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October 4, 2009 ↔ 18 comments Contact

Using and Understanding Minute of Angle (MOA)

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The following explanation and examples are intended to teach how to apply Minute

of Angle (MOA) terminology to shooting, not how to do the Trigonometry involved in

calculating Minute of Angle (MOA).

If you would like to learn how Minute of Angle (MOA) is calculated and where the

term comes from please visit this Wikipedia link.

If you are already a Minute of Angle Expert, take our Minute of Angle
Quiz

You should understand that an English inch and a Minute of Angle

(MOA) is not the same thing. They are units of measurement that
happen to be extremely close in value. However, they are close enough
together that for the rest of this explanation please simply round down
to an inch.
Exact Minute of Angle (MOA):
1 MOA = 1.0471996 inches @ 100 yards.
1 MOA = 5.24 inches @ 500 yards.
1 MOA = 10.47 inches @ 1000 yards.

Rounding MOA
1 MOA @ 100 yards = 1 inch
1 MOA @ 200 Yards = 2 inch
1 MOA @ 300 yards = 3 inch
1 MOA @ 400 Yards = 4 inch
1 MOA @ 500 yards = 5 inch
1 MOA @ 600 Yards = 6 inch
1 MOA @ 700 yards = 7 inch
1 MOA @ 800 Yards = 8 inch
1 MOA @ 900 Yards = 9 inch
1 MOA @ 1000 Yards = 10 inch
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Minute of Angle as it applies to group size and drop

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MOA is used to measure group sizes. A 1 inch group @ 100 yards is
referred to as a 1 MOA group. A 2 inch group @ 100 yards is a 2 MOA
group.

At 100 yards it seems simple enough to understand. However, it can

get confusing if you’re not used to the terminology when you move
beyond 100 yards. For example: a 3 inch group shot at 300 yards is
also a 1 MOA group. A 6 inch group shot at 300 yards is a 2 MOA
group. A 1 ½ inch group shot at 300 yards is a .5 MOA group.

Another way to look at it is like this:

½ MOA @ 700 yards is 3.5 inches
1 MOA @ 700 yards is 7 inches
2 MOA @ 700 yards is 14 inches
3 MOA @ 700 yards is 21 inches

3.5 inches @ 700 yards is ½ MOA

7 inches @ 700 yards is 1 MOA
14 inches @ 700 yards is 2 MOA
21 inches @ 700 yards is 3 MOA

Calculations:
How many inches equal 4 MOA at 700 yards?
* (MOA x yards) / 100 = inches
(4 MOA x 700 yards) / 100 = 28 in

How many MOA equal 21 inches at 700 yards?

*(inches / yards)100 = MOA
(21 inches / 700 yards) 100 = 3 MOA

5 inches = 1 MOA how many yards away is the target?

(Inches x MOA)100 = Yards
(5 inches x 1 MOA) 100 = 500 yards

*You can drop the last step and make the calculations easier by
moving the decimal on the yards two places to the left.
How many inches equal 4 MOA at 700 yards?
About
(4 MOA x 7.00 yards) = 28 in

Contact
How many MOA equal 21 inches at 700 yards?
(21 inches / 7.00 yards) = 3 MOA

Minutes of Angle and Ri�e Scopes

Most hunting and target scopes adjust in Minutes of Angle (MOA). The
most common adjustment is ¼ or .25 MOA per click. Although not as
common, there are scopes that adjust in 1/8, 1/6/, 1/5, 1/3, ½, and 1
MOA .
¼ MOA at 100 yards literally means that each time the scope turret is
clicked the bullet impact will move ¼ or .25 inches.

To move the bullet impact 1 inch you would need 4 clicks (.25 x 4 = 1)
Example: When sighting in a ri�e the bullet needs to move up 5 inches
to hit the center of target. 5 in / .25 in = 20 clicks or you could think of
it like this: need to move 5 inches, 4 clicks per inch, 5in x 4 clicks per in
= 20 clicks.

Another application for understanding MOA and scope or sight

adjustment is when shooting longer distances. Ri�e is sighted in at
100 yards. Your ballistic program tells you that you need to come up 20
MOA to shoot at 600 yards. 20 MOA / .25 = 80 clicks Or 20 MOA x 4
clicks per MOA = 80 Clicks

Take the Minute of Angle Quiz

Below are some quiz questions that will help you think and talk in
Minutes of Angle. (Answers are at the bottom of the page.)

1. If you’re sighting in your ri�e at 200 yards and your groups hit the
target 6 inches low. How many ¼ MOA clicks do you need to turn your
scope turret to hit the center of the target?
A. 24
B. 12
C. 18
D. 48

2. How many inches equal a minute of angle at 625 yards?

A. 1
About
B. 3.75
C. 5.5 Contact
D. 6.25

3. If I brag about my shooting and tell you I shot a ½ MOA group at 300
yards, what size group did I shoot?
A. ½ inch
B. 1 ½ inch
C. 3 inch
D. 1 inch

4. If I can consistently get my ri�e to shoot under 2 MOA, in theory,

what is the smallest size steel plate I should be able to always hit at
700 yards?
A. 10 inches
B. 15 inches
C. 18 inches
D. 24 inches

5. My group size is 4 inches and my ri�e shot 1 MOA. How far away is
my target?
A. 40 yards
B. 400 yards
C. 444 yards
D. 800 yards

6. Many gun writers maintain that a gun that will shoot 2 Minutes of
angle is adequate to hunt with. What is the maximum distance such a
gun will consistently shoot 10 inch groups?
A. 250 yards
B. 750 yards
C. 500 yards
D. 100 yards

7. In standard Mil-Dot Reticles, from the center of one mil-dot to the

center of the next mil-dot is 3.6 MOA at 100 yards. If you are sighting in
your ri�e at 100 yards and your groups are approximately the space
between two mil-dots above the center, how many ¼ MOA clicks do
About
you need to turn your turret down to center your group?
A. 14 clicks Contact
B. 3.6 clicks
C. 10 clicks
D. 24 clicks

8. If you shoot a .25 inch group at 25 yards, what MOA did you shoot?
A. .25 MOA
B. .5 MOA
C. .75 MOA
D. 1 MOA

9. If your buddy tells you he can shoot 1 MOA at 1760 yards or 1 mile,
approximately how big is his group?
A. 100 inches
B. 17.6 inches
C. 20 inches
D. 176 inches

10. In 1000 yard F Class matches the X ring is 5 inches. If you were to
place all your shots in the X ring, what MOA would you have shot?
A. 1 MOA
B. 10 MOA
C. .5 MOA
D. 5 MOA

11. You’re going to shoot your ri�e at 1000 yards. Your ri�e is sighted
dead on at 100 yards. The ballistics program says you need to dial in
28 MOA to reach 1000 yards. How many ¼ MOA clicks do you need to
turn your scope turret?
A. 28 clicks
B. 280 clicks
C. 112 clicks
D. 64 clicks

12. You and a buddy are out shooting balloons in the desert at 600
yards. The wind is blowing and your buddy is spotting your shots. After
your last shot he tells you that your elevation was dead on, but your
About
wind was off 2 MOA to the left. How many inches off to the left was
your shot and how many ¼ MOA clicks to the right will it take to Contact
correct?
A. 6 inches, 8 clicks
B. 12 inches, 8 clicks
C. 12 inches, 16 clicks
D. 24 inches, 24 clicks

13. Assume a 100 yard zero. If you have to adjust your scope up 28
MOA to shoot 1000 yards, how many feet is your bullet dropping?
A. 28
B. 10
C. 55.7
D. 23.3

14. In theory. If you can shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards, what size
group should you be able to shoot at 400 yards?
A. 4
B. 8
C. 1
D. 2

Answers

1. B *(6in / 2.00 yards) = 3 MOA , 3 MOA x 4 clicks per inch = 12 clicks

2. D *(1 MOA x 6.25 yards )= 6.25
3. B *(.5 MOA x 3.00 yards) = 1.5 inch group
4. B 2 MOA = 14 inches @ 700 yards.
5. B (4 inches x 1 MOA) 100 = 400 yards
About
6. C
7. A Contact
8. D
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. B
13. D *(28 MOA x 10.00) = 280 inches 280in / 12in = 23.3 ft
14. A

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Accurate Mags Bullet Casting

kelly bell
March 17, 2011

great test found a few things out

James Falstad
May 27, 2013

Really helped me understand the system of MOA, thanks guys

terry
March 8, 2015

i think your answer to #12 question is wrong you answered #b 12

inches 8 clicks. I think the answer is 12 inches, 48 clicks, am i right if
not why. thank you terry

terry
March 8, 2015
I got it your right thank you .terry
About

pete Contact
April 15, 2015

3 out of 14. not to bad-jest getting started

pete
April 15, 2015

9 right –

Anthony Witherall
May 10, 2015

Thank you igot it

Marcus Franklin
May 18, 2015

Thank you VERY much, I learned a lot. I have this site tagged in my
Favorites, so I can review it and get this stuff in my head. Thanks!

Oscar
February 18, 2016

Thanks this really help me understand how moa works it actually

works for me to understand the process of how it works

Eric Backer
March 22, 2016

I did okay I missed a few but found my simple error. Really fun math,
now I want to put it to use.

Brian
May 16, 2016

Got them all except #12. Until i remembered how much a 1/4 moa
click was ( 1.5 inches) at 600 yds.

anon
September 21, 2016

Thank You Sr

Wayne Huff
October 27, 2016
 11 right – 3 wrong / but I didn’t agree with one answer.. #12
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WH

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Luke
February 19, 2017

This is great, Can someone show me the workings for #11 its the only
one I got wrong…

Dustin
March 1, 2017

Not understanding #12 answer. Please help me understand

True Pearce
March 1, 2017

Dustin,
2 minutes at 600 yards is approximately 12 inches. It takes 8, 1/4
moa clicks to equal 2 moa regardless of the distance. Does that
help?

Harry Truman Davidson

October 12, 2017

Of all the sights I have looked at on how to understand MOA this is the
best and easiest to understand. He really helped me out. Thanks.

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