Mil and MOA are two units for the same thing: a small angle. One MOA (minute of angle) covers about 1.047 inches at 100 yards; one mil (milliradian, also written MRAD) covers 3.6 inches at 100 yards. Neither is more accurate. What matters is that your reticle and turrets use the same unit, and that you share it with whoever is spotting for you. If you shoot alone and think in inches and yards, MOA is easy to live with. If you dial and hold at long range, shoot matches, or work with a partner, mil is the more common choice today.
Most guides stop at those two numbers. Below you get what each click moves at every common distance from 100 to 1,000 yards, the range-estimation formula for both units with a worked example, the “shooter’s MOA” trap that costs almost 5 inches at 1,000 yards, and a short decision rule.
The short answer in one table
| Property | MOA (minute of angle) | Mil (milliradian, MRAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1/60 of a degree | 1/1,000 of a radian |
| Units in a full circle | 21,600 | about 6,283 |
| Size at 100 yards | 1.047 in (often rounded to 1 in) | 3.6 in |
| Size at 100 meters | about 2.91 cm | 10 cm |
| Common click value | 1/4 MOA (also 1/8 MOA on target scopes) | 0.1 mil (also 0.05 mil) |
| One click at 100 yards | 0.26 in (1/4 MOA) | 0.36 in (0.1 mil) |
| Conversion | 1 MOA = 0.291 mil | 1 mil = 3.438 MOA |
| Range formula (target size in inches) | yards = inches x 95.5 / MOA | yards = inches x 27.78 / mils |
The definitions, the 1.047-inch and 3.6-inch values and the conversion factor come from NSSF, Gun Digest and the range-estimation derivations listed under Sources. The 100-meter MOA value and the per-click figures are our arithmetic from those numbers.
What MOA and mil actually measure
Both units describe how far the crosshair moves as an angle, not as a fixed distance on the target. NSSF puts it this way: 1 MOA spreads about 1 inch per 100 yards, so 8 inches at 800 yards is still just 1 MOA. The same is true for mils: 3.6 inches at 100 yards, 7.2 inches at 200, 36 inches (one yard) at 1,000.
That is why both units scale with distance and why neither one locks you into inches or centimeters. A mil happens to be a clean 1/1,000 of the distance in any unit: 1 yard at 1,000 yards, 1 meter at 1,000 meters, 10 cm at 100 meters. MOA happens to be close to 1 inch at 100 yards, which is why it feels natural to American hunters who zero at 100 yards and measure groups in inches.
Gunnr, a scope maker, lists “mil is more accurate than MOA” among the common myths, and the math backs that up. An angle is an angle. What differs is how finely the turret divides it and how you read the reticle.
What one click moves at every distance
This is the table to keep in your range bag. It uses true MOA (1.047 in per 100 yd) and 3.6 in per mil, rounded to two decimals.
| Distance | 1/4 MOA click | 1 MOA | 0.1 mil click | 1 mil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 yd | 0.26 in | 1.05 in | 0.36 in | 3.6 in |
| 200 yd | 0.52 in | 2.09 in | 0.72 in | 7.2 in |
| 300 yd | 0.79 in | 3.14 in | 1.08 in | 10.8 in |
| 500 yd | 1.31 in | 5.24 in | 1.80 in | 18.0 in |
| 600 yd | 1.57 in | 6.28 in | 2.16 in | 21.6 in |
| 800 yd | 2.09 in | 8.38 in | 2.88 in | 28.8 in |
| 1,000 yd | 2.62 in | 10.47 in | 3.60 in | 36.0 in |
A 0.1-mil click is about 1.4 times the size of a 1/4-MOA click. In practice that gap is small: at 1,000 yards it is the difference between moving the impact 2.6 inches and 3.6 inches per click. Gun Digest also points out that mil scopes with 0.05-mil clicks exist, which move about 0.18 inches per click at 100 yards, and target-oriented MOA scopes go down to 1/8 MOA (about 0.13 in).
For short-range zeroing math (25, 50 and 100 yards) and which way to turn the turret, see our guide to sighting in a scope, which has a click table for those distances.
Converting between mil and MOA
Gun Digest gives the working rule: multiply mils by 3.43 to get MOA, divide MOA by 3.43 to get mils. Two examples from their article: 12 MOA is 3.5 mils, and 4.2 mils is 14.4 MOA.
You rarely need this on the line if your gear is consistent. It matters when your ballistic data, a match stage brief or a shooting partner uses the other unit. A quick mental shortcut is “about 3.5 MOA per mil”, which is close enough to check that a number makes sense before you dial it.
Ranging a target with each unit
A mil or MOA reticle can estimate distance if you know the target’s size. Leupold’s note on its Mil-Dot reticle gives the formula in its cleanest form: range in yards = target height in yards x 1,000 / target height in mils. Since most people know sizes in inches, the derivation papers listed below convert it:
- Mil: range (yards) = target size (inches) x 27.78 / size in mils
- MOA: range (yards) = target size (inches) x 95.5 / size in MOA
Worked example (our calculation): an 18-inch-tall target measures 1.5 mils in your reticle. 18 x 27.78 / 1.5 = 333 yards. The same target in an MOA reticle measures about 5.16 MOA (1.5 x 3.438). 18 x 95.5 / 5.16 = 333 yards. Same answer, different reticle.
The mil version is easier to do in your head because the constant is a round 1,000 when you work in yards or meters. That is part of why military and competition shooters favor it. The formula only works if the reticle is showing its true values, which brings up the focal plane.
The focal plane catch
Leupold explains that in a first focal plane scope the reticle grows and shrinks with the image, so a mil hash mark equals a mil at any magnification. In a second (rear) focal plane scope the reticle stays the same size, so its subtensions are only correct at one magnification, typically the highest. At half that power, one mil on the reticle covers two mils of target. Leupold’s Mil-Dot instructions name the exact setting for each model, for example 10x on a 6.5-20x scope. Check your manual before ranging or holding over with a second focal plane scope. Our first vs second focal plane guide covers this in detail.
Three traps that cause real misses
1. Reticle and turrets in different units
A scope with a mil reticle and MOA turrets makes you convert every time you move from a hold to a dial. The Scopesmith’s guide notes that many scopes have been built this way, with mil reticles for ranging and MOA knobs for adjustment. Outdoor Life describes the alternative, a “MIL/MIL” or “MOA/MOA” setup, where holding 10 mils over the target gives the same impact as dialing 10 mils. Before you buy or set up a scope, check the spec sheet for both: the reticle unit and the click value.
2. True MOA vs shooter’s MOA
Many shooters round 1 MOA to exactly 1 inch at 100 yards, called shooter’s MOA. Load Development notes that ballistic solvers use true MOA (1.047 in), and Outdoor Life reports that some scopes labeled MOA actually use inches-per-100-yards turret values. Here is what that difference does to a single correction (our arithmetic): dialing 10 MOA at 1,000 yards moves the impact 104.7 inches with true MOA and 100 inches with shooter’s MOA, a 4.7-inch gap. If your drops consistently come out a little off at long range, confirm which MOA your scope uses (the manual or the maker’s spec page) and set your ballistic app to match.
3. The “6,400 mil” myth
Artillery and compass mils divide a circle into 6,400 parts, which is about 2% smaller than a true milliradian. Leupold’s engineers wrote that their Mil-Dot reticles are based on the true milliradian because it gives the exact 1,000-to-1 ranging ratio, and The Scopesmith’s guide says the same of American tactical scopes. When a scope says mil or MRAD, use 3.6 inches per 100 yards. Don’t mix in a 6,400-mil figure from a compass or a military land-navigation chart.
Mil vs MOA: how to choose
Outdoor Life’s broad observation is that hunters tend to be more comfortable with MOA, while precision target shooters, including precision rimfire, increasingly want mil. Leupold builds reticles such as its PR2 in both MOA and MIL versions for the same reason: both camps are large. Use your situation, not the forum argument, to decide.
MOA makes sense if:
- You hunt, zero at 100 yards and rarely dial past a few hundred yards. Thinking “about an inch per hundred yards” is quick.
- Your ballistic data, rifle club or long-time shooting partners already use MOA.
- You shoot paper at known distances and want the finest standard click (1/8 MOA).
Mil makes sense if:
- You plan to dial elevation and hold wind on steel at 500 yards and beyond. Outdoor Life notes that 0.1-mil turret values read as single digits (0.1, 0.3) and move the reticle faster than 1/4-MOA clicks.
- You shoot with a spotter or in matches. Outdoor Life points out that two shooters on different units are “speaking two different languages” when calling corrections, and that this is one reason mil dominates precision competition.
- You think in meters, or want the simplest ranging math.
It barely matters if: you have a capped-turret hunting scope with a simple duplex reticle that you zero once and leave alone. The unit only shows up in the zeroing math, and the click table above covers that.
The one rule that holds for every case: match the reticle to the turrets, and match your scope to the people and data you shoot with. For the other markings on the scope tube and spec sheet, see what the numbers on a scope mean.
FAQ
Is 1 mil the same as 1 MRAD?
Yes. On riflescopes, mil, MIL and MRAD all mean the milliradian: 3.6 inches at 100 yards, 10 cm at 100 meters.
How many MOA are in a mil?
About 3.44 (3.438). One MOA is about 0.29 mil.
How many clicks is 1 MOA or 1 mil?
On a 1/4-MOA scope, 4 clicks make 1 MOA; NSSF’s example is 8 clicks for a 2-MOA correction. On a 0.1-mil scope, 10 clicks make 1 mil, which moves the impact 3.6 inches at 100 yards.
Is MOA more precise than mil?
A 1/4-MOA click is finer than a 0.1-mil click (0.26 in vs 0.36 in at 100 yards), but neither unit is more accurate. Scopes with 0.05-mil or 1/8-MOA clicks exist in both systems, and the difference is smaller than most shooters’ group size at long range.
Can I use a mil reticle with MOA turrets?
You can, but every hold-to-dial step needs a conversion (multiply mils by 3.43). Matched units avoid that step and the mistakes it invites under time pressure.
Shoot only at a supervised range or where it is legal and safe, wear eye and ear protection, and confirm any dialed correction on paper before relying on it.
Sources
All checked October 31, 2026. Click tables, metric conversions, the worked ranging example and the 4.7-inch true-vs-shooter’s MOA gap are our calculations from the values below.
- NSSF, “Minute of Angle (MOA)”: nssf.org/shooting/minute-angle-moa/ (MOA = 1/60 degree, 1.047 in at 100 yd, angular scaling, clicks-per-MOA example)
- Gun Digest, “Mils vs. MOA: Which Is The Best Long-Range Language?”: gundigest.com (1 mil = 3.6 in at 100 yd, x/÷ 3.43 conversion and examples, 0.05-mil scopes)
- Outdoor Life, “MIL vs MOA: Here’s What Hunters and Shooters Need to Know”: outdoorlife.com/guns/mil-vs-moa/ (hunter vs target-shooter preferences, spotter language, MIL/MIL vs MOA/MOA, single-digit mil turret values, scopes labeling inch values as MOA)
- Leupold, “A Note From the Leupold Engineers” (Mil-Dot reticle): mil-dot.com (6,400 military mil vs milliradian, range formula, calibrated magnification per model)
- Leupold, “Front Focal Plane Optics vs. Rear Focal Plane Optics”: leupold.com (subtension accuracy by focal plane)
- Leupold, “Selecting A Reticle”: leupold.com (PR2 reticle in MOA and MIL versions)
- “The Derivation of the Range Estimation Equations”: lee-enfield.org (PDF) (1 mil = 3.438 MOA, inches x 27.78 and x 95.5 range formulas)
- The Scopesmith, “A Shooter’s Guide to MILS and MOA”: thescopesmith.com (PDF) (21,600 MOA and 6,283.2 mils per circle, mil reticles with MOA knobs, US scopes use true milliradians)
- Gunnr Optics, “Mil vs. MOA”: gogunnr.com (accuracy myth, 1 MOA = 0.2909 mil)
- Load Development, “MOA vs MRAD”: loaddevelopment.com (shooter’s MOA vs true MOA, solvers use true MOA)