Few topics cause more confusion for new scope buyers than MOA versus MRAD. The good news: they are simply two units for measuring the same thing — angle. Neither is more accurate. What matters is understanding what a click moves, and choosing a system you can think in quickly under pressure.
They both measure angle, not distance
A rifle scope adjusts the aim in angular terms, so the correction grows with distance. That is why one click moves the bullet further at 300 metres than at 100. MOA (Minute of Angle) and MRAD (milliradian) are just different slices of a circle.
What is MOA?
A minute of angle is 1/60th of a degree. At 100 yards, 1 MOA equals almost exactly 1.047 inches — close enough that shooters round it to "1 inch at 100 yards." Most MOA scopes adjust in 1/4 MOA clicks, so each click moves point of impact about 1/4 inch at 100 yards, 1/2 inch at 200, and so on.
What is MRAD?
A milliradian is 1/1000th of a radian. At 100 metres, 1 MRAD equals 10 centimetres; at 100 yards it is about 3.6 inches. Most MRAD scopes adjust in 0.1 MRAD clicks — 1 cm at 100 m per click. Because it is base-10, the maths is clean: ten clicks is one full MRAD.
Click values side by side
| System | Common click | Movement at 100 yd | Movement at 100 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOA | 1/4 MOA | ~0.26 in | ~0.73 cm |
| MRAD | 0.1 MRAD | ~0.36 in | 1.0 cm |
The one rule you must not break
Match your turret to your reticle. If your reticle is marked in MRAD, your turrets must adjust in MRAD; if the reticle is in MOA, use MOA turrets. Mixing the two means you cannot use holdovers or spot your own corrections cleanly — a "mil-dot reticle with MOA turrets" scope is a headache best avoided.
Which should you choose?
- Choose MOA if you think in inches and yards, shoot mostly at known ranges, or want the finer 1/4 MOA click for precision at closer distances.
- Choose MRAD if you like base-10 maths, shoot with others who call corrections in mils, or plan to move into longer-range and competition shooting where MRAD is the common language.
For a first tactical or LPVO purchase, either works. Pick the unit you can do fast mental maths in, learn your reticle, and practise ranging and holding with it. Consistency beats the never-ending internet debate every time. Browse our rifle scopes — both MOA and MRAD models are available across the SIG Sauer, EOTech and Primary Arms ranges.
