What Is Reticle?

Reticle: definition

Also called: crosshair, aiming points, hold marks, reticle pattern

A reticle is the aiming pattern you see through a scope. It may be a plain crosshair, a duplex crosshair with thick outer lines, a series of dots, or a more complex pattern with several stacked aiming points. Traditional reticles are etched on glass; digital scopes draw the reticle on a screen.

On crossbows the choice of reticle shapes your shooting method. A plain crosshair has one aim point, and you hold over by judgement for longer shots. A BDC reticle prints extra marks at set distances for a stated bolt speed, and a digital or rangefinding scope moves a single aim point for the measured distance.

Reticles are described by their subtension, which is how much angle each mark covers. Where the reticle sits in the tube, front or rear, determines whether that subtension changes with zoom, and that is the topic of focal plane.

Reticle styles in the scopes we have reviewed

Why Reticle matters

The reticle is where the scope meets ballistics. A good match means each mark corresponds to a real distance for your bolt speed; a poor match gives confident but wrong aim points.

It also affects clutter. More marks give more distances but more to read quickly, and some reviewed nine-mark designs take practice before they feel natural.

Illumination, line thickness and colour decide how visible the reticle is in dim light or against dark backgrounds.

How to read it on a spec sheet

• Look for the speed band the reticle is calibrated for, such as 380–505 FPS or 300–550 FPS, and compare it with your crossbow’s rated speed.
• Note the zero distance the marks assume, for example a 40-yard zero.
• Check which marks are illuminated. On one reviewed scope the longest-range chevrons are not lit, which matters at dusk.
• Find the focal plane. It tells you at which magnification the marks are valid.
• A speed adjustment feature means you can tune the reticle to your own bolt speed within a range.

Common mistakes

• Trusting printed distances without confirming them on target with your bolt and tip.
• Using the marks at a magnification different from the one they were designed for.
• Choosing the busiest reticle. Simpler patterns are faster to read under pressure.
• Skipping a chronograph reading when buying a scope calibrated to a narrow speed band.
• Treating the lowest mark as a guaranteed hit zone. Confirm every distance at the range.

Verifying a reticle on the range

1. Note your crossbow’s actual bolt speed if you can measure it, and compare with the reticle’s stated band.
2. Zero at the distance the reticle assumes, as in how to sight in a crossbow scope.
3. Shoot a group at each distance using the matching mark and record where each lands.
4. Mark any distances that land off, and note them on a card for the crossbow.
5. Repeat after any change in bolt weight or tip.

In my testing

My protocol zeroes the scope and then shoots over a chronograph at a stated bolt weight, so the reticle is checked against measured speeds. For the TenPoint RangeMaster 100 all nine illuminated aiming points tracked point of impact across 380–505 FPS on my test crossbows, and the Vortex hold marks matched chronographed drop once calibrated. How I test.

See it in our reviews

• TenPoint RangeMaster 100 — rated 4.6/5
• Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 — rated 4.6/5
• EVO-X Marksman Elite — rated 4.7/5
• TruGlo 4x32 Compact Scope — rated 4.3/5