Question 1

What's the difference between MOA and MIL?

Accepted Answer

They're both angular measurements, just different units. 1 MOA (Minute of Angle) = 1.047 inches at 100 yards. 1 MIL (milliradian) = 3.6 inches at 100 yards. Most American hunters and shooters use MOA; military and many precision shooters use MIL because it does math in even tens. Neither is more precise — pick what your scope is in and stick with it.

Question 2

Why is MOA 1.047 inches instead of just 1?

Accepted Answer

A true MOA is exactly 1/60th of a degree of arc. At 100 yards, that subtends 1.047 inches. The popular "1 inch at 100 yards" approximation is called "Shooter's MOA" or "IPHY" (Inches Per Hundred Yards). The error is about 4.7% — small at short range but it adds up at distance. We use true MOA in this calculator.

Question 3

How many MIL clicks for 1 inch at 100 yards?

Accepted Answer

A typical 0.1-mil scope has 0.36-inch clicks at 100 yards. So 1 inch ≈ 2.78 clicks, or basically 3 clicks. For 0.05-mil scopes (rare), each click is 0.18 inches at 100 yards.

Question 4

Does this account for atmospheric conditions?

Accepted Answer

No — this is a pure angular conversion. It ignores wind, drag, and atmospheric effects. Use it for sight-in adjustments and group-size measurement. For trajectory calculations, use a dedicated ballistic calculator.

Question 5

How do I measure my group in MOA?

Accepted Answer

Measure the group center-to-center in inches with a caliper, divide by the distance in hundreds of yards, then divide by 1.047. Example: a 1.2-inch group at 200 yards = 1.2 ÷ 2 ÷ 1.047 = 0.57 MOA. Or just enter the inches and distance into this calculator.

MOA / MIL / Inches Converter