What is German # Reticle?

September 30, 2020

 

Why is German's reticle still relevant for shooters? Features, secrets and tips for choosing this reticle are collected here.

Reticle grid is intended for precise aiming at the target of the weapon on which the sight is installed.
The reticle is located in one of the focal planes of the sight (objective or ocular), so the image of the target and the reticle are as if in one plane and visible to the eye equally sharp. In the simplest case, the sighting grid looks like a cross or a semicircle and is made of wires or obtained by etching the image on a strong metal foil placed inside a bushing. The drawing of the sighting grid can have different configuration and is applied on the transparent plate inside the wrapping system or directly on the lens. Besides crosshairs, some sights have rangefinder scale, which allows to calculate the distance to the target, if its dimensions are known. The main advantage of a telescope sight over a conventional mechanical one is that you do not need to constantly refocus your eye to combine on the same line of sighting and to see clearly the target, fly and slot of the target when aiming, which allows to see the reticle and the target simultaneously and equally clearly.

What is German # Reticle?

This reticle was used in the German Gw ZF4 sight (where its official name was derived from the German Post), the only reticle where the upper vertical hair is as thin as in the center. This was done to give the arrow a clearer field of view to observe the target.
This grid is called the German number "x" regardless of the grid number. The most common and simple ones are German #4 and German #1. You can see these grids with thick right, bottom and left (3, 6 and 9 hours) crosses, which narrow down to the center in the original style or with a point in the center. Sometimes they have a 12 hour / top crosshair, and sometimes without it. These German grids are often backlit.

The German #4: Still Works

Because of its simplicity, this grid allows you to aim quickly at short distances, literally placing the target at the edge of the lower crosshairs. Fat lines guide the arrow's pupil to the center of the crosshairs, and the absence of the upper fat duplex makes the view more comfortable, and it is more convenient to guide a running target.
The mesh does not get lost on the background of vegetation due to the considerable thickness of lines. The German4 mesh sight does not require any significant shooting skills and is intuitive even for a novice shooter. If it is necessary to determine the distance on the ground with the reticle, it may be done knowing the values of angular marks.
If your batteries are dead in your sight, or you need to work not only at night but also at dusk - your choice is German's sight grid. Do not pay attention to its year of creation. Many devices created in the last century are still popular. So why can't there be any "veterans" in the classic night optics?

Why the German #4 Still Rocks

Hunters like large or thick threads because they are clearly visible and instantly draw attention to the center / the aiming point of the grid. They are also great when the target is in a thick vegetation. Under these conditions, the finer filaments of the reticle will be lost in the colorful background. Thicker crosshairs will also give you the added advantage of increasing the Visira coverage. Therefore, we hope we have made some convincing arguments for the traditional German#4 style sights. Think of thick crosshairs as a back-up option for low light conditions, when your rifle scope's batteries go down and the reticle's mesh lighting doesn't work. Selecting a grid for your telescope sight nowadays can be a "heroic" task. The number of sighting meshes at some companies can reach 70. Structurally, the sights have passed a great evolutionary way. But grids of German#4 type have proved their effectiveness for years. More complicated doesn't mean better.