Sounds like a good system. I like reticles too for the reasons you mention.
Shot my 3-10x42 out to 700 yds today, dialing with the stock turret as usual. At 700 I was about 4" low (meaning that I was "on" at 525 yards, dead center on my steel plate, but at 700 I was a few inches low)
I don't know it that speaks to a tracking error or a downdraft. I'll sort that out and report.
I have shot it to ~625 yds and it was on. That said it doesn't take much to move a bullet 4" at that range and there was a terrain change between 525 and 700 yards.
