% error in range. When possible, range a known object near the target.
At 2 mils, misreading by 0.2 changes range by 10%. Read to the nearest tenth and confirm with a laser rangefinder when you have one.
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Mil-dot ranging FAQ
Range in yards = target size in inches × 27.78 ÷ mils. In metric, range in meters = target size in meters × 1000 ÷ mils (or size in centimeters × 10 ÷ mils).
1 mil at 100 yards is 3.6 inches (3.6 inches is 1/1000 of 3,600 inches). At 100 meters it is 10 centimeters.
Multiply mils by 3.438. 1 mil = 3.438 MOA, and 1 MOA = 0.291 mil.
18 × 27.78 ÷ 2 = 250 yards (about 229 meters).
A milliradian (mil) is one thousandth of a radian, an angle that covers 1 unit of size for every 1,000 units of distance. Military artillery mils (1/6400 of a circle) are slightly different; scope reticles use true milliradians.
On a first focal plane scope, no: the reticle grows with the image. On a second focal plane scope the mil spacing is only correct at one magnification, usually the highest; check your manual.
It depends on how well you know the target size and how precisely you read mils. A 0.1 mil error on a 2 mil reading is a 5% range error. The calculator shows that range band for you.
27.78 is the exact figure (1000 ÷ 36). 27.8 is a convenient rounding and changes the result by less than 0.1%.
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Manzoor Ahmad
Calculator developer & web designer · 13+ years in web development and SEO
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026I am a pharmacist turned tech geek, and I design, code and test every calculator on DexoCalc myself. I have not served in the military, so this tool does not run on opinion: the calculator applies the published milliradian formulas with no shortcuts, the tables on this page come from the same code, and I checked the results against worked examples in standard marksmanship references.
Spot a result that does not match an official source? Tell me and I will re-check it.
Sources
- NIST: SI units (radian and derived units)
- U.S. Army TC 3-22.10: Sniper (marksmanship and range estimation)
- U.S. Army TC 3-22.9: Rifle and Carbine
- Milliradian (definition)
Disclaimer: DexoCalc is independent and not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any manufacturer. Range estimates are approximations; always identify your target and what is beyond it, and follow all hunting and range safety rules.
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